The crowd at Edgbaston got their money’s worth on Saturday, July 16 on the finals day of the T20 Blast 2022 as they witnessed some enthralling cricket in three games, one after another.
At the End of Final, An astonishing finish to the Vitality Blast final saw Hampshire Hawks beat Lancashire Lightning by one run at Edgbaston.
The Hampshire players were celebrating with fireworks going off around the ground when Nathan Ellis bowled Richard Gleeson with what should have been the last ball of the match, only for the ball to be called a no-ball.
That left Lancashire with a free hit and just two needed to win, a tie being enough for them to triumph courtesy of a higher powerplay total.
Chasing the Hawks’ 152 for eight, the Lightning were well on course
at 72 for one in the eighth over before a clatter sent them into the last over needing 11 with two new batsmen at the crease.
Nathan Ellis held his nerve to bowl a fine over which left the Lightning on 151 for eight and the Hawks celebrating a famous win.
It was gutting for Lightning who had been spun into a strong position by Matt Parkinson (four for 26) after the Hawks chose to bat. The England spinner’s wickets included Ben McDermott whose 62 (36 balls) was the only major contribution to a modest total.
At halfway, Lightning were firm favorites and they raced to 50 in 28 balls but then wickets began to fall regularly as the Hawks bowlers and fielders rose to the pressure .
Lightning lost Phil Salt to the fourth ball of the innings, brilliantly caught by a tumbling Prest at deep mid-wicket, but there were already 12 runs on the board then and the early charge was continued by Steven Croft (36, 25 balls).
The first of those, a brilliant from Ellis, cost just three runs and, as the pressure mounted, Lamb skied Fuller to mid off and Luke Wood was run out.
It came down to 11 needed from the last over, bowled by Ellis, and then six from the last ball. Ellis bowled Gleeson and the Hawks wheeled away in celebration before noticing a call of no ball.
The Lightning has a reprieve with three now required from a free hit.. but Ellis stayed strong to beat the batsman’s swipe and this time the Hawks’ celebrations could continue.
Hampshire claimed their third title, equalling Leicestershire’s record for the most domestic T20 titles in England.
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The Vitality Blast witnessed the most epic scenes last night as the title celebration fireworks were stopped midway with the umpire calling a no-ball!
Shell-shocked Hampshire, though, managed to hold their nerve to resume celebrations.
A no ball. A no ball.
The utter, utter drama of #Blast22.
What a match.#FinalsDay pic.twitter.com/cRYkesYjYr
— Vitality Blast (@VitalityBlast) July 16, 2022