View on the opposition - Birmingham Bears
Thu 12 Jul 2018
In the fourth of a series of views on the opposition from the ECB Reporters Network, we gain some insight on Birmingham Bears:
T20 record: Winners 2014, Runners-up 2003 and 2017. Semi-finalists 2015.
Last season: Third (North Group)
Captain: Grant Elliott
Overseas Players: Jeetan Patel and Colin de Grandhomme.
Big hitter: Colin de Grandhomme - the Black Caps star arrived in Birmingham with the best T20 batting strike-rate in the world and soon became a cult hero in the Second City. He hits the ball very hard and very far and has left more than one bowler, having bowled a perfectly decent ball, pondering: "How on earth did he get that for six?"
Key bowler: Off-spinner Jeetan Patel is the bowler who binds it all together for the Bears. Now approaching a decade at Edgbaston, "Jeets" intelligent bowling is a familiar weapon to opposing batsmen - but not many have fathomed how to whack it.
Wild card: Ed Pollock. Was an unknown quantity when pitched in for his Blast debut last season but is extremely well-known now after making a brilliant impact with his aggressive batting. Pollock's blazing strokes from ball one laid the foundation for victory in several huge games for Birmingham on their way to the final.
