Defending champions Oval Invincibles all but secured their place in the men’s Hundred final with a commanding six-wicket win over neighbours London Spirit on Monday.
The big-hitting Donovan Ferreira (24 from nine balls) finished off the job at the Kia Oval with his second six as the league leaders needed just 78 balls to overhaul the Spirit’s 152 for seven.
Will Jacks (45 from 27) got the chase off to a flying start before Jordan Cox (47 from 27) and Sam Curran (27 from 13) maintained the momentum.
Nathan Sowter was earlier the pick of the Invincibles bowling with two for 23, including the key wicket of Kane Williamson (21).
Jamie Smith had hit 28 at the top of the order with Jamie Overton (31) and Ryan Higgins (28) also weighing in.
The win put the Invincibles, who are bidding for a third successive title, four points clear at the top of their table after their eight regular-season games. As they also have a huge net run-rate advantage, Trent Rockets and Northern Superchargers will likely have to settle for places in the Eliminator.
In the women’s competition, Spirit put the heat on the Manchester Originals in the battle for a spot in the Eliminator as they powered to an eight-wicket victory over the Invincibles.
Kira Chathli cracked 53 from 29 balls and Georgia Redmayne 42 from 30 as the Spirit eased past their 109-run target with 38 deliveries to spare.
It lifted them four points clear of the fourth-placed Originals, who face Northern Superchargers in their final league game on Tuesday, and with a significant net run-rate advantage.
Charlie Dean and Eva Gray both recorded figures of two for 12 as the already-eliminated Invincibles were limited to 108 for eight from their 100 deliveries.
Marizanne Kapp top-scored with 32 from 25 balls after Paige Schofield (22) and Meg Lanning (19) had struggled to establish a quick tempo in an opening partnership of 42 which occupied 38 deliveries.
Chathli and Redmayne almost knocked off all the runs themselves in an first-wicket stand of 106, but the pair’s dismissals by Phoebe Frankin (two for 10) only delayed the inevitable.
