03 September, 2017

Birmingham Bears NWT20 Blast Final at Edgbaston



SAMIT & HARRY DELIVER THE PRIZE

as Notts claim their first T20 title at raucous Edgbaston


After years of dominating the Northern Section, Notts finally won the T20 Blast title at a raucous Edgbaston last night. The 25,000 strong crowd seemed much louder and animated than last year’s final, perhaps helped by the much better weather. As they have done all year they have performed well under pressure and kept their cool in pivotal moments, a great credit to the team and the coaching staff. They became the first team since Hampshire in 2012 to win both white ball trophies. All six knock out matches were won with all but one away from Trent Bridge, another club record. As ever man of the match Samit Patel was in the thick of the action sharing a match winning partnership with Brendan Taylor and then running out slogger Ed Pollock who had been instrumental in the Bears semi final win over Glamorgan. Chasing an unlikely 190, Warwickshire lost three wickets in the power play and always looked short. Harry Gurney followed up his three for 19 in the semi with a T20 best of 4 for 17 and left Edgbaston with combined figures of 7-0-36-7. But this was a very much a team triumph over a hard slog of 16 games which Notts won 11, lost 4 (including their first two) and were denied a near certain win at Grace Road by rain. They were well led by Dan Christian. The power play overs nearly always followed a set pattern but the Captain was not afraid to change the running order in the remaining 14 overs.

An unchanged Notts lost the toss once more as Grant Elliott inserted the Green and Gold. Jeetan Patel bowled the first over from the City End. The third ball being hit for four through fine leg by Wessels; five off the over. Olly Stone bowled the second over and was creamed for four through mid wicket by Wessels off successive balls, 15 for 0 off two overs. Woakes next up; Hales hit him for six over square leg, the fielder parrying it over. Next ball Hales was bowled by Woakes for seven, 21 for one off 15 balls. Moores got his second duck of the day caught at mid wicket by Sibley for a three ball duck, two wickets in the over for Woakes. Stone was kept on going for five, his last ball being straight driven for 4 by Wessels. Woakes was also retained. Wessels tapped him into Ambrose's gloves trying to lap sweep the England man to leave with 19 (12 balls – 4 x 4) to his name, 30 for three off five overs. Notts though did not panic. Thomason bowled the last over of the power play and was hit for four through mid wicket by Taylor, who then glided him through the covers for another boundary and a third boundary from Taylor, went through long leg, 44 for three off six overs. Woakes was still on, three off the over, Woakes three for 14 off three overs. Elliott brought himself on for the eighth over which went for seven. Jeetan Patel bowled his second over, Notts 58 for three off nine overs. Samit Patel pulled Elliott for four and hit his last ball over mid wicket for six, 15 off the over. Taylor swept Jeetan Patel for a leg side four as 10 came off the over. Sibley came on bowling leg spin and was hit for four through extra cover by Taylor, 90 for three off 12 overs. Thomason was hit through the covers for four by Samit and then backward of square for another four for Samit Patel, 12 off the over. Sibley was hit over mid wicket for six by Samit Patel, nine off the over. Jeetan Patel came on for his last over and his namesake Samit hit another six over mid wicket, another ten off the over. Taylor hit Sibley over mid wicket for six, and then straight drove him for four to bring up the 100 partnership with Samit Patel. Taylor then got to his 50 off 42 balls with a single off Stone. Next Ball Patel got to 50 off 36 balls. Taylor then hit Stone for four through square leg, 145 for three off 17 overs. Woakes came on for his last over and hit for six by Patel over extra cover and Taylor then hit him through mid wicket for four. Then another leg side four for Patel, Woakes three for 29. Taylor departed caught at wide long off for a superb 65 off 49 balls (9 x 1, 1 x 4) by Sibley off de Grandhomme, 167 for four off 19 overs. The fourth wicket had added 132 runs in 13.2 overs. Stone bowling the last over and was hit for four and successive offside sixes by Christian and then a four, 190 for four off 20 overs, 23 off the over. The cherry on the top as Notts were 20 over par. Samit Patel 64 not out (42 balls, 4 x 4, 4 x 6) and Christian 24 not out (8 balls 2 x 4 2 x 6). As Grant Elliott stated in the post match presentation the partnership between Taylor and Patel had taken the game away from his team.

Samit Patel as ever bowled over one this time from the Pavilion End. Pollock hitting him for leg side four, nine off the over. Gurney bowled over two and removed Sibley's off stump for two, 12 for one off two overs. Jake Ball as scripted bowled the next over as Samit Patel stayed centre stage by running out by Pollock for 14 from mid off with a direct hit. Samit at first was not convinced about the dismissal but the replay confirmed that Pollock was out of his ground. Warwick 20 for two off three overs. Another unsuccessful run out attempt saw young Moores injure his left ankle in his excitement; he carried on after receiving some treatment from physio Jamie Pipe. Adam Hose hit Christian's first ball for four. Hose then also hit Christian for a leg side four, ten off the over. Gurney bowled the fifth over and went for five. Jake Ball completed the power play and an express delivery removed Hose's off stump for seven, 36 for three, two more runs were added to complete the power play. Patel returned and was hit for successive straight sixes by Hain, 16 off the over.
Seven came off Mullaney's first over as Christian returned for over nine and had Elliott leg before for nine, 63 for four. Mullaney bowled over 10 with Warwick standing at 72 for four at halfway house. Christian kept himself on and was hit for a leg side by de Grandhomme, 12 off the over. Sodhi came on at the City End and was hit for straight four by Hain, 11 off his sole over. Mullaney switched to the Pavilion End and was hit for a straight six by Hain who got to 50 off 27 balls; Mullaney was then tonked for a massive straight six by de Grandhomme, 111 for four off 13 overs. Patel returned and went for seven. Gurney replaced Mullaney and bowled de Grandhomme for 27, 118 for five, four off the over. Warwick needed 69 off the last six overs as Patel remained on and finished with four overs 0 for 42. Dan Christian (4-0-43-1) returned and was hit for a leg side six by Thomason and he followed it up with a straight six, 148 for five off 17 overs. Ball bowled the eighteenth over from the City End, nine came off the over. Gurney returned and Hain hit a full toss straight to Christian at mid off to depart for 72 off 44 balls (5 x 3, 3 x 6), 157 for six. Hain always seems to save his best for Notts. The fat lady was singing; Thomason perished skying to Moores running backwards two wickets in an over for Gurney, just five off the over. Thomason 26 off 13 balls (2 x 6). Harry Gurney four for seventeen. After receiving a few maulings during Trent Bridge slugfests, Gurney has come back well in recent games and silenced his critics in spectacular fashion. Ball (2 for 26) bowled the final over as Patel was bowled for four. Warwick 168 for eight. Notts winning by 22 runs and cue the celebrations. Notts did the right thing by sticking with team that got them there and not selecting Stuart Broad. The price of success though means that Notts must now be ready for key championship showdown with The Pears on Tuesday. The Bears will be pleased to reach the final with a generally young side as there is very much a changing of the guard currently at Edgbaston. MAG


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