Vitality Blast T20 2022: All Matches Friday July 1st - Latest News, Scores and Match Reports

Here is all the latest news, scores and match report updates from the Vitality Blast T20 2022: All Matches Friday July 1^st    

 

 

Vitality Blast T20 2022: All Matches Friday July 1^st

 

Worcestershire vs Lancashire, North Group New Road, Worcester 5:30 PM

Worcestershire 178/6 (20 ov) Lancashire 149/10 (19.3 ov) Worcestershire won by 29 runs

Jos Buttler suffered disappointment in his first match since being appointed England’s new white ball captain after an astonishing Lancashire Lightning batting collapse in a 29 run defeat against bottom placed Worcestershire Rapids at New Road. 

Eoin Morgan’s replacement was dropped before he had scored but then smashed 42 off 29 balls with three sixes and two fours and he and Phil Salt plundered 85 from 8.2 overs in pursuit of a 179 target.

The Lightning looked well on course to seal the victory that would have booked their place in the quarter-finals.

But then Club Captain Brett D’Oliveira’s career best T20 return of 4-20 was the centre part of a dramatic reversal in fortunes for the Lightning.

Ten wickets went down for 64 runs in 11.1 overs to leave Lancashire’s hopes of qualifying for the last eight now hanging in the balance heading into their final game with Birmingham Bears on Sunday.

It was a mixture of poor stroke play and some inspired bowling as Worcestershire, the 2018 winners, celebrated their second win of the campaign.

The Rapids made two changes with Jake Libby and Dillon Pennington replacing Ed Pollock and Adam Finch.

They were put into bat and Libby and D’Oliveira gave the Rapids a solid start in contrast to their trend this summer of losing too many wickets in the powerplay.

Their opening stand was worth 49 in 5.1 overs before Libby (18) skied Luke Wood to mid-wicket.

D’Oliveira raced onto 33 before he fell to a catch at long on against the bowling of Luke Wells.

Rapids captain Moeen Ali looked in good touch and a six over mid-wicket off Wood sailed out of the ground.

He had made 31 from only 17 deliveries and added 51 in 5.2 overs with Colin Munro before the pair departed in successive overs.

Moeen picked out cover off Wells and then Munro, drilled Matt Parkinson straight to long on.

But then recent signing, Kashif Ali, provided some acceleration with 27 off 15 balls including two sixes before he perished at deep mid wicket off Tom Hartley.

Ed Barnard (11) was caught at mid-off but then Gareth Roderick produced the shot of the innings, a six over fine leg off Gleeson.

When the Lightning batted, Mitchell Stanley bowled a superb first over with plenty of pace.

Buttler was fortunate to survive when he edged the second legitimate bowler from the 21-year-old with Moeen spilling a straightforward chance

He managed only two runs off his first seven balls but then smashed Stanley for six over wide mid on and then a scoop shot against the same bowler brought another maximum.

The powerplay yielded 61 runs and Buttler looked set for a major contribution until he failed to connect properly with a full-toss from D’Oliveira and holed out to backward square leg.

It was the start of a dramatic change-around in fortunes for the Lightning.

Steven Croft was caught behind off Barnard and then D’Oliveira dismissed Salt, 44, and Dane Vila with successive balls before Tim David holed out to long on in his next over.

Moeen came into the attack and removed Danny Lamb and Luke Wells in successive overs before Pat Brown’s two wickets helped to polish off the innings.

 

Middlesex vs Somerset, South Group Lord's, London 6:15 PM

Middlesex 160/6 (20 ov) Somerset 161/8 (19.4 ov) Somerset won by 2 wickets

JOSH Davey returned to haunt his former teammates as Somerset beat Middlesex by two wickets in a Vitality Blast thriller at Lord’s to qualify for the quarter-finals.

Davey, who began his career at the home of cricket before heading south-west, took one for 25 from four frugal overs before striking Chris Green for six as the visitors won a see-saw encounter with two balls to spare.

The Cidermen had looked like chasing down a target of 161 with some comfort thanks to Tom Banton’s 39 and 36 for skipper Tom Abell, but Jason Behrendorf’s three for 30 and two wickets on debut for Max Harris made it tight before Davey’s last over heroics.

Earlier, Middlesex’s tally of 160-6 owed much to Chris Green’s unbeaten 44 and 41 for Luke Hollman, but it wasn’t enough to prevent their ninth defeat of the competition.

The hosts were soon in trouble after being invited to bat, Davey getting home skipper Steve Eskinazi caught at cover with only seven on the board.

Holden too perished early, caught at deep square and John Simpson missed out  skying Lewis Gregory to Will Smeed at mid-wicket.

Joe Cracknell (25) threatened briefly with two big sixes, but when he paddled Ben Green (three for 38) to short fine-leg Middlesex were 55-4.

That Middlesex reached any sort of total was down to Hollman and Green. Hollman hit both Green and Peter Siddle back over their head for six before the latter extracted revenge by having the all-rounder caught in the deep.

Green was even more impressive, driving Siddle  into the grandstand and plundering five fours to guide the hosts to the respectability of 160-6.

Tom Helm struck early in the chase when the dangerous Smeed miscued him into the hands of Jason Behrendorf at mid-off.

Banton struck back courtesy of a top edge over the wicketkeeper’s head for six, while Rilee Roussow greeted Harris with a drive over cover for four. However, the youngster sent the man with almost 500 runs in the competition packing next ball, wicketkeeper Simpson taking a skier from a top edge.

Banton reached 39 before being castled by Thilan Walallawita’s top-spinner and the hosts spied a glimmer of hope when Harris struck for a second time to remove Tom Lammonby, leaving the Cidermen 95-4.

Tom Abell swept Walallawita for six, but he perished too, losing his off-stump trying injudiciously to reverse sweep Green.

 All of a sudden 42 were needed from the last four and when Jack Davies held a stunner to remove L Gregory off Behrendorf the visitors were creaking.

Behrendorf removed Green to a catch in the deep only for Craig Overton to strike his first two balls from the Australian quick high into the stands.

Behrendorf’s retort was to have him caught at cover to leave 10 needed from the final over, but Davey had the last word to send Somerset to the knockout stages.

Yorkshire vs Birmingham Bears, North Group Headingley, Leeds 6:30 PM

Yorkshire 207/10 (19.2 ov) Warwickshire 238/5 (20 ov) Warwickshire won by 31 runs

Birmingham Bears qualified for next week’s Vitality Blast quarter-finals as North Group winners by defending a 239 target in a run-fest against fellow challengers Yorkshire Vikings at Headingley.

Birmingham’s 238 for five was the fourth highest total in this season’s Blast - they also hold the highest, 261 for two v Notts - and included 81 in 41 balls for Ireland opener Paul Stirling and a late career best 63 not out off 25 for Dan Mousley, who also claimed a wicket with his off-spin. 

This was also the highest total Yorkshire have ever conceded. But they valiantly chased, finishing on 207 all out with Adam Lyth’s 69 their top score. Captain Carlos Brathwaite returned a season’s best three for 32 in a 31 run-win.

Fourth-placed Vikings head into Sunday’s final group game at Leicestershire, who are a point behind in sixth, with all manner of possibilities at play. 

A win will qualify them, as will a tie or No Result on net run-rate, while they could also still finish in the top two places for a home quarter-final or be knocked out with a defeat.

The start was delayed by 35 minutes until 7.05pm following rain. But once play started, with the Bears inserted, Stirling got things moving quickly.

He hit two of his seven sixes off Matthew Waite as 20 came from the second over to move the score to 29 without loss. The first, over cover, was particularly eye-catching.

After opening partner Alex Davies top-edged a sweep to short fine-leg off Shadab Khan’s third ball - 42 for one in the fourth - Stirling continued his assault with sixes off Matthew Revis, Khan and Jordan Thompson in reaching fifty off 25 balls. 

The latter took him to his milestone, with the Bears 103 for one in the ninth.

Sam Hain hit a breezy 25 in a partnership of 72 with Stirling, ended when Khan’s leg-spin had Hain caught behind in the 10th over, leaving the score at 114 for two.

Stirling fell lbw to David Willey and Chris Benjamin was superbly caught by Dom Bess running back from short fine-leg off Revis - 160 for four in the 15th. 

But that only opened the door for 20-year-old left-hander Mousley to up the ante with two leg-side sixes in a 22-ball half-century and a third quickly afterwards. 

Khan (two for 38) was the only one of six bowlers used to concede less than 10 runs per over. And that wasn’t the only statistic which made for tough reading for the Vikings.

Fourteen of the 20 overs cost double figures and 51 runs came off the last three.

But it was no surprise that Yorkshire made a flying start to their chase. Coming into this fixture, the sides had shared 10 totals of 200 or more in this season’s Blast.

Lyth and New Zealander Finn Allen took the Vikings to 51 without loss in only 3.4 overs. The only surprise was that included only one six, Allen reverse heaving Danny Briggs over backward point.

Allen hit a second off Bears captain Brathwaite in the fifth, only to get a leading edge to point for 29 later in the over, leaving the score at 67 for one.

Lyth continued to motor and reached his fifty off 32 balls, by which time it was 104 for two in the 10th. In that over, Jake Lintott conceded 21, while fellow spinner Danny Briggs conceded 16 off the next.

But Birmingham struck two key blows within three balls in the 11th and 12th overs, as the score became 133 for four.

Lyth got a leading edge off left-armer Briggs to backward point and Tom Kohler-Cadmore pulled Brathwaite to deep midwicket. At that stage, you felt as if the pendulum had swung firmly towards the visitors 

And so it proved as left-arm wrist spinner Lintott struck three, including Harry Brook stumped for 29. Brathwaite also struck again towards the end of a fixture featuring 23 sixes.

Surrey vs Kent, South Group Kia Oval, London 6:30 PM

Surrey 195/6 (18.3 ov) Kent 191/5 (20 ov) Surrey won by 4 wickets

Surrey, long-time leaders of the Vitality Blast’s south group, clinched a home quarter-final by beating Kent Spitfires by four wickets with Jason Roy’s 27-ball 58 and Sam Curran’s 30-ball 50 leading a spectacular chase in a high-scoring affair.

A full house crowd of 30,000 at the Kia Oval lapped it up as 25 sixes in all were struck as Surrey, with 14 of those blows in their 195 for 6, hunted down Kent’s 191 for 5 with nine balls to spare.

It was Surrey’s tenth win from 13 group games, with one match rained off, and both Laurie Evans (26 off 13 balls) and Will Jacks (26 off 22) also made solid contributions with the bat as Kent’s bowlers simply could not defend what seemed a challenging total.

Alex Blake had earlier entertained the packed stands with 50 not out from 25 balls included four sixes and two fours, but even his hitting paled besides the extraordinary strokeplay of Roy and Curran.

Fast bowler Matt Milnes, who finished with the painful figures of 3-0-48-0, felt the full force as Roy took three successive and almost contemptuous legside sixes and then a four from his second over, the sixth of the innings, which cost 24.

And, when Milnes was recalled for the 17^th over, Curran twice smashed him straight for six and also pulled him with whiplash force for another six over deep square leg as 19 more were plundered from it.

Both Curran and Roy hit five sixes, with opener Roy also striking five fours before he was bowled by spinner Qais Ahmad in the seventh over.

Aaron Hardie pulled Grant Stewart for six in 15 on debut, before being run out failing to answer Curran’s call for two, and Qais later removed both Jamie Overton (6) and Curran in his final over to end up with a creditable 3 for 28. But, even though Kent tried seven bowlers, the fit-again Darren Stevens strangely did not bowl at all and Jamie Smith ended the game by crunching Fred Klaassen over cover for four.

Kent’s total was based around three sparkling innings – 41 off 29 balls by Tuwanda Muyeye and Jordan Cox’s 31-ball 54 at the start, and then the explosive Blake at the end. Perhaps Blake, indeed, should have come in one place earlier, rather than at No5, so cleanly did he strike the ball.

Blake’s most eye-catching stroke was when he skipped down the pitch to Sunil Narine, whose first three overs had cost only 12 runs, to smash the West Indies mystery spinner a long way over the wide long on boundary for six. It was a stroke which also inspired George Linde to drive Narine back over his head for another six as the Trinidadian’s final over, the 18^th, cost him 14.

There were also maximums for Blake high over extra cover and square cover off Overton and Reece Topley, respectively, plus another huge blow mowed into the stands over wide mid wicket off Jordan.

Put in, Kent lost Joe Denly for 5 in the second over when all-rounder Hardie, Surrey’s overseas player replacement for the injured Kieron Pollard, struck with his third ball for the club to have the former England batsman caught off a skier at extra cover.

But, kick-started initially by Muyeye who later in that over superbly picked up a leg-stump ball and deposited it high over the deep square leg ropes for six, the second wicket pair played beautifully to add 75 in 6.3 overs – in the process accelerating Kent to 67 for one after the six-over powerplay as 24 also came off Hardie’s second over, the fifth.

Muyeye pulled Hardie for six over long leg and guided the next ball behind backward point for four before Cox hit the Australian for two sixes, first flicked over deep square leg and then hammered to wide mid wicket.

A risky second run to deep mid wicket in the eighth over saw Muyeye run out by Evans’ sprint to the ball, pick up and throw and Cox, after hitting Overton for three successive fours in the ninth over, fell to a good catch by Roy running back at short third man five overs later, when he skied an attempted big hit at Overton.

By then Jack Leaning had gone for 6, caught by keeper Smith sweeping at Dan Moriarty’s left arm spin and Stevens kept Blake company for a while before, on 13, skying Narine to Roy running around behind the bowler from mid off.

 

Leicestershire vs Northamptonshire, North Group Grace Road, Leicester 6:30 PM

Leicestershire 214/6 (20 ov) Northamptonshire 213/7 (20 ov) Leicestershire won by 1 run

In dramatic circumstances, Leicestershire Foxes prevailed over the Northamptonshire Steelbacks by one run to pull off the win they needed to keep alive their chance of snatching a quarter-final place in the Vitality Blast.

But they left the field facing an anxious wait for news from Headingley, knowing that a win for Yorkshire would end their hopes regardless of their own result.

Skipper Colin Ackermann hit three sixes and nine fours in a career-best 85 from 44 balls to lead Leicestershire to a season’s best 214 for six after Nick Welch (38) and Lewis Hill had plundered 59 from the first 32 balls.

The Steelbacks, likewise needing a win to have any chance of progressing, responded with half-centuries from Chris Lynn, Josh Cobb and Jimmy Neesham, but chasing down the Foxes total proved just beyond them despite an extraordinary last over in which they needed 19 to win and might have pulled it off had a furious Neesham not been run out with three balls to go after a mix-up with team-mate Tom Taylor.

Leicestershire’s total was built on their best powerplay of the season, in which they plundered 61 for one after Nick Welch lofted Josh Cobb over long off for six and pulled Taylor for another maximum before Lewis Hill scooped Neesham over the rope at fine leg.

They were checked by the loss of both openers in consecutive overs as Welch was leg before trying to work Graeme White to leg and Hill, who had been dropped off Taylor on five, bottom-edged into his stumps off Freddie Heldreich.

But new men Arron Lilley and Ackermann restored the momentum to move the total to 100 for two at halfway and the pair had added 62 in 41 balls before they were parted when Lilley was bowled by White sweeping in the 14th.

Wiaan Mulder holed out after three deliveries but the last five overs added 72 runs, 39 of them from Ackermann, who crashed two sixes off Ben Sanderson and another off Taylor before he chased a wide ball from the former to be caught at extra cover, but with Ben Mike (15 off seven) and Louis Kimber (13 off seven) chipping in usefully.

The Foxes’ defence began with a wicket first ball as Ben Curran was adjudged to be leg before as he missed a reverse sweep against Callum Parkinson. The Steelbacks recovered to 44 for one after six, although the rate required was above 12.

The visiting side reached halfway needing another 125 but it was in their favour that Cobb and Lynn were still together, the Australian big-hitter completing his sixth half-century of the competition with a straight six out of the ground at the pavilion end off Mike, before his fourth maximum - his second off young leg spinner Rehan Ahmed - brought up the 100 partnership.

Lynn was threatening to take the game away from the Foxes, so there were huge celebrations when the Queenslander, who had gone past 500 runs for the season, hit straight a wide Mulder full toss into the safe hands of Ackermann at mid-off.

When Cobb, having just gone past fifty, found Mulder at long on off Ackermann and Parkinson claimed his second lbw against a reverse sweep to dismiss Saif Zaib, the Steelbacks had lost three wickets in as many overs to be 147 for four after 15, needing 68 from 30 balls with the Foxes now favourites.

After the New Zealander had clubbed two sixes off Mike, drama in the penultimate over, which went for 17, saw Naveen ul-Haq unable to complete the over after bowling two full tosses over waist height, Lewis McManus hitting the second free hit for six.

And more followed in the final over, which the Foxes had to start with five fielders inside the circle after going past the cut-off time.

Neesham drove Mike’s first and third ball for six and four either side of a sacrificial run-out by McManus but with six needed off the last two balls after Mike had bowled a wide, Taylor stayed in his crease as Neesham went for a second run, leaving his partner comfortably run out.

Three off the last ball would have tied the contest but White’s straight drive was worth only two

 

Sussex vs Essex, South Group County Ground, Hove 7:00 PM

Sussex 169/8 (20 ov) Essex 197/8 (20 ov) Essex won by 28 runs.

 A magnificently miserly bowling stint from the Essex Eagles captain Simon Harmer led his side to victory by 28 runs runs in their Vitality Blast match against the Sussex Sharks at Hove.

Harmer conceded just 18 runs from his four overs and also picked up the wickets of danger man Ali Orr, Tom Alsop and George Garton.  It was the eighth win of the campaign for Essex as Sussex disappointed once again before a sell-out crowd.

But Orr, the hero of Sussex’s first championship win of the season two days before, threatened more heroics as Sussex chased a challenging 198 for victory.

Sussex took just five runs from Aaron Beard’s first over but then Orr plundered 25 runs off the second over, bowled by Daniel Sams, the sequence going six, six, four, four, four and one.

After just four overs Sussex were 54 without loss, with Orr flying on 36.  Josh Philippe was caught behind for 17 in the fifth over but after seven overs Sussex were better than on target, at 81 for one. But then Orr’s odyssey came to an end as he skied  Harmer to midwicket.  His 41 had come off just 21 balls, and there were five fours and two sixes.

Sussex were ahead of the game at the halfway stage, at 101 for two after ten overs.  But then Harrison Ward holed out to the deep midwicket boundary for a 22-ball 31 and a brave 28-ball 47 from Sussex captain and former Essex man Ravi Bopara was not enough.

Earlier, Adam Rossington’s 50-ball 95, with ten fours and five sixes, was the stand-out performance in the Essex total of 197 for eight.  It was his highest score in the competition.  But when Essex were 68 without loss in the seventh over they must have fancied their chances of scoring even more after being invited to bat.

Rossington brought up the fifty in the sixth over as he drove Henry Crocombe for a straight four, the bowler’s first three deliveries going for boundaries.

But Sussex battled their way back into the match by taking three wickets in the space of ten deliveries. Delray Rawlins bowled Robin Das, Michael Pepper, reverse sweeping, was brilliantly caught by Ali Orr, diving to his right at backward-point, and Dan Lawrence was bowled by Ravi Bopara’s second ball.

Rossington moved to 95 with a six over long-off but was stumped next ball and it was Essex’s red ball captain Tom Westley, with a 30-ball 54, who was responsible for ensuring his side reached a challenging total.  Westley struck three fours and four sixes, hitting George Garton out of the ground over the hospitality area at cow corner.  Rashid Khan was once again the best Sussex bowler with three wickets for 30 runs while Bopara (2-30) and Rawlins (2-34) also bowled well.

 

Hampshire vs Gloucestershire, South Group Ageas Bowl, Southampton 7:00 PM

Hampshire Hawks 140/7 beat Gloucestershire 125 by 15 runs

James Fuller’s quick-fire 45 and impeccable bowling from Liam Dawson and Nathan Ellis fired Hampshire into the Vitality Blast quarter-finals at the expense of Gloucestershire.

All-rounder Fuller needed only 24 balls to smack his haul at the death to drag Hampshire to an above-par 140.

Gloucestershire, who needed to win to keep their knockout hopes alive, lost wickets with regularity with Liam Dawson returning two for 16 and Australian Ellis one for 14 in his four overs - as Hampshire won by 15 runs.

Hampshire chose to bat first on a sluggish used pitch and battled their way to above par thanks to some later innings hitting.

Before then they had been a struggle as Gloucestershire bowled incredibly tightly on a pitch similar to a typical Seat Unique Stadium wicket. Only 24 runs came in the powerplay with Ben McDermott and James Vince both falling, the former to Mohammad Amir who only bowled three balls before walking off clutching his side.

Benny Howell had Tom Prest top-edging a slog sweep with the pressure building before his slower ball found Ross Whiteley chopping on via his pad. The crafty bowler picking up two for 29.

Joe Weatherley kept things ticking in his sweeping way, although his six came from pulling straight to begin Hampshire’s death crescendo. Weatherley and Liam Dawson handed Tom Smith figures of two for 18, before Fuller exploded.

Forty-six runs came from the final three overs, and 36 from the final two, as Fuller swung Ryan Higgins for back-to-back sixes over the long square boundary before plopping David Payne over the straight boundary twice.

The visitors moved Iain Cockbain to open for the first time this season but he only lasted until the second over when Prest brilliantly ran him out with only a single stump to aim at. It was an atonement for Prest who had dropped a tough chance off Chris Dent.

Prest would complete his penance when his off-spin forced Dent to sky to deep extra cover – although 40 for two at the end of the fourth over.

Miles Hammond skied to McDermott but Dawson’s introduction swung the momentum.

The left-armer’s first over only went for three runs, his second just two runs, the wicket of Glenn Phillips and four play and misses from Higgins, before he bowled Higgins with a jaffa in his third over – his first three overs returning two for nine. Mason Crane joined in to get Jack Taylor caught behind.

Gloucestershire had the rate well in hand throughout but the regularity with which they lost wickets came back to bite them – with Howell swiping to deep square leg to become the seventh man to depart to leave 38 needed from the last five overs.

Only 15 runs came in the following three overs and the burden was too much for James Bracey – who had scored 38 off 30 – when he was caught splicing to third.

Tom Smith was run out off the first ball of the last over, with 17 required, before Ellis bowled Payne to a rapturous response from a packed Ageas Bowl.

 

Nottinghamshire vs Durham, North Group Trent Bridge, Nottingham 7:00 PM

Nottinghamshire 184/6 (17.0 ov) Durham 183/8 (20 ov) Nottinghamshire won by 4 wickets

Nottinghamshire Outlaws’ last desperate hopes of a seventh successive T20 quarter-final berth finally vanished despite comfortable victory over Durham Jets by four wickets in the Vitality Blast at Trent Bridge. Amonst other things, they needed a tie, no less, in Leicester to retain any hope but Leicester just refused to oblige.

It was at least a rousing farewell for Dan Christian, their departing veteran captain who led the Outlaws to T20 glory in 2017 and 2020. He could revel in watching 51 from 30 balls for Joe Clarke and Ben Duckett’s unbeaten 53 from 34 that helped bring success at the gallop with three overs to spare.

Christian’s fellow Australian and opposite number, Ashton Turner, threatened to upstage things earlier with a rapid 33 as Durham’s third wicket added 54 in five overs but Steven Mullaney removed him and two new batters in four balls as the Jets backfired.

From 98 for five with 51 balls to come, Micheal Jones, the opener, reached 41 until brilliantly caught on the mid-wicket rope by Mullaney off Jake Ball and Durham finished with 183 for eight, late-order hitting bringing 70 from the final six overs. It proved far from enough.

The evening had started painfully when the opening delivery, from Ball, cut back to strike Graham Clark flush in the box, flooring him and causing a three-minute delay for treatment. Durham, already out of quarter-final contention, chose to bat but lost Clark, slicing his drive for 14, and Ollie Robinson, who skied a swipe to the keeper, as Ball conceded only four in the fifth over.  

But in the later charge, Brydon Carse, batting at No7, was dropped off Ball when twelve before surging to 25 from 17 balls when becoming Lyndon James’s maiden T20 scalp, whilst Ned Eckersley finished unbeaten with 23 from a dozen balls. Andrew Tye hit two sixes in his not-out 13.

Even by the second over of the reply, however, with Liam Trevaskis taken for 19, the target seeemed less than daunting. The left-arm spinner had revenge of sorts when Alex Hales top-edged a sweep to go for 26 but the Outlaws had struck as many sixes in the reply’s first 47 balls as the Jets managed in their entire innings.

Clarke, who had creamed 53 with Hales in 26 balls for the first wicket on a typically good Nottingham pitch with short boundaries inviting mayhem, then added another 55 in 35 balls with Ben Duckett.

Eventually miscueing against a leg-break from the Australian, Nathan Sowter, Clarke gave way to Mullaney, another victim of spin when soon stumped by Robinson off Trevaskis next over. James arrived to send his third and fifth balls for six off Carse and at the end of an over that cost 16, only 46 were needed from the final 42 balls.

James fell smiting for 20 but, maintaining the tempo, Tom Moores hit his first four balls for boundaries until magnificently caught by Sowter who took the ball jumping on the boundary, threw it up before crossing the rope then grasped it again back on the field. Dramatic, indeed. But not enough, even though Sol Budinger fell stumped with three needed.

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