BPH VS SOB ELIMINATOR

Right then, we finally have two confirmed finalists for The Men's Hundred Competition, 2024 as Southern Brave join Oval Invincibles in the final summit at Lord's. The Final will be played on Sunday, 18 August at 10.30 pm IST (5 pm GMT) but you can catch our build-up a lot sooner. Till then, take care and goodbye!

Jofra Archer is the HERO OF THE MATCH and rightly so. Archer says that he is just relieved that they got over the line as he felt that he gave the game away in the penultimate set of five. Mentions that cricket is just like that, somedays it comes off and somedays it doesn't. On the final, he says that he will work with the physio and takes meds to recover quickly and be ready for it.

The Presentation ceremony...

Earlier in the game, Moeen Ali put Southern Brave into bat first and there seemed to be something in it early on for the pacers. The likes of Adam Milne, Tim Southee and Chris Wood all bowled well up top but James Vince and Leus du Plooy put on a crucial 76-run stand. The bowlers came back strongly and it looked like the Brave would only manage about 110-115 runs, Chris Jordan went ballistic in the final set and notched up 14 runs off the last 3 balls to get them to 126 runs. Milen was the pick of the bowlers with 3 wickets to his name and then the chase ebbed and flowed before it all ended in a tie.

'Heartbreak' is the word one would use to describe the state of the Birmingham Phoenix side at the moment and they will still be wondering how they have lost this game. In a topsy-turvy chase, Phoenix faltered early on but Liam Livingstone and Jacob Bethell put on a fine stand to revive their hopes. However, throughout the final phase, they lost wickets at the wrong times and the batters were to blame as they played a few unnecessary shots. Livingstone seemed to be inching towards being on top of the world but tried to finish off the game with one big hit when he was the last recognized batter and this cost them dearly. In the Super Five, the team seemed deflated and never really recovered from the shock suffered in that final set of five in regulation time.

Having put a meager 126 on the board, Southern Brave needed early wickets and they did a decent job of keeping the opposition in check. They even seemed to have the upper hand heading into the last quarter or so of the chase but things turned around quickly and they looked down and out. Eventually, they needed to defend 10 runs off the final set to at least push for a Tied game and after conceding 8 runs off the first ball that didn't even count, Akeal Hosein and the fielders of Southern Brave managed to give away just two more runs to Tie the game. In the Super Five, Jofra Archer turned back the clock and bowled a fine set of five deliveries to set up the win and then Chris Jordan finished things up with a couple of boundaries.

Talk about holding your nerve and credit must go to Akeal Hosein and even after a howler on the very first ball of the final set, he managed to keep his calm and take the game into the Super Five. Southern Brave had the momentum after the game was tied and have done the job with ease in this shoot out.

SOUTHERN BRAVE ARE BACK IN THE FINAL! The inaugural champions have risen from the dead and have sealed their spot in the Grand Finale after bowing out at this very Eliminator stage last season. What a redemption arc it has been for them and they are ecstatic with the win. Spare a thought for Birmingham Phoenix though as they had it in their hands and have somehow let it slip, a very tough pill to swallow this for the Phoenix.

FOUR! Southern Brave are into the finals. Short of a length and outside off. Jordon pulls it hard and flat to deep mid-wicket and it races to the fence.

Two! The big man Pollard makes his end. Very full and on middle. Jordon drives it straight down the ground. Liam Livingstone runs to his left and cuts it off. Kieron Pollard pushes for the second run and makes his end.

FOUR! Streaky but it doesn't matter. Just three runs needed now. Touch fuller and around off, nips in sharply. Chris Jordan leans to push but inside edges it past the stumps to fine leg for a boundary.

A fuller ball following Pollard on the leg side who flicks it to mid-wicket for a single. Ben Duckett though throws at the wrong end. A throw at the keeper's end and Jordon would have been in trouble.

All in readiness for the chase in the Super Five. Just 8 needed for Southern Brave to win and the umpires are already out in the middle. Adam Milne was seen practicing in the interval and will be entrusted to defend these 7 runs for the Phoenix. The pair of Kieron Pollard and Chris Jordan has walked out to get the job done for the Brave with the bat. And it is Milne who will take the ball. Let's go...

... The Chase ...

What a set of five that was from Jofra Archer! Birmingham Phoenix do manage to get 7 runs off it but that doesn't look anywhere enough of what they would have wanted. Everything now rests on the following five deliveries as Southern Brave and Birmingham Phoenix look to book their place in the final. Don't go anywhere, the chase is up next.

OUT! RUN OUT! Tremendous bowling this. Jofra Archer nails his Yorker on the pads. Jacob Bethell flicks it behind square on the leg side. The batters look for two but the second was never there. Jacob Bethell is run out at the keeper's end.

OUT! RUN OUT! Tremendous bowling this. Jofra Archer nails his Yorker on the pads. Jacob Bethell flicks it behind square on the leg side. The batters look for two but the second was never there. Jacob Bethell is run out at the keeper's end.

Is that run out? Sure seemed like it and they have gone upstairs. The replays roll in and Jacob Bethell is well short of his crease, even on the dive. OUT!