When Ed Joyce slapped the first shot to the boundary at the Rose Bowl, it was greeted to the tune of Take That’s ‘Shine’. Almost like the band’s reinvention, the domestic county Twenty20 championship finals day in England was a sparkling affair like it has become the norm in Twenty20 events. It was made memorable though by some stupendous performances from Owais Shah, Robert Key, Justin Kemp and man-of-the-hour Tyron Henderson, as cricketers must undoubtedly outshine any extravaganza in order to make it a true success.
The results of this match promised another bonus purse, and the clamour has only begun in Twenty20’s heady days. Stand-in skipper for Middlesex, Ed Joyce, was brimming with pride and also, sighing a relief at the end of what was a long day. For starters, Middlesex are off to Antigua in October for the big catch prize put forth by Allen Stanford. The Twenty20 Champions League will also not pose problems for Middlesex and speculation has it that Essex may get the ticket should Kent be ruled out for having Indian Cricket League (ICL), defying Lalit Modi’s well devised schemes.
The players from the two teams lined up like ahead of a football match. Fireworks matched their steps on the field taking them by surprise. It was an obvious attempt to add a little glitz and drama to the event, as precedent was set first with the World Twenty20 and then, bombastically so with the Indian Premier League (IPL). The introduction of the players of the two teams by name over the public speaker phone made more than one player turn red with embarrassment; but for a moment, one wondered if it sounded like the announcers at the boxing ring declaring the champion and the challenger. It worked for the England crowd who turned up in large numbers, making it a swank affair for a non-international event.
Three back-to-back Twenty20 matches including two semi finals and a final saw an action packed day for England cricket supporters. But the final outshone them all. Joyce, standing in for an injured Ed Smith, had his moment when he dropped Kemp and almost seemingly lost Middlesex the match. Kent, champions and confident, were taken by surprise by the batting of Middlesex who defied Kent’s plans to restrict them for less than 150 runs. Owais Shah was all about wristy elegance and the efforts paid off in seventy-five glorious runs in just forty balls faced. Kent had a game on their hands and the champions had to prove they were worth the tag. And they nearly did.
Middlesex has not won anything of significance since 1993. The Twenty20 tournament itself that started out in England barely impacted their own, other than watch it grow into the commercial blockbuster it has become. For Middlesex though, it was the moment of reckoning and they almost dropped the catch!
Robert Key may go down in history as an England discard. Few may recall the podgy but silent number three batsman for England. But there was nothing silent about the way he has taken to Twenty20 and the final in particular. Chasing 188, Key, as skipper of the Kent county team, pulled off an authentic innings of spectacular batting, making a half century off just twenty-eight balls. Kent were always up against the eight ball. But they could not fault the opening.
With a tall batting order and experience of victory in hand, Kent were still the favourites and Middlesex were expected to feel a little nervous. But the momentum was shifting and Kent were three down for ninety-six at just over the half way mark. In walked Justin Kemp, and Middlesex had a tall, well built problem on their hand. Two gigantic sixes were all it took for Kemp to warm up and what followed thereafter in company with Darren Stevens suggested Kent were not relinquishing their title anytime soon.
It came down to the last over with Kent needing sixteen runs from the last over. For others, it may be tough but Kemp thought otherwise. Middlesex appeared to hand it on a platter to Kemp and Kent when Dawid Malan fielded the ball and threw it back to concede two more extra runs and Kent had collected five. Six were needed off the last three balls. Kemp lurked dangerously. Middlesex shoulders were beginning to drop and Joyce’s mind when back to that dropped catch when Kemp was on twenty-four.
Now it was four off the last balls. Kent needed three to tie and win. Kemp felt all he had to do was clear the field for one boundary. He thought it would be comfortable. But Tyron Henderson has been a name difficult to ignore in this tournament. Tryon bowled, Kemp failed to connect. The brave man with the ball bowled a yorker with the final ball. Kemp had nowhere to run; almost reminiscent of Allan Donald in the 1999 World Cup. Later Kemp felt it would be hard to get over. Another South African knows that feeling all too well. Donald talked about the time when he was met with hostility when he arrived back home.
Super confident Kent were run out of the final and it was left all to electrifying Middlesex team to rejoice.
It made sports headlines when England footballer Frank Lampard was caught wearing pink (blasphemy of gender, they said). The Middlesex players have dressed in pink all season; Geraint Jones brandished fluorescent pink gloves behind the stumps and the team won at the ‘Rose’ Bowl. It did not epitomize Aerosmith’s ‘Pink is my favourite colour’. But it is making a statement, albeit only a style statement.
(For those still wondering about the pink gloves and bright pink bat grips and pink attires that adorn some of the players, it is an attempt to bring awareness to the cause of breast cancer. On the same note, take a moment of condolence for Glen McGrath’s loss of his wife and partner, Jane, who lost her battle a month ago.)
