Oval Invincibles 132 for 7 (S Curran 34) beat London Spirit 131 (Rossington 39, Wade 37, Sowter 3-34) by three wickets

Narine was at his eccentric batting best to pummel 12 runs in three balls from the final set of five bowled by Nathan Ellis, including a six which just cleared the rope as the visitors scrambled to a target of 132 with one delivery to spare.

The rain which washed out the women's game delayed the start by 25 minutes before Rossington and Dan Lawrence began with a blaze of boundaries, both clearing the ropes, the former pulling a short one from Tom Curran into the second tier of the stand.

However, once Sowter and Narine entered the fray it sparked a rapid decline. Legspinner Sowter bowled Lawrence second ball and made it two in three when Michael Pepper reverse-swept straight to Gus Atkinson at backward point.

Two further sixes from Essex keeper Rossington briefly threatened to regain the initiative for the hosts, but Sowter snaffled him too courtesy of the first of two great catches from Jordan Cox.

With skies darkening again Jason Roy glanced the first ball of Invincibles' innings for four, but Dan Worrall got revenge on Roy soon afterwards. And Worrall (2 for 23), now in the groove then produced an unplayable ball to have Heinrich Klaasen caught at slip by Critchley.

With the dangerous Will Jacks having been removed by Jordan Thompson (2 for 23) in the meantime, Invincibles were wobbling at 24 for 3.

Sam Curran's response was to launch a counterattack with a flurry of boundaries adding 47 with Cox before the latter departed to a diving catch by Rossington off Nathan Ellis. Curran fell lbw to Critchley for 34, with 39 still needed and Spirit were still in it when Ellis castled Tom Curran.