Report: Bears v Vikings, Abu Dhabi T20 Super Cup

Ed Barnard dazzled in the Abu Dhabi sun as his unbeaten 69 rescued the Bears and got the defence of their T20 Super Cup off to a winning start.

Bears were struggling on 106/6 in the 16^th over before the Club’s Vice Captain went into overdrive with a sparkling series of boundaries.

He opened the 18^th over with three successive maximums off Ben Cliff, including one audacious ramp that cleared the rope. It yielded 24 runs and helped change the complexion of the contest as Bears finished on 161/8.

And the momentum continued into the Yorkshire reply as the Vikings fell to three for just nine runs, sparked by a stunning George Garton direct-hit run out.

Will Luxton (31, 14 balls) smashed a series of sixes to help his side recover but when he edged behind off Taz Ali – Bears’ teenage leg spinner claiming a terrific four-fer – the end came quickly.

Fellow spinner Rob Yates returned 3/13 as the Vikings collapsed to 80 all out in 14.5 overs.

The game was played in the shadow of the 20,000 seater Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi, Warwickshire’s home for their two-week pre-season tour.

Yorkshire – who chased down 174 inside 16 overs to beat Essex yesterday – won the toss and struck with ball one as seamer Ben Coad opened with perfect length, and some movement, to uproot skipper Davies’ off stump.

Yates looked to have settled quickly, carving away two fours, before trying his luck on the other side but finding Luxton in the deep with a pull off Ben Cliff.

Bears were 13/2 but Zen Malik and Hamza Shaikh restored some order with a stand of 30. Shaikh (23, 19 balls) unsettled Yorkshire’s bowlers with several charges down the strip, one ending with a mighty straight six.

But he fell to the first over of spin as he missed a dash at Dan Moriarty and was bowled. Bears were 64/3 at the halfway stage and that became 66/4 when Malik (18) missed a swipe at Cliff.

Ed Barnard looked most likely to inspire a Bears revival. And so it proved.

He hit Moriarty for back-to-back fours as Bears reached 100 for five in the 15^th over before the Club’s Vice Captain went into overdrive.

Theo Wylie ended the 17^th over with a six and four before Barnard let loose to set a tricky total on a slow wicket.

Bears fans saw some stunning run outs from George Garton in last year’s Vitality Blast and he produced another in the first over, his tumbling stop and throw from a tight angle counting for dangerman Adam Lyth.

Harry Duke lost his leg stump to Garton’s first delivery and when Noah Kelly lobbed Booth to Zen Malik for a simple catch Yorkshire were in early strife.

Richard Gleeson’s first five deliveries were dots but his first two overs would go on to cost 25 as Luxton unleased a series of blows.

Yorkshire were 54/3 at the end of the Powerplay but the introduction of spin saw the game turn decisively Bears’ way.

Ali made an immediate impact, cleverly mixing it up and keeping Yorkshire’s batters on their toes. Luxton edged to Davies and Jawad Akhtar tried desperately to free Ali’s shackles but was cleaned up.

Yates bowled Kelly (24) before claiming the wicket of Jafer Chohan thanks to an outlandish diving, one-handed catch from Barnard in the deep.

The last five wickets fell in 19 balls as Yates finished with 3/13 from his allocation and Ali going one better with 4/13 from 3.5 overs.

A fantastic start for the Bears on tour!