The Hundred 2023

Watch: Matthew Wade goes airborne to pull off stunning six-save at the square leg boundary in The Hundred

by Wisden Staff August 3, 2023 - 2:32pm 2 minute read

Watch: London Spirit’s Matthew Wade pulled off a stunning six-save on the square leg boundary towards the dying stages of the Oval Invincibles’ run-chase at Lord’s yesterday (August 2).

London Spirit were all out for 131 off exactly 100 balls after being put into bat first by the Oval Invincibles. Adam Rossington top-scored for them with a 21-ball 39. Wade batted at No.4 and made a crucial contribution of 37 off 27 balls, the second-highest score of the innings.

Their lower-middle order failed completely though, as they collapsed from 81-2 to 131 all out. Nathan Sowter took 3-34 for the Oval Invincibles, while Sunil Narine was nearly unplayable, taking 2-14 from his 20 balls.

In response, the Invincibles got off to a shaky start as they lost both their openers Jason Roy and Will Jacks with the scoreboard reading 23 off 18 balls. Their troubles increased when Heinrich Klaasen was dismissed three balls later, leaving them struggling at 24-3.

Sam Curran and Sam Billings then came together to rescue the Oval Invincibles. Curran scored 34 off 28 at No.5, while Billings scored 25 off 15 at No.6. The equation came down to 19 off the last 10 balls with just four wickets in hand.

Jordan Thompson bowled the penultimate five-ball set and gave away just four runs. It could have been eight had it not been for Wade’s brilliance on the boundary line on the fourth ball.

Gus Atkinson picked up a low full toss on the stumps by Thompson towards square leg. It was timed to perfection, but the lack of elevation meant it couldn’t clear Wade, who jumped backwards full stretch, caught the ball with both hands and then threw it inside the boundary line, all while being completely airborne.

The batters hadn’t run initially assuming the ball would go for six. When it didn’t and when the throw came in towards the non-striker’s end, Narine could well have been run out had the ball hit the stumps. Fortunately for him, it didn’t and they completed two runs.

It turned out to be vital in the end as Narine smashed 12 runs in three balls in the final five-ball set to clinch the run-chase for the Invincibles.