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Performance for the ages: England all-rounder cracks 144 runs in 49 balls and bags four wickets after helping Sussex score 324 in T20 match

England all-rounder Ravi Bopara delivered a performance for the ages during the Second Eleven T20 Championship match between Sussex and Middlesex on May 23 (Tuesday) at the Richmond Cricket Club in London.

SportsTak

• Wed • 24 May 2023

England all-rounder Ravi Bopara delivered a performance for the ages during the Second Eleven T20 Championship match between Sussex and Middlesex on May 23 (Tuesday) at the Richmond Cricket Club in London. The veteran right-handed batter scored a scintillating century and then returned to deliver an impeccable spell with the ball. Bopara destroyed Middlesex's bowling attack with a pulverising knock and exploded in London.

The England batter scored 144 runs off just 49 balls at an astounding strike rate of 293.87. During his knock, the 38-year-old unleashed 14 fours and 12 sixes. As a result of Bopara's imperious knock with the bat, Sussex's 2nd XI posted a monumental score of 324/7 in 20 overs.

Bopara was not done yet. He carried his fabulous outing with the bat into the dressing room and translated it into a terrific effort with the ball when he walked out of the dressing room for the second innings.

The right-arm medium pacer bagged four wickets and finished with figures of 4/32 in three overs. Middlesex had no answers to Bopara's brilliance as they ended up losing the game by 194 runs.

Talking more about Bopara, the all-rounder made his debut for England in 2007 and went on to represent the Three Lions in all formats of the game in an eight-year spell. He has represented England in 13 Tests, 120 ODIs and 38 T20Is.

With the bat, Bopara has scored over 3,900 runs for England with the help of one century that came in ODIs. With the ball, the right-arm pacer 57 wickets, including at least a wicket in all three formats of the game.

With England cricket changing its course after the 2015 ODI World Cup debacle, Bopara fell behind in the pecking order and has since not played for the senior men's national side. Bopara hasn't announced his retirement from international cricket yet but he last played for England in 2015.