The Hundred: Southern Brave reach men's final after Super 5 victory over Birmingham Phoenix

Chris Jordan led Southern Brave to a thrilling victory over Birmingham Phoenix in The Hundred Eliminator by hitting two boundaries in a Super 5 decider after the scores finished tied at The Kia Oval.

Brave and Phoenix both totalled 126 from their 100 balls resulting in the Super 5, with Jofra Archer (1-6), who famously bowled England to World Cup victory in 2019 in a similar manner, being entrusted with the ball once again for the Brave.

Archer picked up the wicket of Liam Livingstone (0) with his first ball but Jacob Bethell (5) slashed a fuller delivery to the wide long-on boundary before being run out by Leus du Plooy, while Jamie Smith added a single as Phoenix scored seven from their five deliveries.

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In reply, Jordan (10no) edged Adam Milne (0-11) through the vacant fine-leg region for four before adding a couple of runs to long-on thanks to some fine running from his partner Kieron Pollard (1no).

Jordan then sealed the deal in style as he hammered Milne through mid-wicket for the winning boundary with one ball to spare to book Brave's place in Sunday's final at Lord's where they will meet Oval Invincibles live on Sky Sports Cricket.

Earlier in the match, Liam Livingstone (55) struck his third half-century of The Hundred as Birmingham Phoenix looked on course for victory. However, tight bowling from Brave's Akeal Hosein (2-10), who dismissed Livingstone in the final set, helped the scores end in a tie as Phoenix posted 126-6.

Brave's skipper James Vince (43) and Du Plooy (39) had earlier regained control as they shared a 76-run partnership to set up a score of 126-7 after losing opener Alex Davies (0) to the second ball of the match.

Brave rebuild after shaky start

Adam Milne (3-18) made an immediate impact for Birmingham Phoenix removing Alex Davies (0) for a duck with the second ball of the match as the Southern Brave opener caught a thick outside edge that found Benny Howell at gully.

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James Vince (43) and Leus du Plooy (39) helped Brave rebuild with a 76-run partnership to take their side to 76-1 before the latter became Milne’s second victim with a slow leg-cutter that he scooped straight to wicketkeeper Jamie Smith.

Brave’s captain Vince, the leading run-scorer in The Hundred this year, fell seven runs short of a half-century after he mis-judged a knuckle ball from Howell (1-14) that saw him caught at deep mid-wicket.

Kieron Pollard’s (2) outing only lasted five balls as the West Indies’ international fell to a short ball from Chris Wood (1-25), launching it straight into Dan Mousley’s hands.

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Laurie Evans (14) looked briefly dangerous when he hit the six of the match over long-off taking Brave into triple figures, but was dismissed the following delivery by Milne after holing out to long-on.

Jacob Bethell took a stunning leaping catch at deep backward square to see the end of James Cole (4) off Sean Abbott’s bowling.

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Jofra Archer (1no) added a single before Chris Jordan (20no) finished the innings with authority, hitting back-to-back sixes off Abbott to take Brave to 126-6.

Livingstone's brilliant 55 in vain

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Birmingham Phoenix made a shaky start to Brave's 126-6 as opener Ben Duckett (7) was dismissed for the first time in single figures during the tournament after he holed Craig Overton out to wide long-on where Pollard completed the catch running backwards.

Jamie Smith (10) hit back-to-back boundaries on his home ground but struggled to make a decisive impact for Phoenix after he was dismissed by Tymal Mills (2-23).

Moeen Ali (24) and Liam Livingstone (55) initially struggled against Brave's terrific pace attack adding 19 runs for their third-wicket partnership, with skipper Moeen falling at the halfway stage of the chase after slog-sweeping to mid-wicket when his side still required 82.

Archer bowled Dan Mousley (2) with the final ball his allotted sets as fellow pacer Mills dismissed Benny Howell (2), leaving the Phoenix on 111-6.

Livingstone motored on and became the first player to hit 50 sixes across the tournament as he lifted Phoenix's hopes after being dropped over the boundary rope on seven by Du Plooy. He smashed four sixes and three boundaries during his 34-ball outing but holed Akeal Hosein (2-30) out to square leg leaving Brave requiring three runs from two balls to win.

Milne (1no) and Sean Abbott (1no) shared a couple of runs to tie the match and take it to a Super 5 but Livingstone's half-century was in vain after Brave dominated in the Super 5.

Archer: Today went my way

Player of the Match, Jofra Archer:

"I am just relieved, to be honest. I thought I had given it away in the second-last over.

"You just have to commit [in the Super 5]. Sometimes it goes for you, sometimes it doesn't. Today it went for me.

"We have 11 match-winners and the guys not in the 11 are match-winners as well. We have so much talent.

"It doesn't matter what team we put out, I back us."

What's next?

Southern Brave will then take on Oval Invincibles in the men's final at the same venue, live on Sky Sports Cricket from 5.30pm on Sunday.

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