Hundred's Sydney showdown won by Thunder's Billings
Brave skipper James Vince is a Sydney Sixers stalwart, Invincibles captain Sam Billings is a key performer for Sydney Thunder. Though intriguingly in 2016/17 and 2017/18 the pair were each on the other team.
In Southampton on Monday Billings won the toss, asked Vince to bat, then enjoyed watching his bowling attack shred the home team's upper order setting up a comfortable win.
Australian international Hilton Cartwright led a counterattack with a 29-ball 42 which at least gave Brave's powerful new-ball attack something to bowl at.
However, their total of 133 was inadequate with Jordan Cox (56 off 37) and Sam Curran (50no off 32) flaying Brave's back-up bowlers as the pitch quickened up under the lights, the London club winning by seven wickets with 11 balls to spare..
Earlier, Vince (7) was first of Brave's batters to go. One ball after cracking Jason Behrendorrf (2-20) for four he steered the Australian into the hands of former Sixers teammate Tom Curran, smartly positioned at short third man.
Behrendorf, who has been excellent with the new ball this competition, then had the other opener, South African Leus du Plooy (13), also caught by the elder Curran, this time running back from a top edge.
Adelaide Strikers favourite Rashid Khan (3-20) entered the attack and took three wickets in four balls. The odd ball out was survived by Cartwright, not that he read the googly Khan served up as the putative hat-trick ball.
From 6-44 Cartwright, in-between enjoying some banter with Khan, batted Brave to respectability before Sam Curran (3-21) cleaned him up with a leg-stump yorker.
Brave's pace attack of Jofra Archer, Craig Overton and Tymal MIlls is the fastest in the competition and Vince backed them with attacking fields.
He gave Overton (2-21 off 20 balls) first bowl and the England quick dismissed Will Jacks (1) and Tawanda Muyeye (9) to reduce Invincibles to 2-18.
Archer (0-19 off 20) then ramped up the pace, reaching 150 kph, worrying the batters, but Mills at 137 kph was launched into the Shane Warne Stand as Jordan Cox went 4-6-4.
That changed the momentum of the game and the English pair took the visitors to the brink of victory before Cox smashed Mills into the safe hands of Cartwright.
Billings came in to crack three fours in a seven-ball unbeaten 13 before Sam Curran scored the winning runs, bringing up his half-century at the same time.
Tom Moody's charges now lead the table with four wins from five and a place in the Lord's final on August 31 ever closer.
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