Falcons defeated by Birmingham Bears

Birmingham Bears claimed a second win in three days to keep their place among the North Group contenders with a seven-wicket Vitality Blast victory over Derbyshire Falcons at the Incora County Ground.

On a worn pitch that gave runs only reluctantly, the visitors restricted Derbyshire to 133 for seven, left-arm spinner Danny Briggs taking two for 23, David Lloyd scoring 50 and Brooke Guest an unbeaten 38. Richard Gleeson took two wickets in the powerplay, but it was mostly the Bears’ pipes responsible for tying up the Falcons.

The Derbyshire spinners threatened to do a similar job but Dan Mousley (66 not out) and Sam Hain (43) showed considerable patience and eventually reaped the rewards, their 93-run partnership in 13.3 overs effectively winning the match, Mousley ending it with his. seventh four with seven balls to spare.

Opting to bat first, Derbyshire suffered a setback when the in-form Aneurin Donald fell for just two, but looked to be heading for a satisfactory start until Richard Gleeson removed Cam Fletcher and Wayne Madsen in the space of three balls in the last over power play to give the Bears an early lead.

A boundary from Brooke Guest and Lloyd off Jacob Lintott’s opener suggested an acceleration but the Falcons’ progress was unspectacular at 65 for three for 10. Lloyd drove a blistering direct six from Lintott and repeated the strike against Briggs to complete a ball of 36 balls. half a century, but he was then caught with the aim of clearing the border of the midwife.

Samit Patel died cheaply, decked behind when he skied one from Briggs as the competition’s all-time leader on 229 dismissed his nearest rival. At 103 for five from 16, Derbyshire had been duly strangled by the Bears’ spinners. Mousley’s off-spin was wicketless but he conceded just 16 in his allotment.

Ross Whiteley picked up Chris Woakes in the park on the leg-edge, but once the ball was found, Woakes promptly dropped him with a full delivery on the inside edge. The surface cost 13 runs, but it was one of three over the course of the innings to produce double figures, and after Zak Chappell was dismissed in the last over, 133 looked too short.

Daryn Dupavillon, the South African quick, edged one to Rob Yates with the fourth delivery. Mousley picked up three quick boundaries but Alex Davies, uppercutting Dupavillon for four and lifting Pat Brown for an audacious six down the leg side, was caught at midwicket as Brown demanded instant revenge. Mousley swept Madsen for six and the Bears were 50 for two for six.

Patel and fellow spinner Mitch Wagstaff applied the brakes, conceding just 29 in six overs bowling in tandem, but with 55 needed after 12 overs and eight wickets in hand, the Bears were still favourites, all the more long after Mousley and Hain had plundered 21 from the game. the next two before Mousley swept Patel to go for his fifty off 42 balls.

The requirement was reduced to six off 17 balls by the time Brown bowled Hain after a 42-ball innings that contained just one boundary. Mousley stumped Chappell for his seventh four to complete the win.

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