Birmingham Bears Vitality T20 Blast at Trent Bridge Loss

Notts’ Twenty 20 campaign got off to a poor start last night losing to Warwickshire by 8 wickets with 16 balls to spare. On a boiling evening a crowd of 12394 saw Notts top order flop once again. The decision not to go with an overseas batter for the short form game already seems misguided with Hales set to miss the first half of the competition and Chris Nash picking up a worrying shoulder injury. Nash and Patel both made ducks as Wessels 41 (29 balls, 5 x 4, 2 x 6) stood alone in the first half of the innings. Fighting innings from Root and Fletcher saw Notts to a well below par 155. The smallish target was a situation made for man of the match Ian Bell who finished with unbeaten 88 off 57 balls (11 x 4, 1 x 6). In partnership with Sam Hain they added an unbeaten 121 off 13.2 overs. Christian rotated his bowlers to no avail as The Bears cruised home as Hain against his favourite opponents scored an unbeaten 45 off 30 balls (5 x 4, 1 x 6).

Bears won the toss and elected to bowl. Henry Brookes on his T20 debut bowled the first over from the Pavilion End. Three dot balls followed all to Nash and then after changing his bat he was caught behind going for a pull shot, 0 for 1. Nash who had an unlucky evening could consider himself unfortunate, the ball appearing to touch the shoulder and not his bat. Moores came in but the first over was a wicket maiden. De Grandhomme bowled the next over which went for six including a four through the covers by Moores. Brookes stayed on and he was hit for a leg side six by Moores. 13 for one after 3 overs. The fourth over was bowled by Hannon-Dalby and he conceded two runs. Brooks then went for 13 including three fours by Wessels. Hannon-Dalby was hit for a leg side six by Wessels the ball just clearing the fielder on the ropes. Notts 40 for one at the end of the power play.

Jeetan Patel entered the fray and Moores (15) hit him into orbit where Elliott took a fine diving catch running towards the boundary from extra cover, 46 for two. The 8th over was bowled by de Grandhomme and after a single for Wessels, Patel was caught and bowled for a golden duck, 48 for three. The big man conceded just four. Wessels was then dropped on 30 by Patel a difficult chance to his right off his own bowling, 57 for three off 9 overs. Rhodes was greeted with a leg side six from Wessels but next ball he was caught at backward point by Bell, Wessels 41 from 29 balls, Notts 63 for four. Elliott brought himself on for the eleventh over and Christian fell leg before for a 5 ball three, 68 for five. Notts were in big trouble. Rhodes then conceded six, 77 for five after 12 overs. Elliott was hit for successive fours through third man by Mullaney, the over costing 12. Mullaney hit de Grandhomme for a leg side six but was yorked next ball for 22, 98 for six off 14 overs. Jeetan Patel went for just two singles in over 15.De Grandhomme went for four in his last over finishing with 2 for 24. Patel (4-0-35-1) was hit for 22; a massive leg side six into the Fox Road Stand by Fletcher was followed with a fortuitous four behind the wicket, a straight six into the Pavilion and a six over cow corner and then two singles. Fletcher was caught at extra cover by Elliott off Hannon-Dalby for a T20 best of 27 (1 x 4, 3 x 6), 130 for seven. Shades of the Kent knockout game, Fletcher batting heroically in an already lost cause, Notts scored four off Hannon-Dalby's over. Root and Sodhi were struggling 139 for seven after 19 overs, Brookes 4-1-24-1. Hannon-Dalby (4-0-35-1) bowled over 20 and Root him for six over backward square leg and then a scooped four, the only boundaries of his innings. Root then got the first two of the innings. Notts 155 for seven off 20 overs, Root 33 not out (29 balls) and Sodhi 5 not out.

Patel opened up from the Radcliffe Road End and after a dot Pollock hit him for consecutive sixes and then Bell hit the last ball for four, seventeen off the first over. Patel has been struggling for form with the ball over recent games. Harry Gurney got Pollock (13) first ball caught by Wessels at deep mid wicket, seven off the over. Ball then came on, Bears 32 for one after 3 overs. Sodhi came on for over 4 and Nash dropped Hose on 17 at mid wicket, sustaining a shoulder injury which required a hospital visit but Sodhi got his revenge bowling Hose for 17, 38 for two off four overs. Gurney relieved the pressure going for 14 as Bell made hay. From this point, The Bears were in cruise control. Ball then came on and conceded eight, Warwick 60 for 2 at the end of the power play, 20 more than Notts. Samit then came back and leaked 11, not helped by some poor fielding from Sodhi who returned next over and conceded five. Mullaney's turn now as the bowling merry go round continued, but another 12 came. Sodhi went for nine, as Warwick were 97 for two off 10 overs. The crowd started to leave in their droves. Fletcher then finally came on as Bell got his 50 off 33 balls and Warwick advanced by a further nine. Warwick 113 for two after 12 overs as Sodhi conceded 27 off his allocation. Hain hit Fletcher (2-0-25-0) for consecutive fours and then a six over mid wicket, 16 off the over. Christian appeared from the Pavilion End and went for four. Over 15 was bowled by Ball as the 100 partnership between Bell and Hain was brought up with a straight six by Bell. Christian kept himself on as Sodhi dropped Bell (76) at mid on, another four conceded. Ball went for six and finished with 4 overs for 32. Only two more balls were bowled as The Bears triumphed after 17.2 overs. Gurney 2.2-0-26-1 A very worrying performance from Notts and a massive improvement is expected at Wantage Road tomorrow. If Nash is badly injured Notts are likely to turn to Libby or Fraine with Coughlin still some weeks short of recovering full fitness. MAG