Leicestershire v Nottinghamshire, Twenty20 Cup final, Trent Bridge

Maddy leads Leicestershire to Twenty20 title

The Bulletin by Andrew McGlashan

August 12, 2006

Leicestershire 177 for 2 (Maddy 86*, Allenby 64) beat Nottinghamshire 173 for 8 (Fleming 53) by four runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details

Darren Maddy was the star of the final with an unbeaten 86, a wicket and two vital catches © Getty Images

Darren Maddy and Jim Allenby inspired Leicestershire to their second Twenty20 title as they held their nerve to claim a last-over victory, by four runs, against Nottinghamshire at a packed and excited Trent Bridge. With heavy rain falling in the closing stages it was anyone's game, but Leicestershire's experience in tight situations counted as Allenby stayed calm in the final over.

Maddy and Allenby shared a stand of 133 as Leicestershire made the highest total in a final, but Stephen Fleming, with a 34-ball fifty, and David Hussey were threatening to replicate that stand as they added 57 for the second wicket. But they fell in consecutive overs; Fleming to a fine running catch from Ryan Cummins from deep square-leg and Hussey to the continually impressive Stuart Broad.

When Hussey was caught at cover, Nottinghamshire needed 69 off 38 balls with two new batsmen at the crease but they never gave in. The task got harder when Chris Read top-edged a sweep to short fine-leg, but Mark Ealham - who earlier in the season took 30 of an over against Leicestershire to win a group match - helped dispatch Cummins for 19 off the 17th over.

The requirement was down to 37 off 18 balls and Leicestershire's decision to play Cummins in place of Adam Griffith, their Tasmanian overseas seamer, was looking costly. But Leicestershire know how to win these matches. Allenby was brought on for the 18th over and was taken for two early fours, but Ealham then lofted to Maddy at long-off to swing the contest.

Paul Franks and Samit Patel kept on going for it, but 17 from the final over proved one blow too many. However, the match ended in a hint of controversy as Allenby's final ball - a full toss sent for a towering six by Will Smith - was perilously close to being called a no-ball. It wasn't and Leicestershire launched into their celebrations, with Allenby and Maddy the central figures.

"It was amazing - not the conventional route - and we'd thought lost it at one stage but the guys were brilliant towards the end," said Jeremy Snape, the Leicestershire captain. "We've worked really hard this year and put in great performances throughout the group and knockout stages."

Maddy, the first player to pass 1000 runs in Twenty20, claimed the man-of-the-match award and he'd played a central role throughout the game. As in their semi-final, against Essex, he and HD Ackerman were cautious at the start against the testing seam bowling of Ryan Sidebottom and Charlie Shreck. The Nottinghamshire opening pair bowled their overs straight through but only managed one wicket, when Ackerman dragged Sidebottom into his stumps.

After a brief period of consolidation, Maddy - dropped via a tough chance on 13 - began to work through the gears as the slower bowlers came into the attack. He peppered the legside by clearing his front leg and swinging across the line, while both he and Allenby sprinted between the wickets as Nottinghamshire's fielders began to look slightly ragged. Maddy's fifty came off 42 balls and Allenby soon followed off 36 balls and the century stand came off 63 deliveries.

Cheered on by a vocal sell-out crowd, with a large proportion of home support, Nottinghamshire pushed Leicestershire every inch of the way. However, Twenty20 cricket is decided by the finest of margins and the smallest moments. Leicestershire know how to win those moments and have confirmed themselves as the domestic kings of Twenty20.

Andrew McGlashan is editorial assistant of Cricinfo

© Cricinfo

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Stories

King of the hit and giggle

Matches

Nottinghamshire v Leicestershire at Nottingham

Players/Umpires

Jim Allenby

Stephen Fleming

Darren Maddy

Series/Tournaments

Twenty20 Cup

England Domestic Season

Teams

England

Northamptonshire

Surrey