Royals Win Pulsating CB40 Final

Hampshire Royals beat Warwickshire Bears, by losing fewer wickets, in a dramatic, but equally entertaining CB40 Final at Lords. The win gives the Royals their second trophy in domestic cricket, after winning the Friends Life T20 last month.

Needing one from the final ball, Warwickshire batsman Neil Carter was unable to dig out a yorker length delivery from Kabir Ali to win the match for the Bears. After 40 overs both teams were tied on 244, but with Hampshire losing only 5 wickets compared to Warwickshire's 7, it gave the Royals victory.

Earlier, Warwickshire won the toss and Captain Jim Troughton chose to bowl first, in what looked like batting conditions at Lords, with the sun beating down, on another perfect cricket wicket prepared by the Lords Groundsman. 

Michael Carberry, tipped to open the batting with Alastair Cook for England's tour of India, opened here with James Vince. Carberry scored 35 from 31 with a flurry of boundaries. Vince was the first man out after holing out to Jeetan Patel in the deep off the bowling of Neil Carter. 

Warwickshire spinners Jeetan Patel and Ian Blackwell slowed Hampshire’s early scoring fluidity. Hampshire skipper Jimmy Adams top scored with 66 before being bowled by Chris Woakes. With 8 overs to go, Hampshire needed to add some impetus into their innings. Sean Ervine and Simon Katich built a partnership of 69 from 42 deliveries to help the Royals to a challenging total. 

Chris Wood took the first Warwickshire wicket, after Maddy and Chopra had past the 50 partnership mark, with the latter caught by Jimmy Adams. The fall of Chopra brought Ian Bell to the crease, who smacked a run a ball 81 consisting of 10 boundaries (9 fours and 1 six). 

The Bears seemed to be struggling in their response when Troughton's dismissal left them on 144-4, but Clarke's partnership with Bell helped to bring the runs required down. They looked out of the game following Bell's dismissal, after he was caught on the boundary by Carberry off the bowling of Griffiths. 

Chris Woakes strode to the crease and hit an unbeaten 24 off 16 giving Warwickshire a chance to claim the title, but it was Carter who faced the last two balls. Needing 5 from 2, Carter blazed a cover-drive for 4 off Kabir Ali. Warwickshire looked set to claim the title, but the final ball yorker from Ali was good enough to beat Carter and the match finished a tie.