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Three-times winner Ben Duckett and Sky Sports pundit David Lloyd share some of their favourite memories of Vitality Blast, including Freddie Flintoff’s comeback!
Amazing innovation, magic memories and epic entertainment – the T20 Vitality Blast has had it all since its inception back in 2003.
Three-time winner Ben Duckett joined Sky Sports Cricket pundit David Lloyd to reminisce about some of their favourite stories from the tournament on the day that fans can pre-register or buy tickets for this year’s competition.
Duckett was part of the Nottinghamshire side that lifted the title last summer – all be it at an empty Edgbaston due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
The former Northants batsman says he can’t wait for fans to return, which the ECB hope may happen on June 21 when Surrey entertain Essex at The Oval.
- Notts Outlaws begin Vitality Blast title defence on Sky
- Click here for Vitality Blast tickets (from Monday only)
“The main thing for us last year was playing cricket – it was a real shame not having fans in,” said Duckett.
“It was obviously amazing to win it but it was so different being there on that big stage with no one watching. The best thing about Finals Day is the atmosphere.
12:36 Check out some of our favourite moments from on and off the pitch in cricket’s shortest format – the Vitality T20 Blast!
“So we’re looking forward to this summer; we know we’re going to be playing cricket, which is great, and it will be amazing to get some fans in to watch us.”
Sky Sports Cricket has devoted the majority of its schedule to retro Blast T20 matches on Monday and Duckett says playing against some of the best players in the world in the shorter format has only helped his batting – and standards overall – improve.
“The innovative shots that everyone plays now are incredible,” he said. “Certainly for myself, if the scoop wasn’t invented I wouldn’t be able to hit a boundary in T20 cricket!
“Now all these kids are going to be growing up and reverse sweeping and scooping from the age of six or seven – all these fancy shots.
“In Test cricket now, even on tough pitches, you see players like Joe Root switch-hitting and reverse-sweeping. I don’t think I saw him do that four years ago in India. I think innovation is only going to strengthen the game.”
To sync this summer’s domestic fixtures automatically to the calendar of your mobile phone and digital devices, click on this link: http://ql.e-c.al/DomesticFixtures
Sourse: skysports.com
