Vitality T20 Blast: Here is all that you need to know about Mascot Derby

The T20 Blast is well known for its finals day format which is played at Edgbaston featuring the final four teams in the semi-finals followed by the finals all on the same day. In addition to that, the England’s domestic T20 competition is also famous for the Mascot Derby between the matches which is the race contested by the Mascots of all the 18 County sides who take part in the tournament.

Shortly after the completion of the first semi-final between Glamorgan and Birmingham, the Mascot Derby for this season was held at the venue, hosted by David ‘Bumble’ Lloyd. Gloucestershire team’s mascot Alfred the Gorilla won the race with Yorkshire’s Vinny the Viking emerging second. Alfred won the last year’s Mascot Derby as well thus becoming the first Mascot to win the Derby in successive years.

Team mascots and their names who take part in the Derby:

The England domestic T20 tournament which began in 2003, started the tradition of hosting the Mascot Derby during every finals day of the league since 2004. In these 14 years, only four team mascots won the race more than once but Gloucestershire’s Alfred became the first to win the race in successive years. The other mascots who won twice are Lancashire’s Lanky the Giraffe, Warwickshire’s Carmen Bear and Sussex’s Sid the Shark.

List of winners of the Mascot Derby till 2016:

Birmingham Bears marched into the finals after defeating Glamorgan in the first semi-final. The home side batted first and posted 175/6 in their 20 overs thanks to a 27-ball 50 from their opener Edward Pollock. The Glamorgan’s chase never really took off as they lost wickets regularly.

Their captain Jacques Rudolph fought alone with a 39-ball 65 in his last professional match before getting run out in follow through. The home side won the game by 11 runs as they bowled out Glamorgan for 164 in the final over. Nottinghamshire eventually won the T20 Blast 2017 title as they beat Birmingham in the final.

Watch the Mascot Derby here