Derbyshire Falcons Vitality T20 Blast at County Ground, Derby Win Report

OUTLAWS STRANGLE A WIN AWAY IN DERBY

Ball wickets and Mullaney's stifling bowling, restrict hosts

Notts made it four wins from four to consolidate their place at the top of the Northern Group at Derby last night.

On a sunny evening in front of a near capacity crowd of just under 5,000 an unchanged Notts won the toss and put Derbyshire in. Batsmen were struggling to consistently time the ball on the tacky and at times bouncy greenish pitch, the top score of the contest being Haider Ali’s 37-ball 42 (3x1, 1x4). Notts bowled and fielded well with Ball leading the way with (4-0-23-2) and Mullaney the most frugal with 4-0-15-1 with no boundaries off his 24-ball spell. Harrison led the way in the field taking two catches. Derbyshire 142-9 looked an under-par total. Clarke led the charge racing to a 15-ball 29 (3x2, 2x6) before mistiming a short delivery from Scrimshaw. Following his dismissal Munro and Montgomery were dismissed in the next two overs, as Notts were wobbling at 49-3 in the 7th over. Patel playing his best innings of the 2023 competition joined Hales in the middle and 38 runs were added in five overs before top-scorer Hales was bowled making roo, to cut for 35 (off 30 balls, 2x4, 1x6). Hales and man of the match Patel who followed his 1-28 off 4 overs with a 25-ball 28 (2x4, 1x6) were as ever playing key roles against their favourite opposition. Patel fell to the bouncy and brisk Scrimshaw. The former Worcestershire man finishing with career best figures if 4-0-16-3. As dusk approached, Derbyshire's old floodlights were failing to provide adequate illumination, Mullaney was struggling to sight the slingy Zaman Khan and was bowled with 20 now required at a run a ball. Afridi played an explosive 7-ball cameo, hitting two sixes. He departed with only two needed and the match ended as Zaman overstepped and a no ball was called. The poor surface had made for a tense contest with the Derbyshire two spinners Watt (4-0-37-1) and McKiernan (4-0-34-0) proving to be their weakest link.

Reece hit the first ball of the innings from Afridi (Racecourse End) to long leg for 4, six off the first over. Carter conceded six off the second over. Reece hit Patel to the square leg ropes, 7 off the 3rd over. Haider Ali hit Carter for a six over long off. Next ball was cut for four, 15 off the over. Carter (2-0-21-0) was not to bowl again. Afridi conceded five runs off the 5th over. Haider Ali smashed Ball for 4 through mid-wicket. Reece (16) drove Ball straight to Hales at mid-off, 44 for 1. Du Ploy (2) skied Ball to Clarke at deep extra. Derbyshire 46 for 2 off 6 overs.

Haider Ali hit Harrison to the backward point boundary, seven off the 7th over. Ball went five in the 8th over. Patel bowled the 9th over and conceded six plus a leg bye. Derbyshire were 65 for 2 after 9 overs when Moores had leave the field with a damaged finger, Clarke taking over behind the stumps. Mullaney conceded two off the 10th over.

Madsen swept Patel for 4, eight off the 11th over. Haider Ali (42) fell to a well-judged catch by Harrison on the mid-wicket ropes off Mullaney, 77 for 3 . Five off the 12th over. Madsen hit Harrison (2-0-16-0) to the mid-wicket ropes., nine off the 13th over. Four single came off Mullaney's over, Derbyshire 93 for 3 off 14 overs.

Guest hit Patel for a four through extra cover. The wily Patel picked up the key wicket of Madsen. The veteran trying to drive Patel over the top mistimed his shot and was caught at long on by Afridi. Madsen gone for a run a ball 26, 99 for 4 in the 15th over. Mullaney (4 0 15 1) conceded four off his last over. Guest hit Afridi for 6 over backward square leg. Wood (4) was caught at deep mid-wicket by Harrison off Afridi, 113 for 5 off 17 overs. Ball conceded 8 off the 18th over. McKiernan hit Afridi for a straight four and then for a sixes over mid-wicket and square leg Guest (25) was caught at mid-off by Hales diving forwards off Afridi (4-0-37-2). last ball, 17 off the 19th over, the most expensive of the innings, 138 for 6. Ball only conceded four off the last over and once again impressed with 2-23. Derbyshire 142 for 6 off 20 overs McKiernan 23 not out (off 13 balls, 1x4, 2x6) and Chappell 1 not out.

With the sun setting, the occupants of the Falcon Stand were putting on multiple layers with a stiff easterly wind making it decidedly chilly. Clarke hit Watt for 4 through mid-wicket and then off the last ball a six also over mid-wicket, 13 off the over. Hales found the fine leg boundary off Zaman, seven off the 2nd over. Clarke hit an enormous six over mid-wicket and onto the Pavilion balcony off Chappell, nine off the 3rd over. Clarke hit Zaman for consecutive fours, through point, 11 off the over. Clarke (29) miscuing a pull shot fell to catch at mid-on by Chappell off Scrimshaw, 41 for 1. Only two runs were scored in the 5th over. Munro (1) was caught behind by Guest as Chappell found some late movement, 42 for 2. Notts 47 for 2 at the end of the power play, one ahead of Derbyshire at the equivalent stage.

Montgomery (3) perished skying a pull shot to du Plooy at mid-off, another wicket for Scrimshaw. Notts wobbling at 49 for 3. Patel's first ball was a four through fine leg off Scrimshaw, seven off the over. McKiernan conceded four off the 8th over. Patel hit Watt for 6 over extra cover, nine off the 9th over. Hales swept McKiernan for 6, 11 off the over. Notts 78 for 3 off 10 overs.

Hales hit Scrimshaw to the extra cover boundary, six off the 11th over. The game turned once more when Hales (35) was bowled by Watt making room, 87 for 4 in the 12th over. Seven came off the 13th over bowled by Chappell (3-0-21-1). Patel hit McKiernan for four through extra cover to bring up the Notts 100. Notts 102 for 4 off 14 overs.

Patel (28) flicked a delivery from Scrimshaw only to be caught at fine leg by Zaman, 103 for 5. Scrimshaw (4-0-16-3) only conceded a single off his last over. Notts needed 40 off the last 5 overs. Mullaney hit McKiernan for 4 through backward point. Mullaney pulled a short ball from McKiernan for 6 over square leg, 13 off the 16th over. McKiernan had proved easy pickings during his expensive 4-over spell.

Moores, who came in at six despite his finger injury, edged Zaman for 4 through wide third man. The light now was distinctly poor, Mullaney was bowled by Zaman for 12 going for a big heave, 123 for 7 after 17 overs. Watt bowled the 18th over; three singles were followed by a dot ball. Afridi, then eased the pressure hitting the Scotsman hit a 6 over long on, 10 off the over. Afridi (14) hit Zaman for 6 over square leg but he fell later in the over skying the ball into orbit with du Plooy taking the catch, 141 for 7. Two needed with Notts winning in anti-climactic fashion by a virtue of a huge no ball by Zaman (3.4-0-34-2) to new batsman Harrison. Notts getting home by 5 wickets with 8 balls to spare with Moores undefeated on a 16-ball 17. After the shambles of the previous Friday, Notts had won 4 in a row to go two points clear at the top. MAG

Alex Hales top scorer for the Outlaws

Derbyshire say a win for them is overdue. That's probably true, and other than Notts, they do appear to be the most in form side in the North group at this moment with all their top guns firing. So, perhaps you could equally speculate that Madsen, du Plooy et al were due an off night tonight.

There shouldn't be any blue sawdust shenanigans tonight either.

The table this morning