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NatWest T20 Blast Finals Day - August 23

Edgbaston

    Over 4 - Hants 26-2 (Adams 9, Shah 6)
    As if to make a point to WASP, Adams drives hard down the ground - yes, it was aerial but it flashed past Anderson's outstretched left hand in a flash. That's his second four of the over after a sweet cover drive. There's a brief moment of concern in the Hampshire camp as Adams is forced to dive for his ground but as accurate and powerful as Clark's shy is, a full dive gets him home easily. The experienced Shah tucks four more away down to fine leg off Anderson's final ball.
    8/23/2014 4:16:48 PM
    Over 5 - Hants 32-2 (Adams 15, Shah 6)
    Hampshire, led by Kabir Ali, are up in unison convinced that Adams has snicked behind - even if Buttler did nearly make a hash of the catch, the ball just about staying in his gloves. But there is no swaying umpire Neil Mallender. Adams continues happily along his way, climbing into the fifth ball of the over and smashing it high over long off for a maximum.
    8/23/2014 4:20:45 PM
    Bad day at the office.. Gutted for all the boys especially @JasonRoy20 who deserved something to show for an awesome campaign.#5thtimelucky
    by Jade Dernbach via twitter 8/23/2014 4:24:23 PM
    Over 6 - Hants 36-3 (Adams 17, Smith 1)
    The Surrey reaction keeps coming - the question is, which of these two teams will be sharing it? Shah's shot selection was questionable at best, the ball definitely not there to cut. Not often you see a spinner knock a pole out of the ground.
    8/23/2014 4:25:54 PM

    Smith st Buttler b Croft 1 [wicket]

    Miles out of his ground and down on his knees, Smith almost escaped as the ball dropped out of Buttler's gloves before he broke the wicket - but luckily for the 'keeper it knocked the bails off just in time
    8/23/2014 4:28:27 PM
    Over 7 - Hants 40-4, (Adams 19, Ervine 1)
    Nervous faces in the Hampshire dugout as wickets continue to clatter. Buttler's a lucky boy, you have to say, because the ball did escape his grasp and could very well have missed the wicket but all's well that ends well as far as Lancashire are concerned. Umpire referral confirms it.
    8/23/2014 4:31:18 PM
    Over 8 - Hants 49-4 (Adams 27, Ervine 2)
    Adams flicks a four through midwicket but you get the sense that Lancashire are tightening their grip on this game. But if T20 has taught us anything, it's never write off Hampshire...
    8/23/2014 4:34:27 PM

    Getting rather lively out in the stands...

    8/23/2014 4:35:06 PM

    Ervine c Khawaja b T Smith 9

    Decent bowling from Smith, who keeps it full and wide preventing Ervine from getting enough power and elevation in the shot to clear point
    8/23/2014 4:37:53 PM
    Over 9 - Hants 58-5 (Adams 29, Coles 0)
    This is starting to look grim for Hampshire. Surely they can't get to the line from here?
    8/23/2014 4:39:05 PM

    Wheater c Horton b Kabir Ali 4 [wicket]

    No heroics this time from Wheater who fails to connect cleanly and presents Horton with a tame chance at midwicket
    8/23/2014 4:41:08 PM
    Over 10 - Hants 67-6 (Adams 35, Wheater 2)
    The over started well enough with Adams sweeping for four but took a familiar turn with that Coles dismissal. A bonus wide offers little consolation as the score ticks over with a run of singles.
    8/23/2014 4:43:01 PM

    Anderson: knocked over James Vince early on

    8/23/2014 4:44:14 PM
    Over 11 - Hants 76-6 (Adams 41, Wheater 4)
    A further 67 needed off 30 balls in this Duckworth-Lewis revised game. Get Adams - who collects another four with a sweet cover drive - and that's the game.
    8/23/2014 4:46:04 PM
    Over 12 - Hants 85-7 (Adams 43, Dawson 7)
    Dawson comes to the wicket after Wheater's downfall and, aiming large, succeeds in hitting it almost as high as it goes far, adding two to the total when it's those maximums that are desperately needed. Dawson does collect four, though, with a cheeky dink around the corner that beats the man at short fine leg. Lancs contingent in the comms box very confident.
    8/23/2014 4:51:52 PM

    Adams c Tom Smith b Anderson 53 [wicket]

    With no chance but to go for broke, Adams went deep in his crease and swatted Anderson out to midwicket but couldn't clear the man in the deep
    8/23/2014 4:53:16 PM
    Over 13 - Hants 95-8 (Adams 52, Wood 1)
    FIFTY for Adams off 37 balls - and what a skilful way to get there - opening the face to run the ball down to third man for four. Tom Smith may have missed out with the bat but he's making amends with the ball here - and Adams can only watch helplessly from the other end as wickets continue to tumble.
    8/23/2014 4:55:11 PM
    Over 14 - Hants 101-9 (Wood 5, Briggs 0)
    Anderson returns to pile the pressure on and he all but seals it by removing Adams. Kabir Ali takes a painful blow on the end of his finger earlier in the over and, who knows, that could open the door for a certain Freddie Flintoff to play in the final... We'll see.
    8/23/2014 5:01:36 PM
    [twitter]

    8/23/2014 5:04:58 PM
    So that's decided then - it is indeed a Birmingham Bears v Lancashire Lightning final, with the latter booking their place courtesy of a 41-run victory on the Duckworth-Lewis method. Ashwell Prince is confirmed as man of the match for dragging the Lightning up to a winning total.
    8/23/2014 5:06:19 PM
    Very disappointing day for all of us at @surreycricket ...what a superstar @JasonRoy20 is going to be though!
    by KP via twitter 8/23/2014 5:07:24 PM
    START ME UP! This Festival of Cricket is rocking along nicely. Check out our pundits as you've never quite seen them before...
    8/23/2014 5:11:35 PM
    TEAM NEWS...
    [twitter]

    8/23/2014 5:16:42 PM
    So - it seems inevitable. Mr Flintoff will play in the final. We're waiting for confirmation but he's going through a very strenuous warm-up for someone who is going to sit on the sidelines. At present he's charging in on a practice wicket zipping it through at what looks a decent pace, although the speed gun will tell us a little more about what shape he's in after going around the country in his fish and chip van...
    8/23/2014 5:19:03 PM
    Congrats @Lottie2323 another 100 another win!! Legendary #EngvInd
    by Isa Guha via twitter 8/23/2014 5:21:32 PM
    Birmingham have won the toss and will bat. Big news is that Andrew Flintoff comes into the Lancashire side. www1.skysports.com/live-scores/cr…
    by Sky Sports Cricket via twitter 8/23/2014 5:21:45 PM
    Freddie to play!! #T20FinalsDay
    by Isa Guha via twitter 8/23/2014 5:21:50 PM

    The Bears are unchanged.

    8/23/2014 5:24:14 PM

    If you didn't believe it before, he's pictorial confirmation that Freddie is in.

    8/23/2014 5:24:38 PM
    Exactly 5 years ago today Freddie retired from Test cricket. Couldn't write a better story!!
    by Isa Guha via twitter 8/23/2014 5:26:56 PM

    Nasser's verdict ahead of the Final...

    8/23/2014 5:30:54 PM

    FAIRYTALE? Kabir Ali is injured and a young lad named Flintoff plays in tonight's final for @LancsCCC . #FinalsDay http://pbs.twimg.com/media/BvvW_WDIYAAOJHO.jpg

    by NatWest T20 Blast via twitter retweeted by SkyCricket 8/23/2014 5:31:15 PM
    A MODEL PRO - our very own Nick Knight joined model pro Laurie Evans for a Finals Day photoshoot. Check it out right here...
    8/23/2014 5:33:48 PM
    Over 1 - Bears 5-0 (Bell 2, Chopra 2)
    Croft begins this battle of the North Division with a wide and then accidentally collides with Chopra, taking the Bears skipper out as he attempts to stop a Bell drive down the ground. No serious damage done as far as the Lightening are concerned. Coming up... Anderson v Bell...
    8/23/2014 5:47:32 PM
    Over 2 - Bears 19-0 (Bell 4, Chopra 13)
    A Chopra leg bye brings the England team-mates into head-to-head competition, with Bell happy to knock the ball wide of mid-on and take the single. Chopra nearly mirrors the shot for a single of his own and then once back on strike swivels to pull Anderson away for four. He betters it very next ball, though, with a deft but strong flick of the wrist that sends the ball behind square into the stands for six.
    8/23/2014 5:51:50 PM

    Bell c Brown b Flintoff 4 [wicket]

    Flintoff strikes first ball as Bell attempts to drive him down the ground. Brown running back from mid-on takes a well-judged catch
    8/23/2014 5:56:40 PM
    Over 3 - Bears 22-1 (Chopra 15, Porterfield 1)
    "That's the perfect start for Flintoff," says Bumble, and he's not wrong. The Lancashire celebrations as jubilant as you can imagine and Freddie even has time to acknowledge Bumble's hearty wave from the commentary box. Yep, we're watching!
    8/23/2014 5:58:14 PM
    Over 4 - Bears 33-1 (Chopra 17, Porterfield 10)
    Porterfield building up a head of steam once again, powering one over point and then using his hands to get the ball behind square for four more. These two have a good understanding when it comes to running so anything dropped short is a simple single, within reason.
    8/23/2014 6:01:21 PM
    Over 5 - Bears 50-1 (Chopra 25, Porterfield 17)
    Everyone else has had a go today so Flintoff slips in the full toss, which Chopra smashes behind square for six. It's a no-ball on height as well, but at least there's no free hit. Decent recovery from the former England talisman, though, until Porterfield goes big for six more through the off-side.
    8/23/2014 6:06:03 PM

    Flintoff is mobbed by Horton after dismissing Bell

    8/23/2014 6:06:37 PM
    Over 6 - Bears 63-1 (Chopra 30, Porterfield 24)
    Porterfield is in inspired form today. Anderson drops short third ball and is promptly despatched down to the third man rope - the ball expertly guided with an open face. Chopra eases himself back into the action with a sweetly-timed drive through the covers for four. That's the powerplay done. Anderson's figures look a little ugly - two overs for 26.
    8/23/2014 6:10:52 PM
    Over 18 - Bears 154-4 (Evans 38, Woakes 12)
    Evans is on the charge! Anderson is on the wrong end as Evans whacks a low full toss through the covers for four, then shows his brute strength by heaving the ball over long on. Clark, running back at backward point, can't quite get a hand to a sliced chance next ball. Anderson limits the damage of his final three deliveries but he's now bowled three overs for 41.
    8/23/2014 6:53:44 PM

    Evans - cutting loose and climbing into Anderson

    8/23/2014 6:54:12 PM

    Evans c Prince b Smith 53 [wicket]

    A cracking cameo comes to an end as Evans fails to fully get hold of a full delivery, Ashwell pouching in the deep with the help of a slide
    8/23/2014 6:58:30 PM
    Over 19 - Bears 170-5 (Woakes 13, Javid 1)
    That Evans innings has cranked this Edgbaston crowd into life - and it was needed because it is parky out there. For the record, Evans reached his fifty off 28 balls, pummelling Smith high and handsome over long on for a maximum. The fifty stand came up in equally brutal fashion, Evans smashing Smith over extra cover for six, holding his follow through for almost as long as it takes to throw the ball back.
    8/23/2014 7:00:13 PM
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