Bears/Pears Cricket Thread 2014

[adrenachrome]

Brum Mail

Warwickshire v Kent One-Day: Bears win by six wickets

Bears set to face Durham or Nottinghamshire in Royal London Cup final after emphatic victory over Kent at Edgbaston

Sep 04, 2014 21:22 By Brian Halford

Warwickshire's brilliant limited-overs campaign goes from strength to strength after they reached the Royal London Cup final with an emphatic six-wicket win over Kent.

With the Twenty20 trophy already sitting in the Edgbaston trophy cabinet, the Bears lined up a spectacular double by thoroughly outplaying Kent. They will face either Durham or Nottinghamshire (who meet on Saturday) in the final at Lord’s on September 20.

It was another mightily impressive display from a Warwickshire team whose momentum in the shorter formats has snowballed ever since they won their last three T20 group games in July.

It is amazing to think at at 6.30pm on July 11 they began their T20 at home to Worcestershire on the brink of going out. Since then their limited-overs cricket has been superb.

On Thursday, excellent work from the whole bowling unit restricted Kent to 215 for eight - far fewer than the visitors envisaged when they chose to bat. Boyd Rankin led the attack with 10-1-34-3 but every bowler did their job well to set up the Bears with an attractive target.

Jonathan Trott (58, 68 balls) and Varun Chopra (50, 91) ate a long way into that target with a century stand.

When they perished in quick succession, Tim Ambrose (51, 59) calmly escorted his team over the line to round off what was pretty close to a textbook team one-day performance.

Kent’s batsmen were constricted by a bowling attack which excelled to a man and was supported by fine fielding. Sam Northeast and Rob Key added 43 for the first wicket but from the moment Rankin lured the latter into sending up a skier in his first over, Kent found the going harder and harder.

Seven of their top eight reached 20 but none made it to 40, all ultimately making fatal errors in the face of rising pressure.

Rankin had both openers bagged when he accepted a simple return catch from Sam Northeast. Brendan Nash perished after a wretched run out mix-up with Fabian Cowdrey who failed to atone for his error when he clipped Olly Hannon-Dalby to mid-wicket.

After such a heavy schedule, including many big games, of late, Warwickshire could have been excused for looking jaded in the field but far from it. They were vibrant. The groundfielding was rock-solid while all the catches were taken including three in the deep by Laurie Evans.

Sam Billings’ run-a-ball 40 took the total over 200 but he was unable to unload strokes as he can as so many wickets were down.

The Bears soon lost William Porterfield in their reply when, not for the first time in his career, the Irishman chipped to mid-wicket.

But Chopra and Trott batted steadily and skilfully to smoothly ease the game Warwickshire’s way with a partnership of 110 in 22 overs.

It appeared that the pursuit might turn into a cruise until both fell in the space of eight balls. Trott was careless when he lifted a cut to backward point; Chopra unlucky to be adjudged lbw to a ball which was surely turning too far.

But a cruise it turned out to be. Any Kentish hopes of a fightback was utterly snuffed out by Ambrose and Evans who added 67 in 14 overs.

Roll on September 20 -  when Warwickshire could deliver a stunning and historic double few people saw coming.

[St AustellAVFC]

So pleased with the way the season has gone. Dougie Brown taught me as he worked at my school through the winter around 1994/95 and he was such a nice bloke. Even my young daughters are excited (sometimes) when our games are on TV. I really must make the effort next summer to drag along my girls to a day at Edgbaston. Warwickshire lalala

[Villan For Life]

Interesting article on Cricinfo. George Dobell makes some good points. Is the game so detached from the ordinary fan now?

Where are the crowds?

[PGW]

Does anyone know what happened to Lancs skipper Paul Horton after his reaction to bring giving out in the T20 final?

Paul Horton has been suspended from the first 2 games of next seasons T20 extravaganza!!!

www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/29077520

[ACVilla]

Does anyone know what happened to Lancs skipper Paul Horton after his reaction to bring giving out in the T20 final?

Paul Horton has been suspended from the first 2 games of next seasons T20 extravaganza!!!

www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/29077520

Quite right too.

[peter w]

Does anyone know what happened to Lancs skipper Paul Horton after his reaction to bring giving out in the T20 final?

Paul Horton has been suspended from the first 2 games of next seasons T20 extravaganza!!!

www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/29077520

Quite right too.

Nah, it's nonsense. Why shouldn't they be able to show their disappointment at being given out? Umpires and administartors need to grow a pair. I once had a right pop at the umpire for been given out lbw. To be honest I may have been out but just didn't want to be. better that than some fop dandily poncing off with his bat under his arm doffing his cap whilst cucumber sandwich munching 80 year-olds that stink of death clap saying that he scored 45 and jolly good innings.

[Richard E]

I look forward to the day when Villa reach as many finals, and win as much silverware, as the Bears.

[Hoppo]

Tickets sorted for final £42 for an adult and two kids. Bargain! Anyone want my season ticket for Arsenal?

[Chris Jameson]

Interesting article on Cricinfo. George Dobell makes some good points. Is the game so detached from the ordinary fan now?

Where are the crowds?

Haven't read the article yet but the stewards were confiscating free magazines which were being handed out outside Headingley today, it was a relaunch of 'Loaded' magazine, the cover had a photo of Pharell Williams on. I asked why a magazine wasn't allowed in the ground I was told it was branded and against the ground rules. What the fuck?

When they had the 'Official Harrogate Spring hydration break' (what the fuck?) I took great delight in drinking from my bottle of Evian. Take that 'the man'.

[Villan For Life]

Interesting article on Cricinfo. George Dobell makes some good points. Is the game so detached from the ordinary fan now?

Where are the crowds?

Haven't read the article yet but the stewards were confiscating free magazines which were being handed out outside Headingley today, it was a relaunch of 'Loaded' magazine, the cover had a photo of Pharell Williams on. I asked why a magazine wasn't allowed in the ground I was told it was branded and against the ground rules. What the fuck?

When they had the 'Official Harrogate Spring hydration break' (what the fuck?) I took great delight in drinking from my bottle of Evian. Take that 'the man'.

You expect that treatment in the major ICC tournaments - sponsors are often Pepsi and KP so you can't take in Coca Cola or Walkers - but to get similar treatment at an England ODI is ludicrous.

[Chris Jameson]

I know they've had problems in the past at Headingley but it was a full house today with probably more India supporters and it was a great atmosphere and plenty of good humour. Towards the end of the game a large group of India supporters wearing 'Yorkshire Indians' shirts were doing the conga and chanting 'Yorkshire', nobody objected they all had smiles on their faces and there were loads of kids and women involved, of course the stewards then got involved and it all turned very unpleasant. A bit of common sense was all that was needed but the G4 lot decided to steam in and cause a problem where there wasn't one.

Our tickets were £70.00 each and when the tickets arrived rather than something saying enjoy the day there was a great long list of what you could not do, wear, bring into the ground. Having said that there were adults near us wearing bloody jester hats.

[Villan For Life]

G4S are crap. They seem to have a heavy-handed culture of zero tolerance. They're at most games at Edgbaston and are irritating jobsworths who can spoil a days play for the paying spectator.

[Chris Jameson]

G4S are crap. They seem to have a heavy-handed culture of zero tolerance. They're at most games at Edgbaston and are irritating jobsworths who can spoil a days play for the paying spectator.

I hate the way they line the boundary for the final few overs glaring at spectators who have no intention whatsoever of going on to the field of play. Where we were sat were mainly families of Indian supporters with very young children and yet four of the buggers felt it necessary to obstruct the view while giving out their death stares. I wish Jadeja had hit one of his many boundaries in their direction.

[Villan For Life]

G4S are crap. They seem to have a heavy-handed culture of zero tolerance. They're at most games at Edgbaston and are irritating jobsworths who can spoil a days play for the paying spectator.

I hate the way they line the boundary for the final few overs glaring at spectators who have no intention whatsoever of going on to the field of play. Where we were sat were mainly families of Indian supporters with very young children and yet four of the buggers felt it necessary to obstruct the view while giving out their death stares. I wish Jadeja had hit one of his many boundaries in their direction.

Cricket has lost something as their ring of hi-viz security prevents the games of cricket on the pitch in the interval. I loved doing that as a kid. You still see it at some county grounds but not at the test venues.

Last night at Edgbaston there were two of the goons guarding the square whilst Kent were warming up and the groundstaff were re-marking the pitch. What were they expecting? An attendance of around 3,000, most of whom were pensioners were hardly going to storm the square and demand free milky tea were they?

[ACVilla]

G4S are crap.

Is all that is needed to be said, horrible company with a horrible culture of failure behind them. See also City Link.