This is the first in our series looking back at the rich history of Warwickshire County Cricket Club. The 2014 Blast will live long in the memory for Bears fans, and with Blast Off fast approaching, it only seemed right to start our series there…
Bears squad
Having made it to the final in the inaugural season of the competition in 2003, the Bears would need to wait 11 years before they returned, and it was a strong squad they had assembled to give themselves the best chance of claiming a maiden Blast title.
At the top of the order, England star Ian Bell would be a regular feature, as would skipper Varun Chopra, Tim Ambrose and William Porterfield. All-rounders Chris Woakes and Rikki Clarke would also be important parts of the squad, and with the ball, Jeetan Patel, Olly Hannon-Dalby and Boyd Rankin would take the lead.
Group stages
In 2014, the Bears were one of nine teams that made up the North Division, with nine teams making up the South Division. All teams played 14 fixtures, with the leading four teams in each division going through to the Quarter Finals.
Getting through the group stage wasn’t a foregone conclusion for the Bears. Through 13 games, they sat fifth in the table. Needing to win their final divisional game at home to Leicestershire, the Bears were also hoping for a favour from Nottinghamshire in their game against Yorkshire, with the White Rose currently holding the final Quarter Final spot.
The Bears did their bit, easing to a 52-run win thanks to a brilliant 72 from 57 balls by skipper Chopra. Nottinghamshire meanwhile also came out on top, successfully chasing 200 at Headingly to make sure that the Bears leapfrogged Yorkshire in the table to progress to the Quarter Final stage.
Quarter Finals
The Quarter Finals saw the Bears make the trip south to take on Essex at Chelmsford. Batting first, an unbeaten stand of 134 between Chopra and Clarke saw the Bears set Essex 198 for victory. Chopra was at his absolute best, with his 86 coming from 54 balls, while Clarke’s 70 came off just 37 deliveries. In reply, Essex started well, reaching 60 for one from their first seven overs before Jeetan Patel changed the direction of the game. His right arm off-spin didn’t take a wicket on the day, but his four overs for 23 runs halted Essex’s progress, and with the help of Rankin, who picked up three wickets from his four overs, the hosts could only reach 178 for five from their 20 overs.
The result would see Warwickshire advance past the Quarter Final stage for the first time in six attempts.
Semi-Finals
In front of a sell-out on Finals Day at Edgbaston, the Bears faced off against Surrey in the first of two Semi-Finals. Batting first, Chopra and Bell (38 off 17 balls) got Warwickshire off to the perfect start before Porterfield came to the crease. A blistering assault saw the Northern Irishman race to an unbeaten 81 from just 47 balls in a game-changing innings. He was assisted by Clarke, who hit 35 from 24 as the Bears reached 194 for four from their 20 overs.
Surrey were immediately ahead of the required rate in their reply. Jason Roy hammered 58 off 25 balls before he was dismissed in the eighth over with the score on 89, which started the Warwickshire comeback. Ateeq Javid’s spell of three overs conceded only 13 runs and vitally claimed the wickets of Kevin Pietersen and Surrey skipper Gary Wilson. Rankin went wicketless but bowled an economic four over spell that went for 26, before Woakes returned at the end of the piece to pick up two wickets of his own as Surrey fell 16 runs short.
Lancashire would set up a final showdown with Warwickshire after they eased to a 41-run win against Hampshire in the second Semi-Final.
Final
The final between the Bears and the Red Rose would go down to the wire in an absolute classic at Edgbaston.
Warwickshire again batted first, with several players contributing as they reached a competitive total of 181 for five. Chopra hit 30 off 17 at the top of the order, with Porterfield (31 off 23) and Clarke (27 off 27) also adding important runs. Laurie Evans, coming in at five, would go on to be named man of the match after he smashed four sixes in his 53 which came off 30 balls, with a late flourish from Chris Woakes (22* off 15) giving Warwickshire a shot at victory.
Lancashire’s batting strength was evidenced with the likes of Usman Khawaja, Jos Butler and a returning Andrew Flintoff providing real firepower in their lineup, but on the day, it wouldn’t be enough.
Ashwell Prince (30 off 24) got the Lightning off to a solid start before a brilliant 58 by Karl Brown, that came off 28 balls, put the game in the balance. Rankin, so often a key member of the Warwickshire attack during the Blast campaign, took two for 21 from his four over spell, while Chris Woakes (two for 34) and Hannon-Dalby (three for 31) also made their mark on the final, putting Warwickshire in the box-seat.
England star, Flintoff, came to the crease with 13 balls remaining and with Lancashire needing 30 to win. Seven balls later and the final over came down to Woakes and Flintoff, with the latter needing 14 runs to take his team to victory. Woakes was up to the task though, conceding ten runs in an enthralling final over to see the Bears to a first Blast title.
