Oval Invincibles secured a narrow two-run victory over Birmingham Phoenix at the start of their final round of The Hundred matches on Wednesday. The hosts posted 155 before bowlers restricted the visitors to 157, sending the fourth-placed side further clear of the mid-table pack.
Birmingham Phoenix have struggled for consistency this season, winning just one of their eight games. They arrived with a losing streak from their previous five fixtures, having fallen short against teams such as London Spirit and Northern Superchargers in recent weeks.
Oval Invincibles showed greater resilience, particularly in their batting. Their recent victory over Trent Rockets and a dominant display against Manchester Originals demonstrated the firepower that kept them in contention for a top-four finish.
The match itself was decided in the closing overs. Birmingham Phoenix set a competitive total but failed to hold their nerve in the final innings. By then, the visitors had built enough of a buffer to weather the comeback attempt.
The result leaves Birmingham Phoenix rooted in eighth place with four points from eight games. Oval Invincibles move closer to the playoff positions, sitting on twenty points with three defeats already logged.