CB40 Final - Hants vs Warwickshire

Not too confident about our chances tomorrow, with no Dimi or Briggs we look lightweight in the bowling. Although we do have McKenzie and Katich returning. Alongside Carberry, Adams, Vince, Ervine + Dawson we look strong but we are coming up against Div 1 champions + players like Woakes, Bell, Clarke + Chopra and Warwickshire have to be seen as favorites.

Looking forward to the game and just hope we put in a good performance!

What are your thoughts on the game? Players to watch?

Jimbo - agree Hants bowling looks a bit light and Warks would be seen as the favourites. But I just have a feeling that Hants will win - mainly because they are in a groove in that competition.

Just back from Lords, what a game! Will write up a match report tomorrow. So proud of my team

Jimbo - sounds like a fantastic finish. Look forward to your report.

A fantastic final to end a poor competition in my opinion.

Hampshire have turned themselves into a very good one-day unit, though I would still perhaps argue that taking home both trophies flatters them a tad!

Also, the wickets lost rule is not really fair. The team batting second will usually lose more wickets in a chase because of having to up the rate.

There must be better tiebreakers available - if we don't want to go down the Super Over route in one-day matches then maybe number of runs scored in powerplay overs?

Shelsey93 wrote:A fantastic final to end a poor competition in my opinion.

Poor as in: standard of play this year no good; or don't like 40 over cricket; or don't like particular format, eg how the group stages work?

I do have preference for 40 over competition compared to 50, because it largely eliminates the "dead" overs in the middle. But going against the tide given that the ODIs are 50

I missed it, travelling back from a holliday...

Sounds like a great game - look forward to the match report. Why didn't Warwickshire attempt even a suicidal bye on the last ball?

I quite like the 40 over format for entertainment (for essentially the reason the corporal has given), although I find it tactically much less interesting than both T20 (for pace) and 50 overs (how do you play the middle overs? with the 2 new balls how do you play the PP?). What it has done is put spin at the forefront again, with many teams opting to open up with slow bowlers. I do however think it is tremendously unhelpful having a different format (and different rules - e.g. the powerplay) in the domestic league to that played at international level.

This year's tournament hasn't been helped by too much rain (and reduced fixtures), and the sheer quality of cricket played on the international stage, but I haven't found the standard bad at all.

Warwickshire must be kicking themselves you have to think, 7 needed off the last over should be reasonably straightforward. Somehow though Woakes (who was playing the seemingly matchwinning cameo) only faced one ball in that over, pretty poor stuff you have to say.

Congrats to Hampshire though

Mike Selig wrote:I missed it, travelling back from a holliday...

Sounds like a great game - look forward to the match report. Why didn't Warwickshire attempt even a suicidal bye on the last ball?

I quite like the 40 over format for entertainment (for essentially the reason the corporal has given), although I find it tactically much less interesting than both T20 (for pace) and 50 overs (how do you play the middle overs? with the 2 new balls how do you play the PP?). What it has done is put spin at the forefront again, with many teams opting to open up with slow bowlers. I do however think it is tremendously unhelpful having a different format (and different rules - e.g. the powerplay) in the domestic league to that played at international level.

This year's tournament hasn't been helped by too much rain (and reduced fixtures), and the sheer quality of cricket played on the international stage, but I haven't found the standard bad at all.

Matthew Bates was standing up to the stumps so just demolished the stumps

Was very impressed by his keeping yesterday actually

Corporalhumblebucket wrote:

Poor as in: standard of play this year no good; or don't like 40 over cricket; or don't like particular format, eg how the group stages work?

I do have preference for 40 over competition compared to 50, because it largely eliminates the "dead" overs in the middle. But going against the tide given that the ODIs are 50

A bit of everything.

Standard of play - I find that counties take a 'suck it and see' attitude to this competition. In the early stages they field their strongest sides, but you never feel they are quite going for the trophy as they do in the Championship and the T20. There have been a lot of dull games, partly as a result of the format.

Format - Its too hard to get out of the group stage. We need a competition with Quarter-Finals (preferably 4 groups of 5 as in the 2009 FP Trophy to slightly reduce number of games and increase competition). This leads to teams quickly going to weakened teams.

40 v 50 debate - I'm slightly on the fence. I prefer the 50 over game (more scope for tactics, more of a proper battle between bat and ball (particularly with two new balls)) but can understand why county fans and clubs would want 40 (20 overs less playing time = an hour and a half's more rest on days between Championship games, allows games to start in the after-work slot when floodlit and in the more sociable lunchtime slot on a Sunday).

I do, however, think that the final would have been better supported if it was 50 overs - people like a full day's entertainment when they pay £40, and it would feel more like an international.

I also think that 40 and 50 are very different - 40 allows you to effectively play the game as an elongated T20, as Surrey did to good effect last season. Go hard up front, reassess if you lose wickets or keep going if you don't. In 50 that's just too risky a strategy.

With the recent developments to ODIs players need to perform roles in ODIs that are perhaps different to the roles they play domestically. For example, Luke Wright is one of the best top three batsmen in the country in CB40 but should never be considered an opener in ODIs. The first time a player plays against two new white balls is likely to be in an international game.

Well what a win for Hampshire. It was my first visit to Lords and it was a great day out. I entered the ground with not much hope of winning, for a couple of reasons, we had no Dimi or Danny Briggs and secondly we were coming up against the Division One champions. Although our batting line up looked strong, i still feel Warwickshire were coming into this game as favorites.

We got in the ground, took our seats, surrounded by Hampshire fans,there was a great atmosphere and some friendly banter with the Warwickshire lads, who sat in the next block along from us. After losing the toss, i had even less faith of us winning and doing the 'one day double'. But we started well, Carberry looked in the mood and played some super shots to get us off to a fast start. Opening with Carbs was james Vince who has been so impressive this season in the shorter format of the game. He played a typical innings with boundary's flowing in the first 6 overs. Vince played a couple of his classy shots, but then got out stupidly being caught on the boundary ropes by Patel.

In came Captain Jimmy Adams who is a very under-rated batsmen, he played some lovely strokes whilst Carberry the other end was still smashing the ball all round the ground. Carberry then fell for 35, leaving Hants 70-2. His wicket brought McKenzie to the crease, playing his last game for Hampshire and he looked a little out of touch. The run-rate slowed as Warwickshire brought on their 2 spinners J.Patel and Blackwell. It was Blackwell who picked up the McKenzie wicket when he cleaned bowled him, score now 127-2 with Jimmy Adams looking in good touch at the other end. The feeling amongst Hampshire fans was that the game had slanted in Warwickshire's favor.

The next batsmen in was Mr Consistent, Sean Ervine, who has been a magnificent servant to the club. Put into to bat ahead of Katich was an interesting choice, but one that worked for Hampshire. He kept the run rate going and often rotated the strike. Adams at the other end was playing a captains performance and leading from the front, with a 4, bringing up his 50 in style. Jimmy eventually fell for 66 after being bowled by Chris Woakes. A top innings by Adams, but his wicket brought Katich to the crease. The Aussie looked up for it, he was in the mood and scoring boundary's at will. Him and Ervine were playing some lovely shots and took advantage of some 'interesting' bowling from Neil Carter. Hampshire finally ending up with 244-5, which seemed like a good score batting first in a final.

With no Briggs or Dimi, young all rounder Liam Dawson opened the bowling for Hampshire, although Warwickshire got off to a quick start, similar to the Hampshire innings. In no time at all, the Bears had reached 53-0 and were well on the front foot. Hampshire turned to young bowler Chris Wood, who has been a key player in the shorter format this season. With Bates up to the stumps, Chopra failed to get Wood away, and lost his wicket when he chipped a 'cutter' to Jimmy Adams who took a brilliant catch diving forward. This brought England man Ian Bell to the crease, which caused worried Hampshire fans to look a little worried as he hit 2 consecutive fours. The game firmly in the balance and the game could not of been closer.

With Warwickshire going well and just below the run-rate Adams brought Dawson back onto bowl and his plan worked as Maddy went for the big shot only to pick out Chris Wood on the boundary. 89-2, 4 hours gone and no-one could pick a winner at this stage. With no Briggs, Hampshire turned to part time bowler Simon Katich, the experiment didnt work, 2 overs for 20 runs and that would be the end of that! 137-2 and starting to look more dominant, Wood, who bowled superbly all day, picked up the key wicket of Ambrose who was looking in good touch. This was one of the highlights of my day as Michael Bates, just 20 years old, took an outstanding catch standing up to the stumps. In the next over Hants picked up another wicket with Ervine bowling to Toughton who chipped it straight to Jimmy Adams, who took another superb catch. A good partnership developed between Rikki Clarke and Ian Bell that put Warwickshire just ahead of the rate at this stage., 193-4. But then Chris Wood came up with the goods again, clean bowling Clarke who attempted a big shot.

Although wickets were falling, one man remained who was key to the game, Ian Bell. The Clarke wicket brought young all rounder Chris Woakes to the crease, who has an outstanding year, especially with the bat! Alot of nervous fans in the stands, but what a game of cricket! But then, a moment of madness from Bell, who slogged Griffiths for 2 consecutive fours went for another big shot which went straight to Michael Carberry, the last man you want to hit it too! Bell gone, the Hampshire faithful starting to believe again! Woakes had other ideas though hitting 4 fours and looking like a man on a mission, the game swinging back into Warwickshires favor. Around the ground Warwickshire fans were singing, Hampshire feeling less and less confident. Down to the last over with the Bears needing 7, Kabir Ali was given the duty of bowling. First ball went for a single, as did the second, which got Woakes off strike, Ali to Blackwell... BOWLED HIM, Blackwell departs for 2 runs. 5 runs needed off 3 ball balls. Neil Carter comes to the crease and hits his first ball for 4 runs! To send the Bears fans crazy, game over? Ali has other ideas. A dot ball off the 5th ball of the over, leaving Warwickshire needing 1run off 1 ball. Adams brings the field up, young Michael Bates up to the stumps, Ali bowls, Carter swings and MISSES, Bates takes a fantastic catch and thats it GAME OVER, HANTS FANS GO WILD as do many of the players, Dawson, Bates and Wood taking the stumps out of the ground. WHAT A WIN, BUT ALSO WHAT A GAME OF CRICKET.

I really enjoyed my day out and im so proud of our team for winning 2 trophies this season. The youngsters have really stepped up. Dawson, Briggs, Bates, Wood + Vince, superb.

Nice report, Jimbo.

As a Warks fan myself I was of course devastated (and believe it was a slightly anti-climactic conclusion to an excellent game of cricket - time to introduce a super over to domestic limited overs competitions?).

Hants though deserve great credit. Wood was incredibly impressive with the ball, and Kabir bowled some decent spheres, too. Ervine's over of yorkers at the death was excellent.

Still, the Bears should have won that, as Carter really did miss out on what was in essence a full bunger. Close, but no cigar as Mr Bond might say. Nevertheless, a great season for the Bears and a great season for Hants. Congratulations to both on their respective pieces of silverware and thanks to both for providing an excellent spectacle at the home of cricket when the competition really needed it.

Glad you enjoyed it.

Thanks Fists, it really was a great game of cricket.

I honestly think Wood could play for England one day, really impressive season, getting better and better.

The thing that impressed me most, aside from his obvious control of line and length, Jimbo, was his temperament.

The pressure really was on to deliver in those final overs. He had already picked up a couple and bowled a tidy spell, but in the heat of the moment a 22 year old could quite easily have crumbled, turning those yorkers into full tosses, those bouncers in to long hops. Wood however did none of the above and was absolutely spot on with the majority of his deliveries. A tremendous performance.

Totally agree Fists

Good report Jimbo. (As a Hammers supporter you have to savour any victories you can get... )

Cheers Corp, and yes its strange one of the teams i support actually winning, strange feeling

Jimbo - sorry for the late response but many thanks for your fine report and congratulations. Glad you had a great day.

Fists - unlucky but you won the big one.

Thanks Guildford

Yep, I'd have taken it if you'd offered me that at the start of the season