Record-breaker Jacob Bethell couldn't hide his delight on a special night at Edgbaston.
The all-rounder became the fastest Bear to reach 50 (15 balls) and the third in the history of the Vitality Blast as his 56* from 16 balls was met by a standing ovation.
The left-hander, who has wowed us with his big hitting and special catches so far in the tournament, stepped it up another gear in the Bears 90-run victory over the Steelbacks, arriving at the crease in the 17th over.
On 146/3, the Bears would close on 219/4, with Bethell dismantling a senior attack from the get go. Striking his first two balls for four, Bethell catapulted seven sixes from his onslaught to ensure he was the Talbots Law Player of the Match with 89.4% of the vote.
“The only thing I was focusing on was the ball,” said Bethell. “Me and Benji have a nice relationship and we were chatting in the middle about what’s coming down and thankfully I was able to put a lot it away.
“It’s another win on the board and a special night for me. I just really enjoyed it to be honest.”
Asked at what point he felt comfortable, Bethell added: “Second ball. I swept one and he bowled me a full toss which I hit through the covers and I thought that’s come off quite nicely. From that time I was like, cool, it’s time to go now.”
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Tickets for this summer’s Vitality Blast are on sale now and fans can save up to £6 when purchased in advance.
Tickets available from just £22, while under 16s are only £5. And make further savings when you book as a group of six or more.
