Home-grown great gives tournament a night to remember at a packed Kia Oval
Vithushan Ehantharajah26-Aug-2023The thing to know about those who have attended matches through the men’s Hundred is that, while some root for their city, most simply root for the batters. After all, they are the ones who control your evening’s entertainment.In a format like this, T20 with the ends chopped off, bowlers restrict, fielders stop, but batters do. They must. Otherwise, what else is there but dots, saves and unused pyrotechnics?By the end of the Eliminator at the Kia Oval, after 49 boundaries among 397 runs, there was just enough fuel in the pyrotechnic tanks dotted around the boundary for the final few blasts to mark Manchester Originals’ achievement, as Jamie Overton slammed the night’s 23rd and final six over long on.The biggest chase in the Hundred’s history had been achieved, at a ground that had only seen one such success in the previous four matches this season. And at the most important time, to send the Originals into Sunday’s Lord’s final to play Oval Invincibles, at the expense of Southern Brave. They will look to make amends after falling short of the 2022 title against Trent Rockets.It’s not for nothing that the Originals polished off this total with an all-English top five. And that Brave’s score was bolstered by an outstanding 56 off 25 by skipper James Vince. As much as the batters carry the burden, any country’s short-format jewel in their home season – no matter how derided – relies on homegrown talent to thrive. So it was apt that, on Saturday evening, all 19,216 in the stands and those tuning in from home were left more than satisfied by an English talent regarded as one of his generation’s greatest white-ball batters, and, heck, he’s in the conversation for “all-time”, too.To be fair to Jos Buttler, he has held up his end of the entertainment bargain across several evenings this last month. As the tournament’s leading run-scorer – with 380, now the highest-scoring individual in a Hundred season and 140 clear of his nearest challenger, Finn Allen – his consistency has been up there with your favourite restaurant. In a fledgling tournament, constantly having to deal with talk of being wiped out, Buttler’s presence throughout and brilliance from the get-go has been an act of invaluable conservation, as far as the tournament organisers are concerned.The ECB will release figures outlining the unequivocal success of this third edition on Sunday morning, and the late boost from this viral innings by England’s limited-overs captain may well add another thick layer of icing before the double-header final provides the cherry.This 82, Buttler’s highest Hundred score, took just 46 deliveries – his 50 came up from 26 – and featured familiar swipes over wide long-on and down the ground. The only thing missing was a scoop. Barring a flay behind third for four, the other nine of his boundaries – four of them sixes – came in the arc from extra cover to midwicket.Related
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Yet, for all the thrill emanating from Buttler’s bat, including his dismissal – skied so high it disappeared into the night sky before reappearing and burrowing deep into Rehan Ahmed’s hands, who almost got buried into the earth with it – there were moments when others came to the fore. Though Buttler was the main character, the supporting actors played their part and, at the start, even outshone him.It’s funny to think Buttler was 12 off 9 heading into the final two balls of the powerplay; two balls he would end up flicking over square leg and punching through cover for a brace of fours that took Originals to 61 for no loss – the equal-highest 25-ball score of the season. After 30, Originals had 82, double what Brave had managed at that stage, and it was not because of Buttler.Phil Salt was the man who lit the touchpaper on this mighty heist. The first three deliveries of the second innings were all taken for four. The first six of the innings was his, slamming George Garton over midwicket. He then finished Overton’s third set – balls 29 and 30 – with back-to-back sixes.”He certainly comes out with some impetus, that’s for sure!” Buttler said of Salt, who would end up with 47 from just 17 balls, out of the opening stand of 83. “He’s a fearless player, he’s got loads of talent. In that kind of chase, to get off to start like he gave us, it’s fantastic.”Buttler, by no means sluggish with 30 off 15 when Salt was dismissed, admitted his partner’s innings had allowed him to get into his flow.”He certainly takes pressure off you, the way he plays. If he gets going, you can turn over the strike and give it to him. I always want to play fast and score as quick as I can. But sometimes you get away to a flyer, sometimes you don’t.”Similar could be said of Max Holden, whose 31 off 17 in a stand of 63 ensured Buttler was not the sole bearer of the load. When Buttler was finally dismissed by Chris Jordan, Laurie Evans struck the 90th ball of the innings for four to leave 12 needed off the last 10, before waiting on a Tymal Mills slower ball to strike the 92nd high over extra cover for arguably the shot of the match. Overton then finished it with four deliveries to spare, holding his shape to obliterate Jordan down the ground.Overton and Evans embraced, before turning to a dug-out already into their own celebrations, all while Buttler looked a picture of calm. For all the frustration at having conceded so many at the halfway stage, Buttler admitted he had always felt they were in with a shot. He’d computed the short boundary, the slickness of the field affecting the ball, and the bowlers’ ability to keep his team quiet.Perhaps the most satisfying thing for Buttler as captain of this group is, even with his own reliability with the bat, those around him have clearly channelled his approach: the positivity, the ruthlessness, the desire to perform under the harshest lights on the biggest stage.Just as he believed they had a chance to knock off 197, he sees no reason why a first Hundred title will not be in their grasp by Sunday night. As do the rest of the Originals. Then again, it is hard not to believe when you’ve got Jos Buttler in your ranks.
