Zampa's 21,000 mile trek worthwhile as Oval win Hundred final
Adam Zampa prepares for his controversial one-off appearance
Adam Zampa's marathon 21,000 mile (34,000 kilometre) round trip from Australia just to bowl 20 balls paid dividends as the Oval Invincibles won their third successive final in English cricket's Hundred with a 26-run victory over the Trent Rockets at Lord's on Sunday.
Zampa'S near 30-hour journey came about after the 33-year-old, who's been on international duty with Australia, was summoned as a replacement for fellow leg-spinner Rashid Khan, called up to play for Afghanistan.
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Zampa, who had starred in the Invincibles previous two title-winning campaigns, took a miserly 1-21 from his maximum 20 balls on Sunday, with the veteran having Rockets dangerman David Willey stumped for 14.
He was not the only Australian leg-spinner in the wickets for the Invincibles.
Penrith-born but England-qualified Nathan Sowter took 3-25 -- including the prize scalp of England great Joe Root for 10 -- as the Rockets set 169 to win, were held to 142-8.
It was something of an 'Australia Day' at Lord's, with all-rounder Marcus Stoinis returning figures of 2-40 for the Rockets before top-scoring for the Nottingham-based side with a quickfire 64, including four fours and five sixes, that ended when he was lbw to England quick Saqib Mahmood.
England's Will Jacks laid the foundations for the Invincibles' win with a 41-ball 72 at the top of the order, although he was reprieved on 28 by a Stoinis no-ball after the Rockets lost New Zealand fast bowler Lockie Ferguson to injury in the warm-up.
Australia internationals also took centre stage in the preceding women's final, with Annabel Sutherland, Nicola Carey and Phoebe Litchfield, the player of the tournament, starring as the Northern Superchargers defeated the Southern Brave by seven wickets.
The 23-year-old Sutherland took 2-23, with the Brave, previously unbeaten in this season's edition, held to 115-6 in the 100 balls per side showpiece match.
Then, in front of a bumper crowd of 22,542 at Lord's, Sutherland's 28 not out helped put the result beyond doubt after the Superchargers had faltered at 59-3.
Sutherland shared an unbroken stand of 60 with Carey (35 not out) and ended the match in style courtesy of a six down the ground as the Superchargers, taking the title for the first time, won with 12 balls to spare.
Litchfield had led the run-chase with 26, including four fours and a six, to become the top-scorer of the tournament, with her 292 runs taking her past former Australia captain Meg Lanning, now of the Invincibles.
