By the time Buttler miscued Chris Jordan, Originals were left needing only 17 from 12 deliveries. The experienced Laurie Evans took them to the brink before Jamie Overton, Craig's twin, hit Jordan for six over long-off to seal a hugely impressive victory. Not Brave enough Originals completed the highest chase in Hundred history with four deliveries to spare and will meet Oval Invincibles in Sunday's final at Lord's. Birmingham Phoenix make the trip over the bridge to Cardiff to face Welsh Fire on Saturday 13 August. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in WWII and/or had family members that served. You can't get much better than this first person account, primary source of the war. Ernie Pyle details the lives of everyday men, and the occasional woman, who served overseas in the Sicilian and Italian campaigns, in England, and in the beginnings of the Normandy battles.

The officer crushed the cigarette in his fingers, not waiting to drop it to the ground, and said, "Thanks."It means the Originals have the chance of going one better than their defeat in last year's final, while Brave miss out on the opportunity to add to the title they won in 2021. One could not help but be moved by the colossus of our invasion. It was a bold and might thing, one of the epics of all history. In the emergency of war our nation’s powers are unbelievable . . . . But we rise above our normal powers only in times of destruction." Great war reporting from Ernie Pyle, a journalist who gave voice to the experiences of the US serviceman during WWII. We will strive to make the final again this year but hopefully this time we can go one better and win the trophy." SSAFA, The Armed Forces Charity Ant Middleton is an ambassador for SSAFA, which provides support to serving men and women and veterans of the British armed forces and their families.

Not revealed in history books are the small incidents and conversations with the troops. You also read what it’s like to have an artillery shell pass barely over your head, or to be buried in debris during a bombing. Or landing at Normandy on D-day +1. Through Pyle’s eyes, you are there. Andre Russell smashed 64 from just 23 balls to set up a comfortable victory for Manchester Originals over defending champions Southern Brave.Manchester Originals opener Phil Salt to Sky Sports: "Sometimes [going hard at the beginning] it's going to be a hit and miss role. My job is to take pressure off Jos, when he bats through, he was not far off finishing the game all by himself. We're going nicely at the moment. Faced with such a huge total, Originals were given impetus by Salt, who took fours off the first three balls of the innings. Just after he clubbed Craig Overton for two successive sixes - Overton conceded 47 runs from 15 balls - Salt drilled the spin of Mitchell Santner to Vince at extra cover to depart for 47 from 17 balls. Sadly, Ernie Pyle was killed by enemy fire near Okinawa in 1945. How wonderful that we have his writings, which document his contributions to the wartime efforts. Brave Men serves as an eyewitness account. If you are a history buff, this book needs to be on your list. Match Hero and Manchester Originals captain Jos Buttler: "That was fantastic. It was a tough fielding innings but we knew with a good start we'd have a chance on a great pitch and a short boundary on one side. Update 7/15/23. Starts out compulsively readable, but the daily combat reports get grim in a hurry. Book of its time. I'm not at all sure I will finish it. . .