Yorkshire ke fans toh soch rahe honge ke unka team is baar bhi Headingley mein kuch kamaal kar dega, lekin wahi purana kissa – bade bade naamo ke saath badi badi haar! Birmingham Bears ne Vitality Blast mein Yorkshire ko 32 run se hara diya, aur yeh jeet Ed Barnard ke dum par aayi, jisne ek baar phir dikha diya ke chhote se dil mein bada jazba hota hai. Dawid Malan ne apna chauka maarte hue 65 run banaye, lekin kya faida jab team ke baaki khiladi uska saath na de sake? Yorkshire ke fans ke liye yeh ek aur din tha jab unke dil toot gaye, aur Bears ke liye ek aur mauka apni chhoti si team ka jhanda lehraye.
Birmingham Bears, jo shayad bade naam wale teams ke muqable chhote dikhte hain, ne is match mein apni attacking strategy se sabko chauka diya. Ed Barnard ne 40 ball mein 67 run thok diye, aur match ke end mein apne bowling se bhi Yorkshire ko hila diya. Unka yeh all-round performance yaad dilata hai 2019 World Cup ke uss thrilling final ka jab Ben Stokes ne England ke liye aisa hi kamaal kiya tha – batting aur bowling dono mein dushman team ko dhool chata di. Barnard ka yeh roop dekhkar lagta hai jaise wo Warwickshire ke liye ek chhota sa Stokes ban gaya hai! Aur jab baat aayi last overs ki, toh Pakistan ke Hasan Ali ne bhi 8 ball mein 22 run banakar aur do wicket lekar apna jadoo chala diya. Yeh wahi Hasan Ali hai jo 2017 Champions Trophy mein India ke khilaaf apne fiery bowling ke liye yaad kiya jata hai. Bears ne 205 ka target set kiya, aur Yorkshire, jo ek waqt tak Malan ke sahaare jeet ke kareeb dikha, aakhir mein 173 par hi atak gaya.
Ab thodi tareef Bears ke liye. Yeh team, jo shayad glamour ke mamle mein Surrey ya Lancashire se peechhe hai, ne dikha diya ke dil aur strategy bade naam wale teams ko bhi hara sakti hai. Barnard ka 67 run ka score aur uske baad 3 overs mein ek bhi run na dena – yeh koi mamuli baat nahi hai. Yeh performance yaad dilati hai 2003 mein Andy Flower ke uss iconic century ki, jab Zimbabwe ne South Africa jaise bade team ke khilaaf apna dum dikhaya tha. Warwickshire ke liye yeh jeet sirf ek match nahi, balki ek chhoti si team ka apne aap par bharosa dikhane ka saboot hai. George Garton ke do chhakkon ne bhi match ka rukh badla, aur yeh pal yaad dilata hai jab Yuvraj Singh ne 2007 T20 World Cup mein Stuart Broad ke khilaaf chhe chhakke maare the. Bears ka yeh attacking approach unhe North Group mein teesri jeet dilaya, aur ab wo table mein kaafi strong position mein hain.
Lekin chalo, thoda reality check bhi kar lete hain. Yorkshire ke liye yeh haar koi nayi baat nahi hai. Dawid Malan chahe jitne run bana le, team ka baaki batting line-up toh jaise hamesha chhutti par hota hai. Will O’Rourke ne teen wicket toh liye, lekin jab batting ki baari aayi toh unka team ek baar phir se ladkhada gaya. Yeh wahi Yorkshire hai jo kabhi Brian Lara ke 501 run ke record ka saamna kar chuka hai 1994 mein, aur aaj bhi wahi purana dukh – bade mauke par chhote score. 173 par hi ruk jana aur 32 run se haar jana, yeh dikhata hai ke team mein abhi bhi kuch kami hai. Shayed unhe apne strategy par dobara sochna hoga, kyunki Malan ke alawa koi aur consistent performer nazar nahi aata.
Is match ka highlight raha Bears ka yeh chhota sa squad, jo bade teams ke muqable mein apna alag hi andaaz lekar aata hai. Lekin sochne wali baat yeh hai – kya yeh jeet unhe tournament ke aage ke stages mein bhi le ja payegi? Ya phir yeh ek aisi kahani hogi jo shuruaat mein toh josh bhar deti hai, lekin ant mein ek aur heartbreak ke saath khatam hoti hai? Waqt hi batayega.
