Report: Bears vs Lancashire Lightning, Vitality Blast

Bears opened the Vitality Blast north group right up with a 36-run victory over leaders Lancashire Lightning at Edgbaston.

The Bears stacked up 203 for nine, their first 200-plus total against Lancashire in the Blast, thanks to Dan Mousley’s thunderous 32 from 12 balls, which took them to 74 in the powerplay, and Ed Barnard’s luscious 54 (34). Jack Blatherwick and Tom Hartley emerged from the onslaught with a creditable three for 29 and two for 29 respectively.  

Lancashire replied with 167 all out from 18.1 overs, their chase undone right at the start when George Garton (four for 28) dismissed both openers in the first over. They slumped to 111 for seven, and Hartley’s violent late 35 (16) was in a lost cause as the Lightning faded to defeat beneath the beautiful, burgundy Birmingham sunset.     

The Bears’ win means just eight points separate the top six as the North group heads towards its denouement.

After the Bears were put in, it was a case of two fours and out for openers Alex Davies and Tom Latham, both back in the pavilion before the end of the second over. That paved the way for a dazzling cameo from Mousley, who hit James Anderson for four fours in an over before falling to Luke Wood, caught at mid off.

Barnard smote his first ball for six and timed the ball exquisitely in a stand of 74 in 47 with Sam Hain (36, 27) before the latter drove Hartley to extra cover. The spinner soon added the wicket of Barnard, who passed his third T20 half-century, from 30 balls, then slogged to deep mid-wicket.

Rob Yates (19, 14) and Garton (16, eight) kept the momentum high, the latter falling to a wonder catch by Green, who hurled himself far and low to take a skier in front of the Hollies Stand.

Lancashire’s quest for 204 started horribly – after one over, from Garton, they were two for two. Keaton Jennings chipped his first ball to deep mid-wicket, and Jos Buttler was lbw to his third. Phil Salt then fell to another stunning catch, by Yates, again right in front of the Hollies, from a pull off Garton.

Already needing more than ten per over, there was no way back for Lightning. Luke Wells chipped Craig Miles to extra cover and Ashton Turner slog-swept Danny Briggs’ fourth ball to Hain at deep mid-wicket. That was Briggs’ 303rd T20 wicket and Hain’s 85th T20 catch, and sent Lancashire into the last ten overs needing 119 with five down. 

Hartley’s 13th, 14th, 15th and 16th T20 sixes achieved no more than taking his side to respectability. Anderson has performed many excellent feats on the cricket field, but finding 37 from the last two overs here was beyond him, and the Lightning’s run of four successive wins was over.

Bears all-rounder Ed Barnard said: “It was a great result. The other night we felt that we didn’t attack the game the way we should, so it was great to put that right today in front of our own fans, especially against a really good Lancashire side

“We always want to play positively and with freedom, and in some games we have not quite done that, but to get over 200 today was great because that always puts pressure on the side batting second. I was really pleased to get some runs and hit a few sixes. I have been working on my hitting in the last few years because I don’t hit the ball as far as some of the other guys.

“Then we started brilliantly with the ball with George taking two wickets in the first over, and then Rob Yates taking, I think, the best catch I have ever seen. Jacob Bethell took a great one here last year, but I think Rob’s topped it…he just needs to work on his celebration!

“We have not been as consistent this year as we have in recent years, but we are still in the mix and in the top four, so we just need to be strong from here.”