Adam Zampa’s marathon 34,000-kilometre round trip from Australia just to bowl 20 balls paid dividends as the Oval Invincibles won its 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.

Zampa, who had starred in the Invincibles’ previous two title-winning campaigns, took a miserly 1-21 from his maximum 20 balls on Sunday, getting 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.

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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.

Published on Sep 01, 2025