Yorkshire Vikings enjoy their Edgbaston return with T20 triumph

The Vikings were bowled out for 81 in 15.5 overs – their lowest T20 total -– and went on to lose by 10 wickets with 11.3 overs to spare.

Ouch.

The story 12 months on was almost entirely the opposite.

After being asked to field, Yorkshire bowled out Birmingham for 101 in 16.5 overs and then romped home by 10 wickets with 7.1 overs to spare.

It was their fourth win in eight North Group games to go with three defeats and a tie, keeping them well on course for the knockout stages.

David Willey was the most successful bowler with 3-17, the captain once more leading by example, and there were two wickets each for Dominic Drakes, Matty Revis and Adil Rashid. Dominic Leech chipped in with a wicket on T20 debut, the 21-year-old pace bowler coming in for Jordan Thompson, who was resting a bruised finger, and Yorkshire’s catching and fielding was of the highest order.

As the sun looked down on a pleasant evening, tanning the boisterous patrons of the Hollies Stand, openers Adam Lyth and Dawid Malan then steered the chase imperiously, Lyth striking 58 from 45 balls with three sixes and five fours, and Malan 38 from 33 with six fours.

It was Yorkshire’s first 10-wicket victory in the T20 format and, on this evidence, they will be back here at Finals Day on July 16.

“It was a good, professional job,” said Willey, who now leaves for England’s three-match one-day international series in Holland along with Malan and Rashid. “We set it up nicely, bowled really well and put them under pressure. After that, the two experienced campaigners came out and played beautifully to get us across the line in plenty of time. It was a great win.”

In the fine conditions, albeit with a strong wind buffeting the flags at the Birmingham End and the surrounding trees in the Second City, Willey gave Yorkshire the ideal start.

The left-armer struck with the game’s third ball, bowling Paul Stirling with a full delivery after the batsman moved across his stumps to try to hit him to leg.

Birmingham slipped to 6-2 after eight balls when Drakes induced Alex Davies to chop on. It became 16-3 in the fourth over when Revis had Sam Hain caught behind as he tried to improvise over the wicketkeeper’s head, and then to 28-4 in the fifth when Leech struck with his fourth ball, Jacob Bethell lofting to Lyth at cover.

So delighted was Leech with his maiden T20 wicket that he celebrated by walking up the pitch and punching the air, gloriously oblivious to the fact that he almost took out the batsman as he walked off past him.

Rashid looked more like himself after some indifferent displays in T20 of late, the leg-spinner striking in his second over when Adam Hose was lbw sweeping.

Birmingham fell to 75-6 when Willey had Chris Benjamin well taken at deep mid-wicket by Jonny Tattersall.

Revis gained his second wicket when Carlos Brathwaite turned to Malan at short fine-leg, and Rashid his second with a tumbling caught-and-bowled after Craig Miles got a leading edge.

Drakes had Olly Stone edging behind and Willey rounded things off with a superb yorker that beat Jake Lintott all ends up.

Yorkshire’s reply was a stroll in the park.

Malan’s cover-driving was regal at times – crisp, decisive and a joy to watch – and Lyth was his usual inventive self, such as when uppercutting Stone for 
six.

Malan offered a chance on 12 with the score on 41, driving Miles to Benjamin at cover, but the leaping fielder could not hold on, gesturing that the sun was in his eyes.