Birmingham Bears Vitality T20 Blast at Edgbaston - Win

 

BEARS SKINNED

Another record breaking night for Notts achieving

· Their biggest ever winning T20 run margin beating The Bears by 114 runs, previous record 82 runs versus Lancashire at TB in 2005

· Bowling out the opposition for their lowest ever total conceded, Warwickshire 63 all out, which was also their lowest ever score, previously 73 v Somerset at Taunton in 2013

· Career best bowling performances for Jake Ball (4-11) and Calvin Harrison (4-17)

 

Warwickshire won the toss and inserted an unchanged Notts who were still missing Clarke, Moores and Budinger. Crucially the home side were without Carlos Brathwaite, man of the match at Trent Bridge but who had registered a positive Covid test. With a crowd of 6,000 allowed by Boris and with the Edgbaston crowd not given an assigned seat, it meant unlike at Trent Bridge, the drunks could congregate like a flock of starlings in the Hollies, it meant for a raucous atmosphere throughout the night and a huge amount of cash in the home clubs' coffers. It was closest we had seen to normality since the pandemic started.

Notts scored eight more runs in the power play (71), than Warwickshire scored all night as the home team had no answer to the Notts bowling line up. Hose departed in the first over, caught and bowled by the rampant Patel, who was presented another Man of the match award. Ball removed Rhodes and Pollock in the third over. With Hain and Lamb, both falling to skiers, to Patel and Ball respectively. Warwick were 19 for 5 in the 6th over and the game was over as a contest. Calvin Harrison who had earlier impressed with a 6-ball 18 had the Bears batsmen bamboozled taking 4-17 with the dismissals of Bresnan,caught at first slip and Rob Yates comprehensively bowled, being particular highlights. The leg spinner is on a 3 month contract and needs to hammer down on a longer term deal, we do not want a repeat of Matt Milnes and Luke Wood fiascos. It was left for Jake Ball to remove the 10th wicket as Miles was caught by Hales instinctively at mid on, as he appeared to lose sight of the ball in the floodlights. Earlier, Duckett (39) and Hales (34) added 72 for the first wicket but were then out in quick succession to spin twins Briggs and Lintott. Notts scraped together a further 105 in 13.4 overs led by Patel with a measured 41 not out off 30 balls (4x6, 1x6) it proved more than enough on a memorable night.

Danny Briggs opened the bowling from the City End in bright sunshine and conceded six with Hales hit him for 4 through backward point. Hales pulled Bresnan for four over square leg, eight off the over. Duckett swept Briggs for 4, and next ball hit him to backward square leg ropes. The third ball was switched hit for 6. Hales finished off the over with a massive six over square leg, 21 off the over. Duckett drove Miles to the cover boundary, nine off the over. Hales brought up the 50 partnership with an offside six off Bresnan. Two balls later,he planted him for a leg side six, 14 off the over. Duckett hit Miles for4 and 6 over wide long leg off successive balls. Notts 71 for 0 after 6 overs.Little did we know that Notts already had enough runs on the board!

Duckett (39 off 20 balls – 4x4, 2x6) was spectacularly caught on the square leg ropes by the diving Lamb off Briggs, 72 for one. Briggs conceding three singles off the 7th over. Lintott removed Hales (34 off 21 balls – 2x4, 3x6) caught at longon by Hain, 75 for 2. Four off the left handed wrist spinners first over.Rhodes went for seven in his first over. Slater hit Lintott for 6 over mid wicket; Notts 95 for 2 off 10 overs.

Bresnan conceded five off the 11th over. Patel hit Rhodes for consecutive boundaries through the covers. Slater (18) was caught at cover by Lintott off Rhodes, 111 for 3 off 12 overs. Danny Briggs conceded 4 off the 13th over. Mullaney (2) was caught at short extra cover by Rhodes getting a leading edge to Lintott, 116for 4. Lintott conceded four. Trego hit Miles for a straight four. Three balls later Trego hit him to backward point boundary. Nine off the over. Patel hit Lintott for 6 over extra cover. Trego (12) was stumped by Burgess charging down the track to Lintott (4-0-28-3), 136 for 5. Patel hit a beamer from Rhodes behind the wicket for 4. Later in the same over, he caressed the Bears captain for an extra cover boundary. 12 off the over. James straight drove Miles for 4, eight runs off the over. Patel (41) was caught at deep cover by Miles off Bresnan, 158 for 6. Another fine innings from Samit. Fletcher, with his batting in tatters presently, was still preferred at eight to Harrison. Next ball James (7) skied Bresnan to substitute Ethan Brooks at square leg. The confident and assured Harrison hit Bresnan for 6 over mid wicket. Eight off the over. Fletcher (1) was next to perish caught by Lintott at extra cover, off Rhodes, 167 for 8. Harrison scooped Rhodes for 4 and then smashed him for a massive leg side hit. Harrison (18) was caught by diving Hose at extra cover off Rhodes off the last delivery of the innings. Notts 177 for 9 off 20 overs. Lintott 93-28) and Rhodes (3-40) the pick of the bowlers.

Patel bowled the first over from the City End with Hose (4) hitting him for 4 through extra cover. Next ball he perished as Patel caught and bowled him diving to his left, 7 for 1. Carter went for a solitary single off the 2nd over. Rhodes wasout for a 3 ball duck, caught at mid on by Carter off Ball, 10 for 2. Pollock(5) played on to his middle stump attempting a pull shot off a shortish delivery from Jake Ball, 11 for 3 off 3 overs. Fletcher conceded six in over number 4. Patel picked up Hain (5) caught extremely well by Jake Ball running back from square leg, judging the catch to perfection, 18 for 4. One off the fifth over. Lamb (4) skied Ball to Mullaney at mid on, 19 for 5. Game over!Yates hit his first delivery through backward square leg for 4, cue an ironic Brummie roar. Warwickshire 25 for 5 after 6 overs.

Yates hit Harrison for 4 through mid wicket, 9 off the over. Carter went for 5 in the 8th over. Burgess was caught and bowled by Harrison for six, 39 for 6. Bresnan lasted three balls edging Harrison to Mullaney at slip, 39 for 7. It was now very surreal, Duckett behind the stumps and with two slips in place (Mullaney and Carter), was this really happening? Briggs went for big slog and was caught by James at deep mid wicket, a 3 wicket maiden for thel eg-spinner. Carter conceded two and two leg byes off the 10th over, Warwick 43 for 8.

Harrison conceded three off the 11th over. Carter (4-0-18- 0) was hit for 4 by Miles as Hales was beaten by the spin of the ball at long on. 10 off Carter’s last over. Top scorer Rob Yates (24) was comprehensively bowled with both bails dislodged by Harrison, 61 for 9 after 13 overs. Harrison 4-1-17-4 and 12 wickets in the competition. Hampshire clearly not seeing his potential last season. Four balls later Miles was caught by Hales at mid on, who looked surprised to take the effort, losing the ball in its flight, the 4th wicket on the night to Ball and the 18th of the season, Warwick 63 all out of 13.4 overs. Notts winning by 114 runs and finally beating the Bears after 3 defeats against them in 2021.

Beau Brummie went home disappointed and grumbling very loudly as the Bears had succumbed to their lowest ever total, days after they have won by 10 wickets, bowling out Yorkshire for 81. Notts had bowled well throughout and looked a very confident and well drilled outfit standing top of the pile with 17 points from 11 games. Well done to all concerned.

Duckett again impressed behind the stumps, keeping confidently to the spinners, no fumbles nor five wides, and looks a natural keeper. Notts now face Derbyshire in a 4-day game at TB starting tomorrow. It looks very much like a depleted line up may take the field with considerable thunderstorm activity forecast for the next few days. MAG