Southern Regional T20 Cup Final Match Report
By Paul Toplis
BCEW are very appreciative of the support shown to our cricket – “a different sort of spin” – to quote from the Times, over the years and especially for agreeing to host the Southern Regional T20 Cup this year. It is fantastic for our game to be a part of the 250th celebration of the first cricket game when on 24th June 1772 a 3-day game began, pitting the finest players in Hampshire against an All England XI consisting of players from Surrey and Kent for a 500 Guinea prize.
In a repeat of last year’s final Dorset Dolphins, who had not played a T20 match before this summer as Hampshire conceded in their semi-final were pitted against Surrey who had the benefit of playing two tough matches to reach the final. Dave Allen scored 50 and Dave Lewis 44 as well as taking two for 15 to help them to a 17 run victory against Metro Devils in the quarter final while it was 50s for Richard Claridge and Ryan West backed up by three wickets for Lois Turner that led to their 26 run victory over Berkshire Stags in the semi-final.
The day was warm but overcast with a breeze blowing toward the pavilion on the picturesque BroadHalfPenny Down ground and as both sides with their supporters had arrived in good time play got underway just before the scheduled starting time.
This year Surrey won the toss and chose to bowl, so would be chasing again as the Dolphins had asked them to do last year. Dorset started very well with Tim in particular scoring quite freely as they raced to 50 in just over five overs. Do cricket matches sometimes turn on one moment of brilliance, flair or luck – perhaps this one did. After his tight first over had slowed the scoring rate a little Scott just touched a ferocious drive from Tim onto the stumps to run out Ben who had set off for what seemed a certain two runs, if not a boundary. Robert S-D-V was caught by Ryan in Lois’s first over so that at drinks Dorset were well placed on 81 for 2; although Tim was back in the pavilion having reached his 50.
Scott bowled his final over after drinks and put pressure on the batters with good accurate bowling; perhaps why they were keen to take a two but great fielding on the fine leg boundary by Shaqir ran out Stephen. From this point onwards Surreys’ energetic fielding backed up their bowlers well and by taking regular wickets slowed the Dolphins scoring rate. Ryan took a stumping and two more catches, including Natasha who ought not to have been on strike when she connected with her second ball as there was surely a run from the first shot she steered out to square leg. There were cameo innings for Steve and Alan – who used the reverse through third man to good effect, but even with Tim returning for the last four balls only 53 runs were added in the second half of the innings.
After Surrey’s excellently organised tea it was time to see if they could successfully chase for the second year running to win this competition for the second time having won it twice as the South & West T20 cup. Shaqir and Scott opened and from the start got ahead of the scoring rate – taking 14 off Robert’s first over and getting to 50 inside four overs! Shaqir reached his 50 with eight boundaries at a strike rate of 200 and so at drinks only 32 more were needed with Scott having reached 20 and Richard on 8. Eight runs later the curse of Nelson struck as the Dolphins took their only wicket as Steve bowled Richard. Ryan West smashed 15 of the 24 remaining runs needed although it was Scott who scored the winning two runs steering the ball out to point off the first ball of the fourteenth over. Amazing two matches in two years and two chases ending after 13.1 overs; building new history to add to the rich tapestry of the past 250 years in Hambledon.