MATCH REPORT: Wells in on Lancs win by eight points against Birmingham Bears

MATCH REPORT: Wells in on Lancs win by eight points against Birmingham Bears

Luke Wells equaled his career-best T20 score and took two key wickets as Lancashire made it three wins from four games to stay top of the Vitality Blast North Group after an eight-run win against Birmingham Bears.

The Lightning, who averaged 170 when batting first at Emirates Old Trafford in T20s, posted a just-over-par 176 for eight, led by Wells’ stirring 66 at the top of the order.

The Bears stayed in contention for much of an exciting contest before succumbing to 168 for six to some excellent bowling and fielding by the Lightning, who are now unbeaten in 23 home group matches this season competition.

Lancashire made early inroads into the visitors’ top order as Birmingham set out in pursuit of their target of 177, Alex Davies out for 16 after cutting Josh Bohannon’s Mitch Stanley at third man, followed by Rob Yates, who departed for 7 on a sensational catch in the deep. the midwife in the following past by Jack Blatherwick on Luke Wood. Wells (two for 25) then bowled Chris Benjamin for 15 off the fourth delivery to leave the Bears 56 for three in the seventh over.

And Lancashire, a bowler down after Stanley went off with injury, piled the pressure on their opponents, picking up the pace of the ball after the powerplay ended, with Birmingham managing just one four in the next six overs.

Dan Mousley cleared his arm as the pace returned but pulled the first ball of Saqib Mahmood’s second over the neck of Wells at fine leg for 11 with the Bears 76 for four at the start of the 11th over.^th over requiring 101 from 59 balls.

This left the main responsibility on Sam Hain who held the innings together superbly leading to his half-century off 36 balls and well supported by Jacob Bethell.

The pair took 15 out of 14^th from Mahmood and 13 from Wood from the next to keep the Bears in the hunt. Bethell hit Blatherwick for six to reduce the equation to 44 runs needed from four overs.

But Wells’ great night continued when Bethell edged a cut attempt behind wicketkeeper Matty Hurst after making 33 off 22 balls in a partnership of 62 off 40 balls, followed by Hain leading the Wood to Wells – who else – at mid-off to end his fine run. innings at 59 leaving the visitors chasing 30 runs from 11 balls.

Wood and Mahmood ensured that task beyond George Garton (8 not out) and Hassan Ali (17 not out) with two late sixes by the latter making the margin of victory look closer than it really was.

Earlier in the evening, Wells matched his career best in T20s with a scintillating 66 off 32 balls at the top of the order as Lightning posted 176 for eight after being put into bat.

Josh Bohannon hit Garton for six and four early in the innings but was bowled for 18 the next ball, trying to lift him on the left-arm pacer.

Wells took the score in sensational style in the explosive fourth over which saw 27 runs taken off the first over from Hassan Ali after Wells hit the first three balls for six and the fourth for four.

Mousley had a similar experience, conceding 22 runs in the next over, his first, while Wells continued the onslaught by hitting two more sixes, the second bringing up a 22-ball fifty for the tall left-hander, two shy of a equals Jos Buttler’s fastest T20 fifty. for Lightning.

Keaton Jennings was content to play a supporting role in making 18 of his second partnership of 80 in 35 balls before being run out after going down the wicket to left-arm spinner Jake Lintott.

And after hitting 5 sixes and 5 fours, Wells departed for 66 when he was caught by Davies off Lintott in the 11th over^th over and Tom Bruce was caught at long-on for 11 off, Danny Briggs in the next with Lightning 117 for four as the Bears rallied successfully.

The spin of Lintott (two for 29 off four overs) and Briggs (one for 24 off 4) significantly slowed the Lightning’s progress in a five-over boundaryless spell that ended in the 16th over.^th by Chris Green, cutting Briggs to the back fence.

Matty Hurst was out for 7 trying to sneak a quick run of two but was beaten by the direct delivery of Garton but Green (17) and Steven Croft (26) who hit Lintott for six in the 18th over.^th over, he pressed the accelerator in the closing with a partnership of 40 to help Lightning reach a total of 176 for eight.

This proved to be enough to keep the Lightning top of the table.

“We’re very pleased with the win,” said Luke Wells.

“Birmingham Bears are a top team so it was really important to get a win and continue our unbeaten run here.

“It gives us a lot of faith also because it was not an easy victory.

“I felt it was a 200-run pitch. He didn’t spin that much and they played him pretty well. They managed to limit us pretty well, even though we started well.

“The fact that we were able to defend that total and they had wickets in hand towards the end, I thought it was a very good performance from our bowlers.

“We got their boundaries off and were going for eight runs or less per over, which meant the required rate was getting higher and higher and all of a sudden they need fourteen an over and we’re getting a few wickets (as a result ) and we win. .

“It was a very good win because we were tested.”

“I’m still pinching myself to be playing a role in T20 cricket, having played so little before coming here,” he added.

“This year we performed better in the white ball game. My red ball is a little upside down.

“I’m really excited to contribute to the wins and I’m still determined to contribute, regardless of the format.

“Four-day cricket can be brutal when it doesn’t go well, so to have the opportunity to get out with less consequence if you get out and more freedom and – for me – knowing that I have two attributes in this format and I can change a game either with the bat or the ball helped to reduce the pressure.

“I’m really enjoying it and I hope I can continue to help win games for the club.”

Ken Grime
Photos: Luke Adams, Dan Adams