The Bears impressed throughout the competition, beating Gloucestershire, Somerset, Worcestershire and Northamptonshire to qualify straight to the final, before continuing their good form to triumph over Kent in the final on Sunday.
On the day Kent won the toss and opted to bowl first, and they struck early with the ball, removing both Bears openers to leave Warwickshire ten for two.
That brought Arjun Nahal and Oliver Dandy to the crease with the duo putting on a match-altering 138 runs in 13 overs. Nahal was eventually dismissed for a brilliant 65 which came from 41 balls, while Dandy’s blistering 48-ball 85 included five fours and five sixes.
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A late cameo from Joseph Walley (23 from five balls), which saw him hit three sixes and a four in the final over before being dismissed off the last ball of the innings, helped the Bears to 214 for six from their 20 overs.
The Bears struck early with the ball, with Ayan Khan (two for 20 from four overs) the pick of the bowlers, dismissing both Kent openers before Shayan Alam (two for 36) took a third wicket to leave Kent behind the rate and in trouble at 29 for three inside six overs.
It was a complete performance with the ball from the young Bears side, as they took regular wickets, keeping Kent behind the required rate. The wickets were shared around with Jack Pidgeon and William James taking two-wickets apiece as Kent were dismissed for 193 in the final over.
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Warwickshire County Cricket Club Academy Lead, Josh Cobb, said: “The lads have been outstanding in T20 cricket this year. After losing our opening fixture, they’ve responded brilliantly by winning 12 matches on the bounce, playing a positive, aggressive brand of cricket throughout. From a coaching perspective, it’s been a real pleasure to watch.
“The most pleasing aspect for me has been the collective effort. We’ve had some exceptional individual performances, but what has really stood out is that every player has stepped up at different times to contribute to the team’s success. It hasn’t been about one or two individuals carrying us to the trophy, it has been a genuine team effort, and that’s something everyone should be proud of.
“It’s also great for us to have had four players involved in the Second XI squad that won the T20 Cup a couple of weeks ago, giving them an insight into what it takes to make that next step. Throughout the year we’ve had nine of our 12 Academy players involved in the Second XI environment, which can only benefit their development.”
Warwickshire U18s return to 50-over action on Sunday 26 July, when they play Worcestershire in the Quarter Finals at Harborne. Play starts at 11:00am.
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