BIRMINGHAM Bears made the perfect start to their T20 Blast campaign with back-to-back wins against Durham and Notts Outlaws.
After easing to a six-wicket win at Durham’s Riverside Ground, the Bears then claimed a thrilling 22-run victory against the Outlaws at Edgbaston.
And the Bears are the only team in the North Group with a perfect record after two matches.
Against Durham, Birmingham won the toss and elected to bowl as openers Graham Clark and Alex Lees (both 14) put on 30 runs in the first three overs.
However, a flurry of wickets put the Bears in command as Birmingham remarkably took five wickets at the expense of just 14 runs to leave Durham in trouble on 44-5.
Only Michael Jones (29) and Ashton Turner (17) hit double figures from the remaining batters as all of Birmingham’s bowlers took wickets with Durham all out for just 101.
Hasan Ali (3-20) starred while Richard Gleeson (2-12), Danny Briggs (2-16), Jake Lintott (1-14), Dan Mousley and George Garton (1-18) were all amongst the wickets.
In reply, Bears opener Robert Yates (29) and Sam Hain (27 not out) scored the bulk of the runs supported by Jacob Bethell (18) and Alex Davies (13) as Birmingham reached the required total in 16.1 overs.
And Birmingham produced another superb bowling and fielding display to overcome Notts on home turf.
Opener Yates (68) impressed again as he hit eight boundaries including four sixes in a 48-ball innings.
However, no other Bears batter made more than 16 with Birmingham all out for 149 in the final over as Olly Stone (3-30) impressed with the ball for Notts.
In reply, the visitors made a promising start as openers Joe Clarke (28) and Alex Hales (32) put on 54 runs in the first six overs before Mousley (3-22) made the crucial breakthrough.
Some quickfire wickets left the Outlaws on 71-4 as Briggs (2-26) and Lintott (2-29) both made inroads.
And Jacob Bethell produced a stunning diving catch to dismiss Tom Moores (6) as Outlaws batter Matt Montgomery (33) kept his side in the game before he fell to the bowling of Ali (2-22).
The Bears eventually bowled Notts out for 127 in the final over as Mousley claimed two wickets in as many balls.
Birmingham continue their T20 Blast campaign against Lancashire on Friday, June 7 with the game to begin at 6.30pm at Old Trafford.
