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Ravi Bopara plays in T10 final, Chris Jordan named bowler of tournament

8 Feb 2021

Photo: @T10League

After his blistering start in the opening three games of the tournament, Ravi Bopara had a couple of quiet games for Delhi Bulls before charging back with 37 not out from 15 balls as the Bulls beat Qalandars by nine wickets in their final group game. Five wins from six and a very healthy run rate meant the Bulls finished in first place and booked a spot in the qualifier against second-placed Northern Warriors. Ravi finished that match off in style; hitting a six to win it for the Bulls as he scored 15 not out from 12 balls and sent his team into Saturday’s final. That turned out to be a rematch against the Warriors, who got their revenge with an eight-wicket win to take the title. Ravi made an eleven-ball nine during he Bulls’ below par score of 81 for 9 meaning he finished the tournament with 165 runs at an average of 41.25 and a strike rate of 194.11.

HUUUGE, @ravibopara! 🚀 #AbuDhabiT10 pic.twitter.com/0xDiHpL3FN
— Sussex Cricket (@SussexCCC) February 4, 2021

Chris Jordan was named bowler of the tournament thanks to an impressive combination of seven wickets and an economy rate of just 8.36 runs per over, making him the fifth most economical bowler among those to bowl at least eight overs and the tournament’s joint sixth leading wicket-taker. This was made more impressive by the fact that CJ bowled most of his overs at the innings' death. In Qalandars’ final three group games, CJ helped the side to two victories, games in which he finished with economy rates of 5.5 and 6.5 runs per over. He also scored a nine-ball 18 in Qalandars’ final group game against Delhi Bulls, which they lost to finish the group stage as one of three teams with five wins from six. Their run-rate meant they finished in third place and went on to play Abu Dhabi in the first eliminator match. CJ was six not out from three balls at the end of Qalandars’ below par innings of 83 for 7. Abu Dhabi reached that target in 8.4 overs, with CJ finishing with a respectable 1 for 12 from 1.4 overs.

Bowler of the Tournament, @CJordan 👏#AbuDhabiT10 #inabudhabi pic.twitter.com/la6EbH7m38
— T10 League (@T10League) February 6, 2021

Captaining that Team Abu Dhabi side, Luke Wright was dismissed for a duck but was able to marshal his troops to a winning performance and into the second eliminator where they played Northern Warriors for a place in the final. Dropping down the order to number seven, Luke scored an unbeaten six from four balls as Abu Dhabi made 114 for 7 batting first. The Warriors were able to reach their target with two balls and seven wickets to spare, meaning it would be a third-play off against Qalandars for Abu Dhabi, a game in which CJ was rested. Despite scoring nought, Luke was on the winning side as Qalandars fell 21 runs short of Abu Dhabi’s 124 for 6. Luke made more of an impact in the final three games of the group stage, smashing 33 from 15 balls against Warriors and 27 off 18 against Bangla Tigers. Three wins and three defeats meant a fourth-place finish for Luke’s side and a place in that first eliminator.

“Luke Wright smacking sixes probably, I’m just watching.”

🎥 @T10League pic.twitter.com/uX9tmmUem3
— Sussex Cricket (@SussexCCC) February 1, 2021

George Garton’s stand out performance in this year’s T10 came in Bangla Tigers’ penultimate group game against Qalandars. He went for just eight runs from his two overs and took the wicket of Tom Banton with a wonderful inswinging delivery. Qalandars reached 104 for 3 before restricting the Tigers to 97 for 6, with George making one not out from number seven. That followed on from an eight-wicket win against Pune Devils in which George bowled one over at the death for 12 runs. The Tigers’ final match was a must-win affair against Team Abu Dhabi. George picked up the wicket of Paul Stirling on his way to 1 for 23 from two overs as Abu Dhabi made 116 for 3. George was caught for one by his Sussex Sharks captain as the Tigers could only muster 95 for 9 in reply. That meant the end of the Tigers’ tournament, who, with two wins and four defeats, finished fifth in the final table.