RESULT
North Group, Birmingham, July 21, 2019, Vitality Blast
(14.5/20 ov, T:116) 117/3

Bears won by 7 wickets (with 31 balls remaining)

Player Of The Match
4/22
fidel-edwards
Cricinfo's MVP
83.63 ptsImpact List
fidel-edwards
Report

Fidel Edwards stuns Leicestershire in first over as Birmingham romp to victory

West Indian paceman on loan from Hampshire strikes with his first, third and sixth balls

Fidel Edwards watches on  •  Getty Images

Fidel Edwards watches on  •  Getty Images

Birmingham 117 for 3 (Agar 41*) beat Leicestershire 115 for 9 (Edwards 4-22) by seven wickets
Fidel Edwards made one of the most spectacular starts in Vitality Blast memory to set Birmingham Bears motoring to a seven-wicket victory over Leicestershire in front of a bumper crowd at Edgbaston.
The West Indian paceman, making his debut on loan from Hampshire, took wickets with his first, third and sixth balls to leave the Foxes in immediate disarray at 2 for 3 after one over.
There was no way back from that for the visitors who mustered only 115 for 9, Edwards finishing with 4 for 22 while captain Jeetan Patel added 2 for 24.
To the delight of most in a noisy Edgbaston crowd of 11,442, the Bears then eased to 117 for 3 from 14.5 overs thanks to Sam Hain, who struck 31 off 33 balls, and Australian debutant Ashton Agar, who was unbeaten on 41 off 28.
Put in, Leicestershire were immediately blitzed by Edwards who bowled openers Neil Dexter and Mark Cosgrove for golden ducks and had Arrun Lilley caught at deep square leg.
From such a terrible foundation, the Foxes' recovery was only ever partial. Harry Dearden and Colin Ackermann added 45 for the fourth wicket but were then bowled in the first overs from Patel and Will Rhodes respectively. Agar chipped in with the wicket of Lewis Hill, caught at long on, as Leicestershire crawled past 100 in the 18th over.
Edwards returned to add his fourth wicket when Callum Parkinson skied to wicketkeeper Michael Burgess. Ben Mike, recently a popular loanee with the Bears, batted intelligently for 19 but was bowled slogging at Patel.
When the Bears set out in pursuit of their small target, Leicestershire desperately needed to take early wickets but snared only one, Michael Burgess who chipped Parkinson to mid-wicket. Ed Pollock thrashed 27 from 16 balls and, after he was caught off Dieter Klein's first ball, Hain and Agar added 49 in seven overs before the former heaved Mike to deep square leg.
As Agar accelerated, the Bears coasted to victory in serene fashion in a match which will long be recalled for Edwards' sensational start.
"That first over was special," Edwards said. "They always say the first over is so important in Twenty20 so I just tried to do my best and it just happened for me. I was keen to get out there and see if the ball would swing and luckily it did for me today. I really enjoyed the day with a great crowd in. With England having just won the World Cup it is a great time for English cricket."

Win Probability
LEICS 
LEICSBEARS
100%50%100%LEICS InningsBEARS Innings
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Bears Innings
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Vitality Blast
North Group
TEAMMWLPTNRR
LANCS1482200.755
NOTTS1464160.336
DERBS1475160.022
WORCS1465150.205
YORKS1445130.339
DURH145712-0.049
NHNTS144612-0.543
BEARS144711-0.467
LEICS144711-0.471
South Group
TEAMMWLPTNRR
SUSS1483190.803
GLOUC1473180.242
MIDDX1476150.216
ESSEX145415-0.464
KENT1466140.000
SOM1467130.448
HANTS1456130.021
SURR145712-0.246
GLAM14187-1.381