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NatWest T20 Blast Finals Day - August 23

Edgbaston

  • BIRMINGHAM BEARS NATWEST T20 BLAST CHAMPIONS
    Bears 181-5 beat Lancashire 177-8 by four runs in final
    Final scorecard
    Semi-final 1: Bears 194-4 bt Surrey 178-7 by 16 runs
    Semi-final 2: Lancs 160-5 bt Hants 101 by 41 runs (D/L)
    8/23/2014 9:23:38 PM
  • NOW THAT's ROCK 'n ROLL... what a day we've had here at Edgbaston. Hearty congratulations to Birmingham Bears for putting on a fantastic Festival of Cricket. You know there's only one way we can sign off...
    8/23/2014 9:23:27 PM

  • We have lift-off!

    8/23/2014 7:03:30 AM
  • [twitter]

    8/23/2014 7:04:05 AM
  • [twitter]

    8/23/2014 8:27:54 AM
  • [twitter]

    8/23/2014 8:28:52 AM
  • [twitter]
    8/23/2014 8:31:25 AM

  • Athers is going for a Surrey v Lancashire final. What do you reckon? Tell us @skycricket

    8/23/2014 9:10:37 AM
  • START ME UP!
    A little over three months since lift-off in the NatWest T20 blast, welcome to Edgbaston for what promises to be a frenetic but fun-filled day. T20 sometimes gets a bad rap when compared to the longer forms, but days like this demonstrate how it has revolutionised the game. Ok - It's Only Rock 'n Roll, but we like it and we hope you do too because we’ve got a real festival of cricket coming your way.
    8/23/2014 9:15:00 AM

  • Some very special guests are en route to the #FinalsDay Festival of Cricket. Find out more: www1.skysports.com/live-scores/cr… http://pbs.twimg.com/media/BvtmSUAIUAA6X_u.jpg

    by Sky Sports Cricket via twitter 8/23/2014 9:15:29 AM
  • Today’s play list at a sold-out ground charts Birmingham Bears as the most popular and they’re first up at 11am, when they’ll take on last year’s beaten finalists Surrey. The hit parade continues with Hampshire and Lancashire Lightning contesting the second semi-final before the countdown to the final begins – you can watch that from 6.30pm on SS2.
    8/23/2014 9:21:00 AM
  • Hopefully be celebrating tonight ! 4 top teams involved , love to play but just great to be involved !
    by andrew flintoff via twitter 8/23/2014 9:21:32 AM

  • Mick is in the house! #FinalsDay #FestivalofCricket #Startmeup @NatWestT20Blast Join us on air at 1030 on SS2. http://pbs.twimg.com/media/BvtoKHwCAAAGO-u.jpg

    by Sky Sports Cricket via twitter 8/23/2014 9:23:40 AM

  • Start me up! Stand by for a jumpin' start to #FinalsDay . @NatWestT20Blast You must see this. SS2! #festivalofcricket http://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bvtpi-0IIAATNTJ.jpg

    by Sky Sports Cricket via twitter 8/23/2014 9:29:44 AM
  • How can the toss possibly live up to that? We'll find out very soon - it's on its way, with Mike Atherton doing the honours...
    8/23/2014 9:30:52 AM
  • Surrey have won the toss and will bowl first in the opening semi-final against Birmingham Bears #FinalsDay
    by Sky Sports Cricket via twitter 8/23/2014 9:34:01 AM

  • Here are the line-ups for the opening clash on #FinalsDay . @NatWestT20Blast http://pbs.twimg.com/media/BvtrN0SIYAAvW4I.jpg

    by Sky Sports Cricket via twitter 8/23/2014 9:37:02 AM

  • Coming up: we talk to @KP24 , plus Laurie Evans & Nick strike a pose on a #FinalsDay fashion shoot! @NatWestT20Blast http://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bvtr2esCYAAHiKq.jpg

    by Sky Sports Cricket via twitter 8/23/2014 9:39:48 AM
  • [stats] Ian Bell is playing his first T20 match for the Bears in over four years.
    8/23/2014 9:42:35 AM
  • [twitter]

    8/23/2014 9:43:00 AM
  • First up, though...
    8/23/2014 9:43:33 AM
  • [twitter]

    8/23/2014 9:43:59 AM
  • HERE'S HOW EACH SIDE REACHED FINALS DAY...
    8/23/2014 9:45:30 AM
  • Word in from Athers, who says it is brass monkeys out in the middle. He reports that the pitch feels quite hard under foot - the thought, being presumably, that Birmingham will want it to spin...
    8/23/2014 9:48:32 AM

  • It's nearly time for the bread and butter of today to begin. But first a word from Mick...

    8/23/2014 9:50:53 AM
  • What a day ahead, come on hampshire!
    by CWoody27 via twitter retweeted by DannyBriggs19 8/23/2014 9:52:03 AM
  • This match is a re-run of the 2003 final, which featured our very own Wardy...
    8/23/2014 9:57:51 AM

  • And here come the teams...

    8/23/2014 9:58:28 AM
  • Over 1 - Bears 5-0 (Chopra 5, Bell 0)
    Straussy has done the honours, getting the coffees in, and we're ready to rock. Glorious start by Chopra, who creams Mahmood's 73mph opening ball through the covers for four. That tempts the Bears skipper to chase a wider one third ball but he's left wafting at thin air on a pitch that is offering good pace and carry. Chopra pinches the strike off the final ball so Bell will have to wait to face...
    8/23/2014 10:03:12 AM
  • Over 2 - Bears 16-0 (Chopra 12, Bell 4)
    Dernbach concedes a single off his first ball bringing Bell into the fray proper and he pumps his first ball down the ground for three. Chopra collects his second boundary with a smart clip behind square and some excellent running keeps the board ticking over nicely. Eleven come off Dernbach's opening over with the help of a last-ball buzzer!
    8/23/2014 10:07:56 AM
  • Over 3 - Bears 25-0 (Chopra 13, Bell 12)
    Bell chances his arm, advancing down the pitch to hoist Mahmood high over mid-on and he collects a couple more. His pull shot off the final ball of the over has tons more authority. Pietersen gives chase but can't prevent it crashing into the rope, and signals four to the umpire. First bowling change - Matt Dunn into the attack
    8/23/2014 10:12:11 AM
  • Over 4 - Bears 31-0 (Chopra 18, Bell 13)
    Bell climbs into a pull off Dunn's third ball only to pick out Ansari in the deep. Chopra subsequently decides to take the fielders out of the equation and launches the burly 22-year-old over the covers for four. Dernbach takes the opportunity to change ends...
    8/23/2014 10:16:00 AM
  • Over 5 - Bears 46-0 (Chopra 18, Bell 28)
    [6] The sightscreen takes a beating as Bell smotes Dernbach down the ground for our first maximum of the day and the Surrey seamer's figures take more punishment as England's No 4 goes up and over wide mid-on for four, then creams an attempted yorker through the covers. First three balls? 6-4-4. A dot ball and simple single to leg provides some respite for Surrey and Dernbach at least finishes in decent fashion, with another full delivery that Chopra can't get away.
    8/23/2014 10:20:16 AM
  • [twitter]

    8/23/2014 10:22:21 AM

  • Bell b Dunn (38 off 17) [wicket]

    Bell departs shaking his head in disbelief after he advances down the pitch only to see the ball cannon into his stumps, dislodging a bail, via his pads
    8/23/2014 10:27:52 AM
  • Over 6 - Bears 57-1 (Chopra 18, Porterfield 0)
    Bell was purring along so nicely that his downfall is something of a surprise, especially the rather unfortunate manner of it. The fifty came up in 5.1 overs as Bell stepped forward and stroked Dunn high and hard for his second scintillating six. How do you follow that? Open the face and steer the ball down to the third man boundary. Simple. But it couldn't last. Porterfield in.
    8/23/2014 10:29:29 AM
  • Over 7 - Bears 67-1 (Chopra 22, Porterfield 2)
    Check-drive brings Chopra a couple after Peterson opens up with four wides down the leg-side (three of them run). Ten runs come off the over in total as Surrey turn to spin at both ends to try and squeeze the run-scoring. Bumble's got Porterfield in his 'fantasia' team so he's gripped...
    8/23/2014 10:32:19 AM
  • Finals Day!!
    by Isa Guha via twitter 8/23/2014 10:34:53 AM

  • Chopra c&b Batty 23 [wicket]

    Batty roars in celebration as he sticks out his right hand to snaffle a firmly struck Chopra drive. "What a good catch that was," says Athers. "That's pure instinct," adds Strauss.
    8/23/2014 10:35:56 AM
  • Over 8 - Bears 70-2 (Porterfield 3, Clarke 1)
    That catch was the standout moment of Surrey's best over of the innings so far - boy did they need that.
    8/23/2014 10:37:01 AM
  • Over 9 - Bears (Porterfield 4, Clarke 3)
    Peterson plays his part conceding just three singles off his over, perfect as Surrey attempt to drag this one back after the Bears' powerful start.
    8/23/2014 10:38:27 AM

  • Ian Bell: gave the Bears the perfect launchpad

    8/23/2014 10:39:24 AM
  • Over 10 - Bears 80-2 (Porterfield 8, Clarke 6)
    Surrey, who enjoy chasing, are edging back into this. The average score here at Edgbaston this year is 154 - WASP is currently predicting the Bears will get up to 170.
    8/23/2014 10:42:05 AM
  • Over 11 - Bears 89-2 (Porterfield 14, Clarke 9)
    Porterfield gets the reverse sweep out of the locker and is rewarded with four. Clarke, a former Surrey man lest we forget, is content for now to clip the ball into the open spaces and accumulate steadily. But don't expect that to last...
    8/23/2014 10:44:03 AM
  • Over 12 - Bears 100-2 (Porterfield 16, Clarke 18)
    Indeed! Clarke goes leg side and goes big (although admittedly the boundary on that side is rather short) and he picks up six. Batty continues to fire it in, in typical fashion, bowling consistently at around 59mph. Celebrations from Bumble in the comms box. Done well on the horses, I believe.
    8/23/2014 10:47:06 AM
  • CLARKE was man-of-the-match in the Bears' quarter-final over Essex...
    8/23/2014 10:48:33 AM
  • Over 13 - Bears 108-2 (Porterfield 18, Clarke 24)
    Ominous signs for Surrey as Clarke continues to hit the ball with increasing authority. Dunn's line errs first up and Clarke cashes in, with 'clippingtons' for four, but the raw seamer rallies well to limit the damage to just four more from the rest of the over.
    8/23/2014 10:50:46 AM
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