Ravi Bopara, the seasoned cricketer, showcased his talent and experience as he led the Northants Steelbacks to a thrilling seven-run victory over Surrey at The Oval. The rain-affected game turned out to be a barnburner, with only 14 overs per side due to weather. Bopara was magnificent, smashing an incredible 105 not out from 46 balls. At 40 years old, Bopara now stands within touching distance of a career-defining milestone. He’ll need just 61 runs more to reach 10,000 runs in T20 cricket!
Bopara’s innings would go on to be significant as Northants look to cement its place in T20 cricket history. If they are victorious at Edgbaston on September 13, they will complete a famous treble. They’ll be the third team in history to win the T20 Blast title on three occasions. This victory over Surrey moves them one step further along on their path. It provides an opportunity for revenge after their quarter-final defeat to Somerset last year.
In looking back at the match, Bopara noted the need for a brave mentality for his side to succeed. “That was the philosophy and that’s what we’ve talked about over the last week or so amongst ourselves. Just be brave and keep going. That’s the best way to play,” he stated. His light as a leadership turned to on the off-the-field leadership endeared him even more. Ben Sanderson and David Willey did just that, bowling superbly during the death overs to constrict Notts and secure victory.
Bopara noted, “Ben and Dave, under pressure, have been unbelievable, they’ve won us that game towards the end. Dave’s over where he’s jamming them in there and then Sando shut the game down brilliantly.” In the post-match press conference, he was clearly convinced of what his team was capable of, despite being down. He quickly figured out that they would need at least 140 runs to win.
Though facing the difficulty of a new ball and the pressure of a big game, Bopara stressed that sticking with it is important. “Just keep going, there’s 14 overs and if one of us has a day out we’ll win the game and if we don’t we’ll get bowled out for 60 and that’s fine, it doesn’t matter,” he remarked.
Bopara started out at Essex before featuring for Sussex. He moved to Northants last season and his experience is a huge asset to that team. Still, he previously represented England in 38 T20 internationals and is still a huge fan of the game. Most importantly, “It’s still great, I’m still having a good time,” he said.
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