Dernbach then made the shortest possible work of numbers 10 and 11 Craig Miles and David Payne – caught-behind off an inside edge and hit high lbw ducking a slower ball – as Gloucestershire ran out of resources in 47.4 overs after being put in on an awkard pitch.
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Meanwhile, Gloucestershire’s Geraint Jones will bow out at Lord’s in the final game of his professional career tomorrow.
It did not look one for the romantics as Gloucestershire lost their prolific captain, Michael Klinger, in the game’s first over, and the wealthy urban favourites bossed the little club from the shires.
He revealed he had to dig in for his crucial runs, not just for Gloucestershire’s sake but so that his two young sons could see him in action. “To finish this way, with a group that has given such energy back to my cricket, it’s a pleasurable way to finish”.
He is determined too that his team-mates should be given their due credit. “Thankfully when I popped off for a toilet break is when Sangakkara hit that ball to Tavs, because I knew they were trying to hit it my way”, he said.
Klinger has been performing at an elevated level in limited overs cricket for years with his best form coming after he reached 30 – something which explains the lack of global recognition in his career. Any time you win a trophy it’s huge.
He added: “I remember watching on TV the Gloucestershire fans when they were winning trophies”.
Surrey’s beaten captain Gareth Batty, last out when he was caught on the midwicket boundary going for the big shot which could yet have altered the result, insisted the responsibility for defeat was his.
Skipper Gareth Batty said: “We are a bit shocked really and I just have to take this on the chin”.
“I think the key for us will be keeping wickets in hand”.
“The boys have been magnificent, so I take that on the chin”.
But when he was not at the wicket, their other batsmen seemed intent on instant gratification, not patient accumulation, with one exception – and Gloucestershire’s fielding was sufficiently sound to make Surrey pay for their impatience. If there’s anybody to be nailed, it’s got to be me.
“I must admit at half time I was very nervous that we were 15-20 shy especially with the way Sangakarra has been playing”.
Dernbach’s return was the best by any bowler in a Lord’s final since Warwickshire’s Imran Tahir took 5-41 in 2010 and he also became the first player to claim a hat-trick in the Royal London Cup. But certainly we should probably have chased 220.
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“As we slowly build up to the game, the excitement will heighten but I just hope that we keep our eyes on the ball and our minds on what we are there to do“.
