Zen Malik scored a career-best 99 in the Warwickshire Bears’ enormous 59-run victory against Worcestershire Rapids at a packed Edgbaston Stadium.
The opening batter set the tone for a superb Bears’ win with an eye-catching second wicket partnership with Beau Webster as the Bears made it back-to-back Vitality Blast victories.
The Women’s team made a winning start to the day in the afternoon as Abbey Freeborn’s 51 helped the Bears to a 42-run victory after bowling Surrey Women out for 130 in pursuit of 172/5, before the Men’s team produced undoubtedly their most complete performance of the season the Pears.
A big crowd at Edgbaston Stadium was treated to a superb display of batting by Australian star Webster, who added a 79 to his match-winning century against Somerset last time out, and opener Malik, who hit a superb 46-ball innings of 99, before being caught at cover off the bowling of Matthew Waite.
The Bears eventually posted 224 all out from their 20 overs, but then restricted Worcestershire to just 146 to make it back-to-back wins in the Vitality Blast and Malik was left thrilled with a superb all-round Bears display.
“It was an amazing performance. I think the way the bowlers went out there, clear execution. They were obviously so far away from the total, but they still had wickets in hand, which just shows that they were trying to go for it, and our bowlers just kept executing. It was an amazing all-round performance. It was a great pitch to bat, and you felt like you got value for good shots. It was just a complete performance really.
“Off the back of a bad start, that kind of performance is exactly the thing that you’re looking for. We won’t look too far ahead, but it gives us great confidence going into the next few fixtures now, knowing that we can put performances on the board. If we keep doing our good stuff, then who knows what can happen.
“I think that’s one of the non-negotiables in this team is whether you have a good day with the bat or ball, it’s irrelevant. You’ve got to put 100% out there on the pitch in the field. Everyone’s role today seemed really clear. Everyone executed their plans and it’s great when you have a day like that.”
The 28-year-old came agonisingly close to his first Vitality Blast hundred after smashing 11 fours and five sixes before falling just one run short as he was caught for 99, but he was pleased with his front-foot approach at the top of the order.
“I would have taken that at the start of the day, of course. I think that’s the game. You can’t be too disappointed about things like that, it’s just a run at the end of the day. Obviously it would have been nice, but it’s just part of the game. I was happy with the way that I played and I think That should be a blueprint, for the rest of the five fixtures that we’ve got, just to go out there and be positive. We haven’t got anything to lose. Hopefully we can just keep expressing ourselves.
“You’re on sort of 97, 98, 99, you just nudge it around and you’ll be at 100 before you know it. Then you might not get the strike as you want, or bowler bowls a good ball, whatever. I think all in all, it was a really good experience being out there in front of a very good crowd. It was a lot of fun.”
The Bears are back in action at Edgbaston Stadium on Wednesday 1 July, with the Women taking on Essex at 15:00, before the Men host Sussex Sharks at 19:00. Click here to purchase your tickets.