The Birmingham Bears reached the T20 Blast Final by beating Glamorgan by 11 runs, despite Jacques Rudolph top-scoring with 65 at Edgbaston on Saturday.
Rudolph won the toss and sent the Birmingham Bears in to bat.
The home side were excellent from the front, thanks to a quick 27-ball fifty from 22-year-old Ed Pollock. The youngster smashed four sixes and five fours to take his side to 65 before the loss of his wicket.
Cameos came from Dominic Sibley (27 off 23 balls), Grant Elliott (32 off 26 balls) and New Zealand all-rounder Colin de Grandhomme (30 off 18 balls), as the home side posted 175-9 in their 20 overs.
Marchant de Lange (2-36) and Colin Ingram (1-30) both contributed in the wickets department, as Glamorgan failed to bowl out the opposition.
In Glamorgan’s chase, Rudolph led from the front, but could not find the perfect partnership as his side crumbled.
The ex-Proteas opener remained in control of his own performance, but his side crumbled as they found themselves on 67-5 by the ninth over.
Rudolph powered his side past the 100-run mark with a 39-ball 65, but he was run out in the middle of the 15th over.
Wickets continued to tumble, with temporary recoveries from Graham Wagg (25) and Andrew Salter (27), but it was too little too late, as Glamorgan were bowled out for 164 with two balls remaining.
The Bears’ 11-run victory was inspired by dominant bowling performances from Chris Woakes (3-40), Olly Stone (3-29) and Aaron Thomason (2-32).
Birmingham will face the winner between Hampshire and Nottinghamshire in the T20 Blast final on their home ground Edgbaston in Birmingham.
Photo: Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images
