Birmingham Bears Vitality T20 Blast at Edgbaston Win Report

  

OUTLAWS HOLD THEIR NERVE TO BRING HOME A WIN

Notts returned to winning ways at a vociferous Edgbaston last night beating the home team by the narrow margin of 11 runs. The platform for the victory was very much in the hands of Colin Munro (87 off 45 balls, 4x4, 9x6) and Joe Clarke (89 off 53 balls, 7x4, 6x6) who shared a second wicket stand of 122 in 11.2 overs after Notts lost Hales early on after being put in. Munro dominated the first half of the innings scoring over 70% of the runs scored. Clarke, who did not field during the subsequent Bears innings, was very much the dominant batsmen in the second half of the innings adding 56 in 4.4 overs for the third wicket with Tom Moores (17 off 14 balls). Notts eventually reached 214-3 a score which looked somewhat over par. Notts had made two changes bringing in fit at last Jake Ball and Calvin Harrison for Conor McKerr and Lyndon James and both these made a difference picking up 4-0-41-3 and 2-0-18-2 respectively. Shaheen Shah Afridi had made the early breakthroughs by picking up both opens (Moeen Ali and Alex Davies) in the 4th over. The big hitting Glenn Maxwell fell the following over, with Warwickshire standing on 40-3. Any hopes of an emphatic victory were extinguished by Sam Hain who blasted 97 not out (8x4, 4x6) aided by some sloppy Notts fielding and a dreadful fourth over from Carter that went for 26. The experienced Ball and Afridi held their nerve at the death as Notts gained a welcome and unexpected triumph to put them fifth in the standings.

Dan Mousley (City End) bowled the opening over and conceded three runs. Henry Brookes was given the second over and bowled Hales (1) who played down the wrong line, 6 for 1. Mousley went for two singles in the third over. Notts a sad 10-1 off 3 overs with the very small away contingent starting to fear the worst. Munro hit Brookes for 6 over extra cover with eight runs scored in the 4th over. Clarke hit Mousley for fours through wide long off and extra cover, nine off the over. Munro guided Miles for successive boundaries through mid-wicket and Clarke hit him to the point ropes. Notts 40 for 1 off 6 overs and accelerating.

Munro then very much took centre stage. Maxwell bowled the 7th over, Munro hitting him for six over square leg and next a four to the point boundary. Munro smashed the last ball of the over for 6 over mid-wicket, 18 off the Aussies solitary over. Clarke hit Briggs for a straight six a shot Munro repeated, 15 off the Briggs’ lone over. Clarke found the point ropes off Moeen’s first delivery., six off the 9th over. Munro reached 50 off 27 balls with a six over long on off Barnard. He then hit the former Worcestershire man for 6 over mid-wicket, 16 off the over, Moeen electing not to use him again on a night where Bears used eight bowlers. Notts 95 for 1 off 10 overs.

Munro hoisted Lintott for 6 twice into the Hollies Stand, 15 off the 11th over. Munro found the long leg ropes off Miles, nine off the over. Munro (87) hit Moeen for 6 over long on seemingly heading for a rapid ton. However off the next Moeen delivery he lofted the ball straight to the waiting hands of Ed Barnard at wide long off, 128 for 2 in the 13th over. Clarke took over the run scoring duties smashing Miles to the point boundary and then for six over mid-wicket, 14 off the 14th over including a leg bye.. Moores hit Moeen (3-0-32-1) for low six over square leg then Clarke reached his 50 from 35 balls with a six over long on. Notts 159 for 2 off 15 overs. They were to add a further 55 in the closing 5 overs.

Moores hit Lintott (2-0-27-0) for 4 through square leg and Clarke hit the slow left arm wrist spinner for a straight 6, 12 off the over. Mousley (4-0-24-0) was hit for a straight six by Moores , 10 plus a bye in the 17th over. Moores (17) was bowled by Brookes going for a legside swipe, 184 for 3. Clarke scooped Brookes for 4, seven off the 18th over. Montgomery hit the expensive Miles (4-0-45-0) for 4 through mid-wicket and Clarke hit him for four through extra cover, 10 off the 19th over. Clarke hit a Henry Brookes (4-0-34-2) full toss for 6 over square leg. Clarke on 87 was dropped off the last ball of the innings by Lintott off long on, Clarke running two. Notts closing on 214 for 3 off 20 overs with Clarke on 89 Montgomery on 8 and which included SIXTEEN sixes. An innings totally dominated by two of Notts three big batting guns.

Afridi (Pavilion End) opened the bowling and conceded nine including a four to point by Davies. Carter bowled 5 wides and Moeen hit him to the point ropes, 11 off the second over. Davies hit Ball for successive boundaries (straight and point), 11 off the third over. Afridi returned and had Moeen caught on the distant cover ropes by Harrison for 10, 31 for 1. Davies hit Afridi to the backward point ropes but departed next ball smashing Afridi straight to Munro at short extra for 19, a second wicket in the over for Afridi, 36 for 2 after 4 overs. Notts soon got wicket number three. Although Glenn Maxwell bludgeoned Ball for a straight four he was dismissed off the following delivery. The ball hit the bottom of the Maxwell’s bat and skied to Mullaney who took the steepling catch at mid-on, 40 for 3. Notts had taken 3 wickets in 8 balls. Ball had his first victim of 2023.

Hain and Mousley fought back adding 52 in 6 overs. Mousley hit his first delivery for four towards mid-wicket, nine off the 5th over. Carter conceded eight as Bears which 53 for 3 at the end of the powerplay. By now Hales was off the field with subs Hameed and McKerr fielding.

Patel conceded 5 off the 7th over. Mousley swept Mullaney for 6 over square leg, 13 off the over. Hain hit Patel for a straight four, eight off the 9th over. Hain hoisted Carter for a straight four. Warwickshire 90 for 3 off 10 overs.

Mousley (28), playing a switch hit off Harrison and was well caught by the diving Montgomery on the cover ropes, 92 for 4. Five off the 11th over. Mullaney conceded just four singles in the 12th over. Hain hit Harrison for a straight four and then six into the Hollies Stand. Harrison bowled Benjamin (5) on the sweep, 112 for 5 off 13 overs. Mullaney (3-0-24-0) went for 7 in the following over. Hain reached his 50 off 33 balls with a six over long on off Patel (3-0-23-0). Warwickshire 130 for 5 off 15 overs needing an unlikely 84 runs.

Carter though bowled an awful over. The first ball was a beamer which Hain got a one and Barnard hit the free hit to the long leg boundary. Barnard hit the next ball for an enormous six over mid-wicket (13 off two balls!). He then ran a single. Hain hit Carter (4-0-57- 0) for three consecutive straight fours, 26 off the over. Barnard (19) scooped Afridi for 4 but fell next ball skying Afridi to wide long on where Harrison took a fine running catch, 160 for 6. Hain hit Afridi for 6 over mid-wicket, 13 off the 17th over. Hain on 74 was dropped at long on by the sprawling McKerr off Ball, a very difficult chance, the fielder doing well to stop the boundary the batsmen running two. Brookes was caught at wide mid-off by Mullaney off a slower short delivery from Ball, 178 for 7 off 18 overs. Hain was dropped at short third man on 79 by Patel, an absolute sitter as Patel failed to hold on to a ball gently coming down from the sky. He was cruelly mocked by the music on the PA. You will not see a worse drop all season. Hain swept Afridi (4-0-39-3) for a legside four and then for a legside six next ball 13 off the over. Warwickshire needed 24 off the last over, Hain hit the first ball for a square leg four, then strangely elected to take a single off the second ball. Briggs (1) was comprehensively bowled by Ball going a leg side hoick, 196 for 8. Lintott hit the fourth ball for a massive six over mid-wicket. Lintott (6) completely missed a well-pitched up delivery and fell to fall and ran himself out as Carter threw in from point, 202 for 9. Hain who has racked up big scores so many times against Notts in the past needed four runs of the last ball to reach a ton. He could only get a single from a short delivery from Ball which he hit on the off side. Warwickshire who had consistently lost wickets had been completely indebted to Hain for getting them so close. MAG

Carry On Regardless

Steven Mullaney "..... you're never going to get every decision right..."

You know the drill, it's the same 14 that's lost three of the last four games. Why would anyone think of changing anything?

squad

What a carry on!

Peter Moores said some soul searching had to be done after last night's thrashing by Worcestershire Rapids. Add to that Peter, some head scratching, some crossing out of names on the team sheet and the purchase of a couple of rail tickets (singles), one to Taunton and the other to South London.

Samit Patel's decline continues, but does Peter Moores see it? The patient isn't well at all! Is the coach waiting for him to flatline before taking any action?

Peter has his team, and he's sticking with it regardless! Same problems as always. No imagination! No faith in the youngsters. He has a game plan cemented in place before a single ball was bowled in May.

On the upside, Bears mangaed to lose to Falcons and Lightning lost at Durham too (both teams, Derbyshire and Durham, are the teams Outlaws have beaten this week) last night.  Those results will give Peter the confidence in his twelve used players, and to carry on regardless.