Celebration, fireworks and a no ball: How incredible drama unfolded in the final delivery of Vitality Blast

Hamshire won the Vitality Blast in an incredible final ball drama, sealing the victory by a slender margin of just one run.

Fireworks, celebrations and a team huddle, all went to waste in the supposed final ball of Hampshire in the Vitality Blast on Saturday, after the Nathan Ellis delivery was deemed as a front foot no ball.

The players who had gathered in the embrace of a huddle had to walk back to their positions with a wry smile on their faces, as they prepared to bowl the final ball of the tournament as a free hit. With just three runs needed in the last ball, Nathan Ellis outfoxed England’s Richard Gleeson and with the help of his Hampshire teammates, remembered to take off the stumps to make sure that the batsmen did not steal a minimum of two runs, which could have taken them to the super-over.

A delirious commentary box reacted to a frenzied crowd, who could not believe the drama that was unfolding right in front of their eyes. Hampshire fans had burst into joy as Nathan Ellis’ yorker shattered into the stumps of Gleeson in the final ball of the over, but that was converted into two runs, owing to the no ball. Gleeson, once again facing Ellis in the last ball, could not put bat to ball against a well hid slower delivery.

A no ball. A no ball.The utter, utter drama of #Blast22. What a match.#FinalsDay pic.twitter.com/cRYkesYjYr

The video posted by Vitality Blast captured the moment with perfection, when an aware Gleeson can be seen running for two runs after the run-out was affected at the wrong end. If his partner Tom Hartley would have been aware of the circumstances, there might have been a slender chance of Lancashire drawing level against their opponents.

Speaking after the game, Nathan Ellis admitted that he did not know exactly what to bowl in the final over.