Isabelle Westbury's report
Well...seeing as Sky are discussing boxing, this would be a good time for me to say goodbye.
Great scenes on the pitch for Worcestershire. They don’t always have the best team, so it was a stunning effort from the youngest team around.
Moeen as skipper will rightly get praised for his efforts with the bat, ball and with his decision. Great stuff for a great bloke.
Ben Cox and Pat Brown were the other heroes, one hitting the runs and the other keeping them down to ensure the Rapids earned the trophy.
Thanks for going me.
Moeen is giving a team talk in the huddle. One assumes he’s saying how great everyone is, which is nice. Lots of hugging going one between people with accreditation. It brings a tear to the eye.
Ed Barnard is the next up to be dragged away from the celebrations. He points out that no one expected them to win today, which is more than fair analysis.
Ben Cox is loving it as he speaks to Nick Knight. He also loves Pat Brown as much as everyone does after today, praising him for his bowling. He doesn’t know his age, but that’s fine.
The players go and celebrate with their fans who are absolutely loving this. The signing is infectious and the toplessness unnecessary but who cares?
Ben Cox hit 46 from 22 deliveries to take his team to victory. The Rapids looked in trouble after Moeen was caught by Salt but once again, like in the semi, Cox stepped up to the plate to smash Worcestershire to victory. They had plenty to spare, too.
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Worcestershire win!
18.3 overs: Worcestershire 158-5 (Cox 46, Barnard 1)
Archer bowls a beamer which goes for four. It’s a no-ball and a free-hit. That was incredible from Archer, utter madness, really.
Cox makes the most of it by smashing the next one for six and then another for four to win the game for them.
A great day for Cox!
Worcestershire win!
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18th Over: Worcestershire 141-5 (Cox 36, Barnard 0)
Cox misses a reverse sweep off Jordan, but gets down on one knee next time around to paddle a full toss for four. Atherton thinks he’s the best wicketkeeper batsman in the country and he’s certainly showing why he’s so highly regarded. Although, he then almost drags onto his stumps but it just bounces over.
Cox really wants the strike, so runs through when Barnard misses one and it goes straight to the keeper. All runs need to be taken now. He is right to get himself on strike as he then thwacks a full shot straight down the ground for a huge six. Tasty.
The next ball is clubbed over cover who gets his hand to it but can’t keep hold of it and Cox picks up two more.
17 needed from 12 balls. Get Ciox on strike!
17th Over: Worcestershire 127-5 (Cox 23, Barnard 0)
Archer has been an incredible T20 bowler around the world in recent times, so it’s the right move to go back to him here. He shows why first up with a darting yorker which Whiteley digs out for a single.
But what a shot from Cox, who gets down one knee and reverse the ball fine beyond third man for a boundary. Cunning. The next one is smashed over mid-off for another four. This is getting tasty.
A huge full toss to Whiteley is smashed up in the air to Jordan who comes in from long-on. The umpires check whether it was over waist height but it is deemed a fair delivery and Whiteley has to walk off, having scored 14.
On the upside, Cox digs out the last ball to get the strike back.
31 needed from 18 balls!
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16th Over: Worcestershire 115-4 (Cox 13, Whiteley 13)
CRASH BANG WALLOP WHAT A SHOT! Whiteley hits a one-bounce four to start the over to put some pressure back on Mills, who ignores the pressure and follows it up with a slow bouncer which goes nowhere and the next one trickles past the bat and to the keeper.
42 runs needed from 24 balls.
15th Over: Worcestershire 109-4 (Cox 12, Whiteley 8)
Bumble is singing and Burglar Bill is being chased around the stands. Will the zany antics ever end?
Jordan is back into the attack, will the batsmen like having more pace on the ball? He starts with some cutters, though, so it might not be all that quick after all. Although the third ball is a superb yorker, as the Rapids notch up singles.
Just five from the over.
14th Over: Worcestershire 104-4 (Cox 10, Whiteley 6)
Whiteley just seems to be knocking a few singles around as he bides his time waiting for the big shot here. Can he restrain himself much longer? Nope, the fourth ball of the over goes for four to the midwicket boundary as Beer drops short.
54 needed from six overs!
13th Over: Worcestershire 96-4 (Cox 8, Whiteley 0)
Cox finely reverse sweeps Briggs for four, aided by a useless bit of fielding fielding, as Wiese misses the ball, allowing it to trickle to the rope.
Kevin asks: “Had many emails suggesting Pat Brown be called up for England’s T20 side (or is in line for a lucrative IPL deal)? The kid has serious, serious talent.”
I haven’t but he’s got to be on their radar.
12th Over: Worcestershire 91-4 (Cox 3, Whiteley 0)
An over of settling things down here at Edgbaston but Moeen could not turn down the gift of a half-tracker from Beer, which is sent down for four to fine leg.
That’s all out of the window! Moeen smashes one down to long-off where Salt runs in to dive and take a stunning catch to get rid of the Worcestershire skipper.
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11th Over: Worcestershire 82-3 (Cox 1, Moeen 34)
A very, very tight stumping call goes the way of Briggs and Burgess as D’Oliveira is tempted out of his ground and can’t get his foot back in time. Some great keeping there from Burgess to get rid of D’Oliveira for 10.
Speaking of keepers in form, here comes Cox whose runs against Lancashire were vital. Although, he might just help get Moeen on strike for now.
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10th Over: Worcestershire 80-2 (D’Oliveira 10, Moeen 33)
D’Oliveira rocks back to one a little short from Beer and then smashes it between two fielders on the legside boundary to pick up four runs.
Not to be outdone, Moeen slaps a flat one between cover and mid-off. It was a stunning cricket shot.
Worcestershire need 78 to win.
9th Over: Worcestershire 80-2 (D’Oliveira 4, Moeen 28)
Moeen is still trying to be positive despite the loss of two partners in quick succession. He is looking to attack the spinners when he can to keep the momentum up but it has not got him anywhere in this over as Briggs is his match, costing just three runs.
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8th Over: Worcestershire 66-2 (D’Oliveira 2, Moeen 27)
It’s double spin and the wickets have started tumble. Fell, who doesn’t look made for T20, smashes Beer straight to short extra cover, having scored just one.
D’Oliveira, who was run out without facing in the semi, is now in and will be looking to keep Moeen company.
Well done, Pat
Most T20 wickets in an English season:
— Vitality Blast (@VitalityBlast) September 15, 2018
33 – Alfonso Thomas (2010)
31 – Danny Briggs (2010)
31 – PAT BROWN (2018)
29 – Kieron Pollard (2010)
Congrats to @Patbrowny6 who finishes #Blast18 as the leading wicket-taker pic.twitter.com/7FrBOm0mFN
7th Over: Worcestershire 62-1 (Fell 1, Moeen 19)
Time for spin as the expert backward point Briggs comes on to slow things down.
Moeen has played against some of the world’s best spinners and held his own, so when Briggs drags one down then the opener is more than happy to smash the ball well over deep midwicket and into the stand.
Briggs gets the first wicket by tempting Clarke into the drive, who nicks it to Burgess for 33.
6th Over: Worcestershire 53-0 (Clarke 32, Moeen 19)
End of the powerplay.
Wiese gets the privilege of bowling the sixth. He isn’t the quickest, especially after what has gone before him. He keeps it tight until he slides one towards leg stump, which Clarke clips for four.
It did not feel relentless but that is a great powerplay from the Rapids.
5th Over: Worcestershire 44-0 (Clarke 23, Moeen 19)
Kiss cam is on and no one wants to get involved and quite rightly so. We’re British, we don’t show affection in public!
Moeen can read Jordan and has not problem picking up the slower ball and punishing the lack of pace by sending the delivery to cow corner for four. Some lovely footwork two balls later sees Moeen take a step down and launch it to long-off for another boundary. Lovely.
The result is the same on the final ball as Moeen clubs a four to midwicket. Oooof. He’s on it!
4th Over: Worcestershire 32-0 (Clarke 23, Moeen 7)
Clarke is not bothered by the speed being thrown his way and looks superb on the back foot as he crunches Mills down to the midwicket boundary with a pull. Mills almost gets his own back the next ball as it slowly trickles past the bat and off stump for a dot. The bowler tried the same next ball but Clarke edged it down to the third man boundary.
The final ball is almost bottom edged onto his own stumps by Clarke but he gets lucky as it just misses the three sticks.
3rd Over: Worcestershire 22-0 (Clarke 13, Moeen 7)
Briggs at backward point has saved eight runs at backward point so far. Clarke has caned two in his direction but the spinner has stood his ground to make sturdy stops.
Mooen looks to get the party started by clubbing a short one over mid-on for four. A couple of bounces at it’s over the rope. Here we go...
Cans!
@Will_Unwin it's fun here, but a shame 60% of the crowd aren't watching the match
— Chris evans (@captbnut) September 15, 2018
2nd Over: Worcestershire 15-0 (Clarke 11, Moeen 2)
A final after getting a subpar score is not a place for misfields but Evans commits the sin when Clarke pummels the ball straight at him at cover from a Mills delivery, allowing an extra run.
The next ball is punished as the left-armer drags it down, permitting Clarke to clip it for four to fine leg. Mills’ radar is off and he fires the fourth ball way down leg for a wide, which the keeper fumbles, allowing a bye.
Very much a steady start here for Worcestershire.
1st Over: Worcestershire 5-0 (Clarke 4, Moeen 1)
Archer is the man who leads the Sussex attack in this chase. The score means the Rapids can have a quick look at conditions and what is being thrown down at them.
A quiet start to the inning as five runs are taken from it.
Atherton rightly brings up the need for an away kit, which would seem logical. Although Lancashire have that horrible green kit for the Royal London and I think that should be banned.
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Silly Salt
Have you ever seen a run out like this?! 😱
— Vitality Blast (@VitalityBlast) September 15, 2018
Follow the #Blast18 final: https://t.co/mRUfDzknzd pic.twitter.com/t3eYmxgedO
How much will Sussex be left to rue Salt’s stupid early runout? Things were going well for the Sharks at that point but never managed to kick-on after that.
Evans did well but par is about 20 runs more than Sussex got. Worcestershire bowled well and Sussex will need to do the same if they are to put pressure on the Rapids.
20th Over: Sussex 157-6 (Burgess 14, Archer 7)
The Sussex innings is done and dusted.
Some will say the score is below par but Sussex will be backing themselves thanks to possessing the most potent bowling lineup in domestic cricket.
Archer could not get it away, summed up by Parnell hitting his fellow faster bowler on the shoulder, as Archer took his eye off the ball. He sends sends the final ball of the innings down to Barnard at deep midwicket where Barnard happily snaffles it.
19th Over: Sussex 152-5 (Burgess 13, Archer 4)
Pat Brown is mustard and therefore should be nicknamed Pat Mustard, although his third ball slides down the legside, a rare poor delivery. He makes up for it with a bouncer that Burgess tries to swot away with zero success.
Brown’s four overs went for 15. Incredible stuff from the seamer.
18th Over: Sussex 147-5 (Burgess 10, Archer 2)
Evans’ demise comes via a failed reverse scoop, naturally. Barnard sends down a full toss which the batsman thinks he can steer over backward point but he misses it completely and the bails light up. There was some concern it was over waist height but the third umpire says no and Evans has to sulk off after a fine 52.
A really similar ball is smashed away by Burgess which D’Oliveira takes well on the boundary but steps back onto the rope, resulting in a six. A shame for Dolly there, he did well but just no well enough.
Worcestershire are really showing what can be done by being disciplined in the field, they have definitely saved plenty of runs thanks to the efforts of their fielders.
Two overs to go!
17th Over: Sussex 137-4 (Evans 52, Burgess 3)
Pat Brown is back and he just ruddy loves frustrating batsmen. In his run up he swaps his grip over and goes for a knuckle ball a lot of the time. No one can pick him yet. Evans bottom edged a four from Brown early on but that was lucky and that luck seems to be the only way someone might be able to get him away.
Brown has so far gone for 10 from his three overs.
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16th Over: Sussex 133-4 (Evans 50, Burgess 1)
The Somerset lads are in the crowd dressed as monks and they’re having a great time. The same cannot be said of Wiese who chops a Moeen ball onto his stumps to cut his innings short. I said Moeen would be key beforehand and he really is turning it on here with the ball. He completes his four overs at a cost of 30 runs but picking up three wickets in the process.
The final ball of the over is nudges for a single, which takes Evans to a deserved 50.
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Summary
15th Over: Sussex 131-3 (Evans 49, Wiese 6)
Evans is really striking it well, which bodes well for the final five overs.
Wiese gets his first boundary by pulling Wood well behind square, aided by a short ball from the left-armer.
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14th Over: Sussex 121-2 (Evans 34, Wiese 0)
Moeen looks like he will be the target of Evans’ long handle, first smashing him to around cow corner then sweeping him for another two. The spinner is flighting it, which means Evans fancies his chances. Some cracking wrist work allows him to fire another for four over cover.
Rawlins cannot follow in his partner’s footsteps and instead loops one to Brown down a long-off who comes in a few yards and snaffles the catch to ensure the left-hander’s innings ends with 21 runs scored.
13th Over: Sussex 110-2 (Evans 34, Rawlins 21)
Back into the attack comes Wood, whose first delivery is smashed straight at Evans’ knackers but his reactions are working well and he manages to star jump out of the way.
The highlight of the over is Wood chucking in a bouncer which Rawlins was not ready for and completely misses it. He follows it up with a yorker, which really bamboozles him. It gets worse for Rawlins as he loses his shape complete and only succeeds in smashing the ball into his own foot.
The banter in the Sky commentary caravan is flowing as everyone points out Nasser is miserable and Darren Sammy is lovely. The West Indian is having a cracking time with the lads, although I’m not sure he will become a regular.
12th Over: Sussex 104-2 (Evans 33, Rawlins 19)
Mitchell is on to use his cunning in order to keep things calm in the middle. He is the most experienced man in the Worcestershire side, so is a good man to have on. Sadly he cannot stop Evans pull one behind square for a four. The next ball brings up the ton for Sussex.
Evans is now the leading runscorer in the competition this season, which is an impressive feat from the powerful right-hander.
Less impressive are the two wides form Mitchell. He needs to be more disciplined here with his dibbly-dobblies.
11th Over: Sussex 93-2 (Evans 28, Rawlins 15)
D’Oliveira continues the theme of taking pace off the ball with his leggies. To celebrate him coming on, the crowd is singing ‘Sweet Caroline’, which gave him little comfort as Rawlins steps down the track to swing through the line and send the ball for six. The next delivery is whipped to midwicket where the fielder he can only palm the shot over the boundary.
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10th Over: Sussex 78-2 (Evans 27, Rawlins 1)
Wright is out for 33! He wandered down the track to a flighted one from Moeen but it goes straight through his attempt to smash it out of the ground and lights up the bails.
A misfield down on the boundary from Mitchell saw the experience allrounder slide and palm a cut into the ropes but that was Wright’s last runs.He will be upset with himself there.
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9th Over: Sussex 71-1 (Evans 26, Wright 28)
Wright has not been looking to smash everything out the park, as he did in the semi and is instead building his innings. A couple of clean strikes down the ground pick up two boundaries to show that his eye is certainly there when he needs it. Just to prove it, he steps down and crashes a high six over long-off. Yowzer. Is he about to kick on?
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8th Over: Sussex 56-1 (Evans 25, Wright 13)
Moeen has brought himself into the attack. It’s pace off the ball and Sussex are being forced to put it back on, which Evans is happy to do as he dances down the track and launches the delivery into the crowd at midwicket.
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7th Over: Sussex 46-1 (Evans 18, Wright 11)
The powerplay is over, allowing Barnard to come on and get Cox up to the stumps. Worcestershire playing a good tactical game here as the medium pacer is keeping it tight.
Sussex really need to get on top of one of the bowlers here, not that Brown will be back until closer to the end, but the pressure is growing on the Sharks.
Evans tries to scoop the final ball over the keeper’s head, forcing him into evasive action, which results in Cox kicking the stumps down. Just three from that over, too.
6th Over: Sussex 43-1 (Evans 16, Wright 10)
Wright does not seem to be able to pick what Brown is throwing down. I am losing a bet with myself every ball as the bowler just seems to have something different every time he runs up. These batsmen will need some counselling after this.
One from the over. What a great bit of bowling from Brown.
5th Over: Sussex 42-1 (Evans 15, Wright 10)
The music is blaring at Edgbaston and the conga lines are running through the stands, probably as the first four overs were pretty dull by the day’s standards.
To ensure the eyes are back on the wicket, Evans smashes one short of a length into the stands for six. Wright joys the party by sending the fourth delivery back where it came from and into the advertising hoardings for a maximum. More of this, please.
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4th Over: Sussex 27-1 (Evans 7, Wright 3)
Evans did not really settle in the semi and once again does not seem to be playing himself in competently. To try and get Wright on strike drops one into the off and thinks about a quick single before sending his partner back but he does not react quickly enough and if the throw was accurate then the semi-final hero would have been out.
After four balls, Wright finally gets down to the right end but he is unable to do much and a single is all he can muster, with three being taking off the Wood over.
3rd Over: Sussex 24-1 (Evans 5, Wright 2)
Salt is sat in the dugout with his head in his hands, knowing he’s be idiotic. He really is upset. Now he has to watch on as others have to build the Sussex total.
Brown bowls three dots before Evans bottom edges a pull for four, which was unlucky for the bowler. He looks a cut above does the seamer, he just needs to show he can do this in the long term.
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2nd Over: Sussex 19-1 (Salt 17, Wright 1)
Left-arm seamers as far as the eye can see, with Parnell opening at the other end. The experienced South Africa is not as quick as he used to be but he is keeping it tight. Wright strikes the first two balls to backward-point, before Salt clears the boundary by rocking back and send it beyond long-off by some distance. Sadly the ball was put down in the crowd.
The fourth ball gets the same treatment and he launches flat and long for another maximum. It is great clean hitting.
Some confusion in the middle as Salt jogs a single, and fails to get his foot down in time when and is therefore run out through his own stupidity. What idiocy from him after playing two great shots. Just run your bat in, mate. Silly, rally silly. No wonder he is fuming with himself.
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1st Over: Sussex 6-0 (Salt 5, Wright 1)
Wood gets it on the money with his skidding pace. Salt takes three balls to get off the mark, allowing the man of the moment, Wright, to get his eye in but all he does is nudge a one.
Salt gets the crowd going with a lovely shot through cover and it speeds to the boundary.
Both teams seem to be playing in exactly the same colour, which is mildly boring. I wanted one to change into a jazzy away kit.
Salt and Wright are in the middle. Wood, who is on loan, will bowl the first over for Worcestershire.
Wiese hit the biggest six you’re going to see for a long time against Somerset. It measured 104m and reached the second tier of the stand. If anyone goes beyond that they should be given a trophy themselves.
Pat Brown was key with the ball in the semi-final and his variations will be critical once more. Sussex had the chance to see what he could offer, which might help them, as no one from Lancashire had a clue what he was chucking down, resulting in plenty of hitting and missing.
Sussex are favourites for me here. It will take some incredible individual performances from Worcestershire to put them in contention here. They will be looking to get some early wickets with the likes of Wright at the top of the order but if the Sharks get away from them, then it will be hard to pull themselves back into the game, as Somerset can testify.
Luke Wright has played the innings of the day so far ... and he can’t anywhere near the England team anymore.
Can anyone get a ton in this final?
As a Lancashire supporter I am pleased I can be neutral throughout this. I should not be surprised as our batting line-up has been utterly useless all season in pretty much every format. Feel free to send me your thoughts on all T20 matters and the pathetic nature of Lancashire’s batsmen. Details are above.
Both teams have stuck with the same team which got them through the semi-finals.
Sussex: Salt, Wright, Evans, Rawlins, Wiese, Burgess, Jordan, Archer, Beer, Briggs, Mills
Worcestershire: Moeen Ali, Clarke, Fell, D’Oliveira, Cox, Whiteley, Barnard, Parnell, Mitchell, Wood, Brown
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Sussex have won the toss and will bat here.
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Preamble
Good evening!
The two semi-finals were not as close as a neutral will have wanted but there has definitely been plenty of entertainment so far.
Two fantastic overs with the bat and four with the ball from Pat Brown for Worcestershire made the difference. They looked in trouble when they lost four wickets in quick succession but Ben Cox and Ed Barnard got them up to a respectable total, which Lancashire should have chased down but, inkeeping with their season, the batting was generally pathetic. It wasn’t all their own fault as Brown mixed it up to such an extent that the boys in red didn’t seem to know what sport they were playing as they fell dismally short.
Luke Wright showed how to bat on this lovely looking wicket at Edgbaston as he smashed his way to 92. His departure saw the Sussex innings almost come to a halt in the closing overs but it was more than enough for his team to defend. The pace of the Sharks attack is something to behold and Somerset did not look able to cope with it. It seemed like Somerset were out of it but then Corey Anderson and Tom Abell gave themselves a chance by making the most of the middle overs until the latter was run out in unlucky fashion, allowing Sussex to turn the screw.
This is the first time the two teams have met in a T20 match and what an occasion it is to mark it! Can Moeen Ali lead his team to another upset today or will Sussex’s depth win out once again?
I, for one, am looking forward to finding out.
