Cricket fans bowled over by Brum

Aug 6 2007 By Adam Smith, Birmingham Mail

OWZAT! Birmingham got the thumbs-up as cricket fans from across England descended on the city.

Warwickshire's Edgbaston ground was hosting the Twenty20 championship finale.

Sussex, Gloucestershire, Kent and Lancashire battled it out during 12 hours of high-octane cricket on Saturday that ended in the dark with Kent winning the trophy.

With the final not finishing until 10pm the bars, clubs and hotels of the city centre were heaving with cricket fans either celebrating or commiserating.

James Batty, aged 35 from Maidstone, Kent, was enjoying his first time in Birmingham.

"We have had a great day seeing Kent win the trophy and we booked out hotels as soon as we got to finals day.

"Most of us have never been out in Birmingham before and we have had a great Brummie welcome but I'm not sure if it would have been the same if we had beaten Warwickshire today!"

Fellow Kent fan Justin Green, aged 26 from Dover, added: "There was no way we were going back to Dover tonight after winning so we are painting Birmingham red, although looking at the Mailbox it looks as if someone has already done it for us!"

The day started with cricket fans given the chance to see Andrew 'Freddie' Flintoff in action as he tried in vain to help his Lancashire team to victory against Gloucestershire.

After that gam,e Kent beat Sussex in the afternoon sun and then Kent and Gloucestershire fought to the death to win the Twenty20 trophy.

Kent's Robert Key held the trophy aloft after a nerve jangling win by five wickets.