By Huzaifa Yousafzai from the Kia Oval
Oval Invincibles Men beat the Birmingham Pheonix Men on Tuesday night by 8 wickets with 31 balls left to spare in the first game of the season.
Early strikes from seamers Saqib Mahmood and Mohammed Amir set up the game perfectly for the home side before Adam Zampa and Will Jacks closed out the innings.
Then quickfire twenties from Tuwanda Muyeye and Dawid Malan along with an unbeaten 31 from Sam Billings made light work of the chase.
The reigning champions started the new campaign with a comfortable home win as they bid to become the first team to win the competition more than once.
Phoenix captain Moeen Ali won the toss and chose to bat first on green deck at the Oval under overcast skies in South London.
Mohammed Amir opened the bowling, but it was Saqib Mahmood who struck the first blow when Aneurin Donald holed out to Tom Lammonby at deep square leg before Liam Livingstone was caught by an excellent running catch from Sam Curran at mid-on.
Amir then got his first when a top edge from Dan Mousley flew to Adam Zampa at third man before the Pakistan International had the Pheonix skipper Moeen Ali, caught by Dawid Malan at second slip.
Bethell hit Sam Curran for a pair of sixes over the leg side followed by Rishi Patel depositing a Nathan Sowter long hop into the stands as Pheonix continued to rebuild.
The partnership was broken by Will Jacks as Bethell attempted to cut the ball through the field but was instead caught at cover by Malan.
Benny Howell targeted the legside against Saqib Mahmood hitting 16 in 4 deliveries but was dismissed just a few balls later when he picked out Lammonby at deep midwicket to give Jacks his second wicket.
Rishi Patel ran past one from Adam Zampa and was stumped by Sam Billings before Adam Milne and Tom Helm both fell LBW to the Australian leg spinner.
Sowter bowled Sean Abbott for the final wicket as the Phoenix innings was cut short for just 89 runs after 81 balls.
Tim Southee was the first to strike for Phoenix as the dangerous Will Jacks was caught at first slip by Moeen Ali after hitting an earlier boundary.
Following a flurry of fours in the powerplay, Tuwanda Muyeye eventually holed out to Benny Howell at mid off as Southee picked up his second wicket.
Malan and Billings continued to get closer to the target before the Invincibles captain hit 14 from 3 Tom Helm deliveries as his team eased over the line.
