Mahmood keeps his cool

Azhar Mahmood bowled a superb last over to squeeze Surrey into the Twenty20 Final, where they will play Leicestershire, for whom Darren Maddy smashed the highest score of the semi-final stage.

The first match on was Surrey vs Lancashire, and with England stars Andrew Flintoff and James Anderson cleared to play, the Lightening were in with a real chance of becoming the first side to ever defeat the Lions in this shortened version of the game.

In the end it was a low scoring game, as the ECB-contracted players picked up some top order wickets, but the real heroes were the spinners, in particular Gary Keedy and Dinesh Mongia. The pitch was turning so much that Dominic Cork didn't get a chance to bowl a ball as the holders were reduced from 109-3 to a final score of 133 all out.

A target of under 7 an over required early wickets, and Lancashire were soon reduced to 63-4 before Carl Hooper and Glenn Chapple added 31 in quick time and Lancashire were on top. Both fell in the same Nayan Doshi over though, and the match continued to see-saw. Cork looked like his 13-ball blitz had carried his side to victory, but Adam Hollioake removed him in the 19th over. Nonetheless, with just 7 needed off the final over, Lancashire were clearly in the box seat before Mahmood bowled superbly to concede just 4 from the first 5 balls. With 3 to win, or 2 to tie, Chris Schofield was run out attempting the second, and Surrey had won by just 1 run.

SURREY 133 [Brown 32(15), Keedy 3-25(4), Mongia 2-6(3), Flintoff 2-15(3), Anderson 2-28(4)] beat LANCASHIRE 132-8 [Hooper 26(23), Cork 25(13), Mahmood 2-22 (4), Doshi 2-27(4), Ormond 0-12(4)] by 1 run.


In contrast, the second semi-final was much more full of runs, especially from the bat of Darren Maddy. The former England man clubbed 6 fours and 4 sixes in his 72 from only 40 balls, and although the change bowlers, headed by skipper Robert Croft, pegged Leicestershire back, Ottis Gibson lusty approach carried the side to 165-5 from their 20 overs.

Mark Cleary and Gibson started economically, and the need to accelerate lead to Cleary picking up both openers before the score was 20, and when Australian Matthew Elliott was run out at 30-3, the Welshmen were in trouble. David Hemp scored quickly, and with Mark Wallace brought the Dragons back into contention before Maddy removed the wicket-keeper. With that, Claude Henderson took control, ripping out 3 quick wickets to send Glamorgan tumbling from 108-4 to 120-7, and although Darren Thomas hit out for a rapid unbeaten 20, Brad Hodge was able to recall his opening bowlers, and they picked up the final 2 wickets to dismiss Glamorgan with 7 balls to be bowled.

LEICESTERSHIRE 165-5 [Maddy 72(40), Stevens 27(20), Croft 2-27 (4), Kasprowicz 1-16(3)] beat GLAMORGAN 144 [Hemp 44(31), Cleary 3-20(3), Henderson 3-26(3), Gibson 1-14(2.5)] by 21 runs.

Posted by Marc