New boy Hose enjoys dream debut for Bears
CRICKET
Report by Brian Halford
A SENSATIONAL debut innings from Adam Hose lifted Birmingham Bears to a five-wicket NatWestT20Blast victory over Lancashire Lightning at Edgbaston on Sunday.
The Lightning amassed 174 for eight, thanks mainly to Jos Buttler whose unbeaten 80 (43 balls, six fours, two sixes) was the only contribution beyond 20. Measured at first, as wickets fell around him, Buttler paced his innings perfectly, climbing into the bowling late on.
But then Hose, making his debut after moving from Somerset on a three-year deal last week, smashed a dazzling, T20-best 76 from 43 balls with seven fours and five sixes to put his side on course for victory. And after he perished, Grant Elliott steered his side over the line with just two balls to spare with an shrewd unbeaten 45 (33 balls, five fours).
"It was a nice way to get going and start my Warwickshire career," said Hose. "It was a fantastic performance from the guys, from the bowlers doing really well up front and then all the way through the middle overs.
"Then with the bat right from the start with Ed Pollock and Ian Bell we showed great intent and I was just fortunate to carry that on. Then Grant and Aaron (Thomason) finished it off really nicely.
"I suppose it is a dream start for me, really. I was trying not to think too much about my debut over the last couple of days but it has been a really nice way to start my career at Edgbaston.
"I was thinking to myself if anything was pitched up in my half I would give it everything and fortunately it came off and went a little way.
"The first couple of balls I was just trying to get the pace of the wicket and you could tell it was a good pitch so I just tried to capitalise on that and those power-play areas and fortunately it came off for me."
Put in, the Lightning soon lost Liam Livingstone (12, 14 balls) whose middle-stump was knocked out by Keith Barker. Arron Lilley and Karl Brown each connected with a couple of big blows but reached only 18 and 16 respectively before falling to excellent outfield catches from Elliott and Aaron Thomason.
Dane Vilas became the fourth batsman to reach ten but not 20 when he and Buttler disagreed over a single and Colin De Grandhomme exacted full punishment with a direct hit. Steven Croft became the fifth when he was caught by wicketkeeper Alex Mellor down the leg-side off De Grandhomme.
When De Grandhomme bowled Ryan McLaren, it was 121 for six and the Lightning needed some late impetus. Buttler and Tom Bailey supplied it, both clearing the ropes off Barker in the 19th over before Buttler took 19 from the last over, from Rankin.
In reply, Birmingham lost both openers in the first 14 balls as Ed Pollock skied Bailey to backward point and Ian Bell nicked McLaren behind.
Hose and Sam Hain rallied with a stand of 51 in 34 balls before the latter (22, 17 balls) fell lbw to Matt Parkinson's sixth ball.
Hose and Elliott had 50 on the board in the next 15 minutes though and the debutant celebrated with successive sixes off Steven Parry. The pair added 69 in 44 balls before Hose charged and missed at Parkinson and Buttler completed an easy stumping.
Led by the skilful Parkinson, Lancashire fought hard to the end, but it came down to five from the last over and Elliott thumped McLaren over mid-off for four to seal the win to a huge roar from the big home crowd.
The Bears are next in action tomorrow (Tuesday) away to Northamptonshire Steelbacks.
