2008 Twenty20 Cup knockout stage

The knockout stage of the 2008 Twenty20 Cup comprises the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final of the 2008 Twenty20 Cup. The top two teams from each of the three groups progressed to the quarter finals along with the two best placed third teams. The teams were redrawn and played one knockout match to decide the semi-finalists. Finals day was held on 26 July 2008.

Quarter-Finals

July 7

Durham Dynamos v Yorkshire Carnegie

The match at the Riverside was postponed in bizarre circumstances. The ECB received allegations about Yorkshire fielding an ineligible player in their final group game, against the Nottinghamshire Outlaws. [http://www.ecb.co.uk/ecb/about-ecb/media-releases/twenty20-quarter-final-postponed,301105,EN.html Twenty20 quarter-final postponed]

In an original meeting on July 10, Yorkshire were summoned to Old Trafford and were told that they were to be thrown out of the tournament, with Nottinghamshire to be reinstated in the draw. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/counties/7500761.stm Yorkshire thrown out of Twenty20] However, Yorkshire appealed and at a second meeting held on July 14, their appeal was heard and rejected, but this time Glamorgan were placed into the draw on a superior run rate. This was because Nottinghamshire were not awarded the points to the June 27 game.

Essex Eagles v Northamptonshire Steelbacks

Kent kept their chances of retaining the Twenty20 Cup by hammering the Bears by 42 runs in a rain-delayed match at Edgbaston. The match was played on Thursday, as persistent rain had called off the game, 90 minutes before play on Wednesday. Having been put into bat, the Spitfires reached 37, before losing their first wicket, Joe Denly for 27. Coming to the crease with the score at 54 for 3, was hero of Finals Day last season and the man of the match in this game, Darren Stevens. He then proceeded to make a rapid-fire 69, coming from just 32 deliveries. He was the last wicket to fall, as Azhar Mahmood hit big runs towards the end of the innings, hitting two sixes in a 13-ball 25*. This set the Bears, a target of 176.

Losing Neil Carter in the second over, didn't help matters for Warwickshire, as they struggled at the beginning of their reply. Jim Troughton and Jonathan Trott fell in quick succession leaving Warwickshire on 42 for 3. The returning Darren Maddy and Ant Botha pushed the score higher, with Maddy scoring 27 off 18 deliveries and Botha top-scored with 35 off nineteen. However, it was to all be in vain, as the Spitfires' bowling attack always kept them below the 8.8 required run rate. Yasir Arafat was the pick of the bowlers with 3-29.

July 22

Durham Dynamos v Glamorgan Dragons

Having waited fifteen days to play their quarter-final, Durham progressed to Finals Day on Saturday after a 44-run win at the Riverside. Having been put into bat, the visitors took three early wickets, removing dangermen Phil Mustard, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Paul Collingwood, with the score only on 26. After Michael Di Venuto fell, Durham looked to be in some trouble. However, a fifth wicket partnership of 53 between Will Smith and captain Dale Benkenstein pushed the score up. Smith made 51 as Durham set a target of 164, for Glamorgan to chase. It could've been somewhat lower had it not been for virtuoso innings by Gareth Breese, smashing 20 off just 9 balls, and Liam Plunkett who hit 12* off 3. James Harris took 3 wickets, but accounted for around a quarter of the runs conceded.

The Glamorgan reply could not have gotten off to a worse start, losing opener Richard Grant very first ball. David Hemp soon followed, becoming Plunkett's second victim, with only seven runs on the board. Glamorgan were always struggling with the run-rate, with most of the top-order recording strike rates of below 100. Only four players made it to double figures, with Jamie Dalrymple top scoring with 32, and had stern support from wicket-keeper Mark Wallace, who fired 26 off sixteen deliveries. However, Glamorgan fell a long way short with Plunkett, the pick of the Durham attack, taking 3-16 off three overs.

Finals Day

Durham, Middlesex, Kent and Essex qualified for the semi-finals from their quarter final ties. Durham were drawn to play Middlesex and Essex played Kent on 26 July 2008. Kent and Middlesex progressed to the final, which was won by Middlesex by 3 runs.

ee also

*2008 Twenty20 Cup
*2008 English cricket season
*2008 Twenty20 Cup Finals Day

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