Vitality Blast T20 wrap: Callum Ferguson sends side into Finals Day

A GROUP of veteran Australians are continuing to impress in the final stages of England’s premier T20 tournament.

Adelaide-born Callum Ferguson sent his Worcestershire side into the semi-finals of the T20 Blast on the weekend after a man-of-the-match performance against Gloucestershire — captained by fellow Australian Michael Klinger.

Ferguson came to the crease in the second over with his side at a nervy 1-2, chasing 136. He then smashed an unbeaten 64 runs off 47 balls to see his side into its first ever T20 Finals Day, which will take place next month. Finals Day sees both of the semi-finals and the tournament decider played on the same day at Edgbaston on Septermber 15.

Ferguson’s innings proved pivotal for Worcestershire, as no other player scored more than 20 runs during the run chase. The side claimed a five-wicket victory with eight balls remaining.

The match saw Ferguson bring his run-tally for the series to 390 at an average of 48.75. His Australian opponent Klinger - now eliminated from the tournament - finished with 431 runs at 35.91.

“We didn’t bat well enough ... No one took responsibility like Callum Ferguson did for Worcestershire, guys getting 20 and 30 and not going on including myself,” Klinger said after his side’s elimination, according to ESPNcricinfo.

Another Australian eliminated, but not before crushing the competition with the bat, is Aaron Finch.
Finch showed why he’s the world’s best T20 batsman by smashing 589 runs during his nine-game stint with Surrey. Five unbeaten innings saw him finish with an astonishing average of 147.25.

He made two hundreds and three half-centuries for Surrey, who failed to make the quarter finals. He also hit 31 sixes and 60 fours.

Finch’s 131 not out last month was the highest T20 score by a Surrey batsman.

Below Finch in the run-charts, but still in the competition, is Victoria journeyman Dan Christian.

Christian is scheduled to play for Nottinghamshire against Somerset in a quarter-final which was postponed on Sunday due to rain.

The 35-year-old started the competition in blistering form, but his fortunes have dipped since those first four innings, in which he averaged 75.

He is the competition’s 13th highest scorer with 413 runs at 45.88, with a top score of 113 not out.

Tasmanian all-rounder James Faulkner is one of the last Australians remaining in the competition after his Lancashire side won its quarter-final against Kent.

Faulkner didn’t bat in the six-wicket win but claimed figures of 1-19 off his three overs.

The 28-year-old has taken the seventh-most wickets for the competition, claiming 19 at 18.10 in 14 matches.

Faulkner’s Lancashire Lightning will play Ferguson’s Worcestershire Rapids on September 15.