Cricket

Birmingham Bears secured a resounding 72-run victory over Leicestershire Foxes at Edgbaston, securing the top spot in the Vitality Blast North Group final table. The Bears' triumph earned them a home quarter-final against Gloucestershire, while the Foxes' hopes of reaching the last eight were dashed on the final day.Moeen Ali's scintillating third T20 century, a blistering 103 off 59 deliveries, propelled the Bears to a formidable total of 194 for 5. Ali's innings was adorned with nine towering sixes and seven boundaries, lifting the Bears from a promising 99 without loss in the ninth over. However, the Foxes' bowlers, led by the economical Scott Currie (2 for 26) and Josh Hull (2 for 34), managed to restrict the Bears' scoring rate in the latter stages of the innings.The Foxes' batting lineup failed to match the Bears' firepower, collapsing to a meager 122 all out in 16.4 overs. Only Lewis Goldsworthy offered any resistance, scoring 35 runs. Craig Miles (2 for 12) dealt early blows to the Foxes' top order, while Danny Briggs (3 for 30) continued his impressive form, taking his tally in this season's competition to 27 wickets at an astonishing average of 12.81.The Bears' innings began with a blistering start, racing to 69 without loss after six overs. Moeen Ali's power-hitting was on full display, as he pulled two consecutive sixes off James Neesham in the final two balls of the powerplay. Ali reached his half-century in just 28 balls and celebrated with successive sixes off Goldsworthy.The Foxes' fightback began with the dismissal of Alex Davies, who was caught at long on by Ben Mike off Rehan Ahmed. Hull, Currie, and Louis Kimber bowled three economical overs, conceding only 11 runs and claiming the wickets of Dan Mousley and Chris Benjamin.Moeen Ali's innings was reignited by two sixes off Rehan, and he survived a missed stumping off Kimber on 92 to reach a 54-ball century. However, the Foxes' bowlers continued to apply pressure, with Mike conceding just four runs from the 18th over. Ali eventually holed out to Hull in the last over, and the Bears finished with a total of 194 for 5.The Foxes' chase was derailed by early wickets, with Sol Budinger, Rishi Patel, and Rehan Ahmed all falling cheaply. Peter Handscomb's dismissal to Briggs left the Foxes' top four all out in single figures. Briggs continued his wicket-taking spree, removing Neesham and Kimber, while Ed Barnard took a stunning catch to dismiss Goldsworthy.The Bears' victory secured their place in the knockouts, while the Foxes' campaign ended with a disappointing defeat.

Sunil Narine's remarkable transformation as an opener for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) has been attributed to the strategic vision of team mentor Gautam Gambhir. Narine's maiden T20 century, a blistering 56-ball 109 against Rajasthan Royals, has solidified his status as a formidable force at the top of the order.Prior to this season, Narine had struggled to make an impact in the lower middle order, amassing only 154 runs over the past three seasons. However, Gambhir's decision to promote him to the opening slot has unlocked his potential, with Narine already accumulating 276 runs in just six games.After his historic century at the Eden Gardens, Narine acknowledged Gambhir's role in his resurgence. "You can see the way Narine is batting this time. In every match, he's making runs, opening the batting and that was his (Gambhir's) idea only," said KKR teammate Rinku Singh.Narine's success as an opener is not entirely new. Under Gambhir's captaincy in 2017, he smashed the IPL's fastest fifty in 15 balls, a record that has since been broken. Narine also holds the record for the fastest 50 in the Bangladesh Premier League, with a 13-ball half-century for Comilla Victorians in 2022.Rinku Singh believes that Narine's transformation is not due to any significant technical changes, but rather a result of his hard work and improved patience. "He's more patient now. Earlier he used to swing his bat to every ball, now he has restrained himself and playing according to the merit of the ball. He is batting thoughtfully and wisely," said Rinku.Despite Narine's heroics, KKR fell short against Rajasthan Royals, with Jos Buttler's unbeaten 107 guiding the Royals to an eight-wicket victory. However, Rinku remains optimistic about the team's prospects. "Our team is doing very well. We are not thinking much (about the loss). Credit to RR they did well. Also, you need a bit of luck in your favour. It was there day. Buttler innings was the turning point. Full credit goes to him," said Rinku.While the KKR top order has been firing on all cylinders, Rinku, who was the team's leading run-getter in IPL 2023 with 474 runs, has had limited opportunities. This season, he has scored 83 runs at an impressive strike rate of 184-plus, but is yet to register a half-century."Our top order batters are doing so well that I'm not getting much opportunities to show my batting this time," said Rinku. However, he remains confident that he will be back to his best soon. "I had a niggle, I will be back to playing the full match against RCB on Sunday," he said.