Birmingham Bears highest team total Vitality Blast records are defined by a dominant 242/2 performance by Warwickshire at Edgbaston. This venue in Birmingham, England, has hosted 121 T20 Blast matches since the format's introduction in 2014.

The ground is the primary home for the Birmingham Bears, who have played 56 matches there. Alongside team totals, the venue holds notable individual records, including a highest score of 158 and best bowling figures of 6/16.

Birmingham Bears highest team total Vitality Blast. Photo: Hugo.arg (talk) / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0

Overview

Edgbaston serves as the primary home ground for the Birmingham Bears in the Vitality Blast, hosting a significant volume of T20 cricket in England. The venue has been a consistent fixture in the league since the introduction of the format, with the first match recorded on 19 June 2014. As of the most recent match on 31 May 2026, the stadium has hosted a total of 121 T20 Blast encounters. This extensive schedule establishes Edgbaston as one of the most active venues in the competition, reflecting its central role in the county's domestic cricket infrastructure.

The statistical records at Edgbaston highlight the venue's capacity for high-scoring affairs and dominant individual performances. The highest team total recorded at the ground is 242/2, achieved by Warwickshire on 3 July 2015. This innings set a benchmark for batting dominance at the venue, showcasing the potential for explosive scoring under favorable conditions. The same match featured the highest individual batting score at Edgbaston, with BB McCullum scoring 158 runs. McCullum's century remains the standout individual performance in the venue's T20 Blast history, underscoring the impact of top-order firepower on the pitch.

Birmingham Bears are the most active team at the venue, having played 56 matches at Edgbaston during the T20 Blast period. This frequency of play reinforces the stadium's status as the de facto home ground for the franchise, providing a familiar environment for both players and spectators. The combination of high match volume and notable statistical milestones makes Edgbaston a key venue for analyzing team and player performance trends in the Vitality Blast.

What is the highest team total at Edgbaston in the T20 Blast?

The highest team total recorded at Edgbaston in the T20 Blast is 242/2, achieved by Warwickshire on 3 July 2015. This innings stands as the venue's peak scoring performance in the competition, showcasing the ground's capacity for high-scoring encounters. The record was set in a match against Derbyshire, where the home side posted a formidable total that remains unmatched in the venue's T20 history.

Brendon McCullum played a pivotal role in this record-breaking chase, scoring 158 runs in the same match. His individual effort of 158 is also the highest individual batting score at Edgbaston in T20 Blast history. McCullum's performance on 3 July 2015 directly contributed to Warwickshire's aggregate total of 242/2, linking the team and individual records in a single historic innings. No other player has surpassed this individual mark at the venue since the competition began in 2014.

In contrast to the high-scoring 2015 encounter, the venue has also witnessed extremely low totals. The lowest team total at Edgbaston is 39/4, recorded by Lancashire against Warwickshire on 19 June 2016. This score highlights the variability of pitch conditions and match dynamics at the ground. The difference between the highest total of 242/2 and the lowest of 39/4 illustrates the range of scoring environments teams face at Edgbaston.

These records are part of a broader dataset of 121 T20 matches played at Edgbaston between 19 June 2014 and 31 May 2026. The venue continues to host regular T20 Blast fixtures, with Birmingham Bears being the most active team with 56 matches. The statistical extremes of 242/2 and 39/4 remain the defining team totals for the venue in this competition.

Individual Records at Edgbaston

Individual performances at Edgbaston have defined several key statistical benchmarks within the T20 Blast competition. The highest individual batting score recorded at the venue is 158 runs, achieved by BB McCullum. This milestone was reached on 2015-07-03, coinciding with Warwickshire's highest team total of 242/2. McCullum's innings remains the definitive batting record for the ground, illustrating the scoring potential available to top-order batsmen during peak conditions. The consistency of high individual outputs contributes significantly to the venue's reputation for producing competitive and high-scoring encounters.

On the bowling front, the best figures recorded at Edgbaston are 6/16, delivered by TMJ Smith. This performance occurred on 2020-09-02, showcasing the ability of bowlers to exploit the pitch during specific phases of the tournament. Smith's spell represents a significant outlier in a competition often dominated by batting dominance, highlighting the variability of match conditions across different seasons. These individual records, spanning both batting and bowling disciplines, provide a comprehensive view of the statistical extremes observed at the venue. The data from 121 matches confirms that while team totals vary, individual brilliance remains a constant feature of T20 Blast cricket at Edgbaston.

Match Frequency and Hosting History

Edgbaston has hosted 121 T20 Blast matches since the venue's inaugural game on 2014-06-19. The most recent contest took place on 2026-05-31, marking a continuous hosting period spanning over twelve years. This sustained schedule establishes the ground as a consistent fixture in the county cricket calendar.

Birmingham Bears have played 56 matches at this venue, making them the most active team in the dataset. This frequency reflects the franchise's status as the primary tenant, with more than half of all recorded games featuring the home side. The high volume of appearances allows for a robust statistical profile for the Bears at their home ground.

The venue's long-term usage provides a large sample size for analyzing team performance trends. With 121 matches recorded, Edgbaston offers one of the deeper datasets among T20 Blast venues. This volume of games supports detailed comparisons of batting and bowling averages across different seasons.

Pitch and Conditions at Edgbaston

The statistical spread of team totals at Edgbaston reveals a surface that offers significant variability, demanding adaptability from T20 Blast sides. The record high of 242/2 by Warwickshire on 2015-07-03 demonstrates the pitch’s capacity to reward aggressive batting, particularly when conditions favor stroke-makers. This total, which coincides with Brendon McCullum’s 158, suggests that on certain days, the outfield and pitch combination allow for substantial run accumulation, pushing the 20-over format toward high-scoring encounters.

Conversely, the venue is not uniformly flat or fast. The lowest team total of 39/4 by Lancashire on 2016-06-19 highlights how quickly conditions can shift to favor bowlers. Such a low score indicates that the pitch can offer uneven bounce or significant assistance to seamers and spinners, making run-chasing a formidable challenge. This disparity between the highest and lowest totals underscores the importance of reading the surface early in the innings.

Strategies at Edgbaston must therefore account for this duality. Teams cannot rely solely on a one-dimensional approach; the presence of records like TMJ Smith’s 6/16 on 2020-09-02 further illustrates the bowling potential available. With 121 matches played since 2014-06-19, the data shows that while Birmingham Bears are the most active team with 56 appearances, no single franchise has completely dominated the conditions. The variability means that both batting and bowling units must be prepared for extremes, making Edgbaston a testing ground for tactical flexibility in the Vitality Blast.

Frequently asked questions

What is the highest team total at Edgbaston in the T20 Blast?

The highest team total is 242/2, scored by Warwickshire on 3 July 2015.

Who holds the record for the highest individual score at Edgbaston?

BB McCullum holds the record with a score of 158, also achieved on 3 July 2015.

What is the lowest team total recorded at Edgbaston?

The lowest team total is 39/4, scored by Lancashire on 19 June 2016.

Who has the best bowling figures at Edgbaston in the T20 Blast?

TMJ Smith recorded the best bowling figures of 6/16 on 2 September 2020.

How many T20 Blast matches have been played at Edgbaston?

A total of 121 T20 Blast matches have been played at Edgbaston, with the first match taking place on 19 June 2014.

Summary

Edgbaston has hosted 121 T20 Blast matches between 19 June 2014 and 31 May 2026. The Birmingham Bears are the most active team at the venue with 56 matches.

Key records include a highest team total of 242/2 by Warwickshire and a lowest team total of 39/4 by Lancashire. BB McCullum holds the highest individual score of 158, while TMJ Smith holds the best bowling figures of 6/16.

See also