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BOWLERS RESTRICT LIGHTNING AS OUTLAWS WIN IN THE CHASE
On a bright sunny afternoon Lancashire chose to bat. With Jake Ball not fit once more, Jack Brooks made an unexpected return to the line-up. Hales and Clarke both passed fitness tests, although Hales appeared not to be 100 percent fit, not fielding in his usual long on and long off positions.
Afridi (Radcliffe Road End) opened the bowling. Salt hit the first ball for 4 through extra cover, 10 off the over including two separate wides. Buttler sliced Patel’s first ball to backward point. Three balls later Buttler found the square leg ropes, 12 off the second over. Butter scooped Brookes for 4 and Salt hit him for four through mid-wicket. 10 off the over. Salt (12) was caught by Mullaney in the covers off Carter. Mullaney having dropped two catches at Old Trafford eight days before made no mistake this time, 33 for 1. Three off the 4th over. Butter (23) was bowled via a perfect yorker from Afridi, 41 for 2 after 5 overs. Next ball, Croft (3) attempting a sweep shot off Carter had his middle peg knocked back, 41 for 3. Mitchell lofted Carter for two fours off three balls through long off. Lancashire 49 for 3 after six overs.
Harrison conceded six off the 7th over. Four singles came off Mullaney's first over, four runs and a leg bye were gleaned in the 9th over bowled by Harrison. Livingstone hit Mullaney for 4 through extra cover, Hales clearly carrying a niggle not diving to stop the ball cross the rope. Mitchell smashed Mullaney for consecutive sixes into the Pavilion, 19 off the 10th over. Mullaney (2-0-23-0) did not bowl again.
Mitchell (31 off 20 balls, 3x4, 2x6) edged Patel for 4 but then Patel pitched a delivery well wide of off stump that he stretched to cut straight to Carter at backward point, 90 for 4 after 11 overs. Hartley hit Carter for a straight boundary but the next delivery Hartley (5) lost his leg stump swishing across the line as Carter picked up his third wicket, 99 for 5 off 12 overs. Patel conceded 5 off the 13th over. Six came off Carter's last over, Carter so expensive in Birmingham had returned figures of 4-0-26-3. Patel went for 4 off his 4th over, finishing with his most economical figures of the season (4-0-28-1). Livingstone hit Harrison (3-0-19-2) for 4 through extra cover, Hales clearly not fully fit failing to stop the ball once more. Top scorer Livingstone (34 off 30 balls, 2x4) though was dismissed later in the over skying the ball high into the sky as Hales held the steepler right on the edge of the extra cover ropes. Wood was dismissed first ball as Afridi holding onto the catch at extra cover despite slipping over backwards., 9 off the over. De Grandhomme edged Brooks to Moores for 3 124 for 8. Nine off the 17th over. Bell was dropped on 6 by Carter in the covers off Afridi (3-0-25-2). Bell (10) had his stumps splattered by the Eagle attempting a legside heave, 136 for 9. Blatherwick edged Afridi for 4, 10 off the 18th over. Blatherwick (7) attempting a scoop edged Brooks (2.3-0-22-2) to Patel at short third man. Lancashire 145 all out off 18.3 overs with Rob Jones 10 not out. Lancashire had been strangled by spin on a used pitch as Carter, Patel and Harrison had combined figures 11-0-73-5. An under par total with a top score of 34, the big and fast scoring Lancashire hitting just 12 fours and two sixes.
Hales and Clarke, in particular made mincemeat of Lancashire attack adding 58 in 5.3 overs.
Clarke hit the first ball from Wood to the point ropes, 5 off the opening over. Clarke hit de Grandhomme for six over square leg and then for consecutive fours through extra cover and long off, 15 off the second over. Hales tennis batted Wood for 4 towards point, 24 for 0 off 3 overs. Clarke hit Hartley for successive fours (cover and fine leg). The next ball went for two and Clarke followed that with an extra cover boundary, 15 off the over. Mitchell was hit for six by Clarke over point. Hales then hit the Kiwi for 4 through backward point to bring up the 50 partnership. Off the last delivery of the over, Hales smashed Mitchell to the square leg, 17 off the over. The in-form Clarke got under a ball from T20 debutant and former Notts man Jack Blatherwick with the ball sent spiralling high in the air with the bowler catching the swirling ball despite landing flat on his back, Clarke the top of the scorer of the match with a 24-ball 42 (6x4, 2x6). Munro hit his first ball to the square leg ropes. Notts 62 for 1 off 6 overs, well on their way
Mitchell was hit for four through mid-wicket by Munro, nine off the over. Hales (17 off 15 balls, 3x4) hit Blatherwick straight to Livingstone at mid-off, 73 for 2, four off the over. De Grandhomme (2-0-19-0) conceded 4 off the 9th over. Munro (14) tamely hit Livingstone straight to Mitchell at short extra for 14, 80 for 3. Patel was sent in at five on the slow pitch. Notts 82 for 3 off 10 overs.
Blatherwick conceded 6 in the 11th over. Patel hit Livingstone for 4 through extra cover, eight off the 12th over. Montgomery and Patel got 6 singles off Wood. Montgomery swept Hartley for 4. Patel (14) charged Hartley (2-0-22-1) and attempting to hit the ball towards cow corner was comprehensively bowled, 108 for 4. Seven off the 14th over. Moores swiped and missed at three balls from Mitchell (3-0-34-0), but then found the ropes off successive balls (cover and fine leg), eight off the 15th over.
Livingstone bowled over number 16 and Montgomery (19) swept him to Bell on the square leg ropes, 119 for 5. Notts now needing 27 off 27 balls. Moores and Mullaney kept their heads and guided Notts over the line. Blatherwick (4-0-21-2) conceded five off the 17th over. Mullaney hit Livingstone (4-0-24-2) for a straight six, 10 off the 18th over. Moores bottom edged a boundary from Wood’s first ball of the games scheduled penultimate over. The second ball, was caressed by Moores to the extra cover ropes. Two singles followed. The fifth ball was cut by Moores off former teammate Wood (3.5-0-29-0) for four. Notts got home at 1744 by 5 wickets with Moores on 26 off 18 balls (5x4) and Mullaney on 14 off 11 balls (1x6). Two unexpected victories over the weekend after the Friday night shambles meant Notts had shot to third in the table and silenced their critics. Notts will need their top three of Clarke, Hales and Munro to continue to fire over the last seven zonal games for them to qualify for the quarter-finals. The visitors meanwhile have now lost four on the trot. MAG
03/06
Lesson learned, ignore the published squad as they (@TrentBridge) tell porkies!
So assuming Jake Ball is still fit tomorrow, we still have fitness question marks hanging over Joe Clarke and Alex Hales.
Will Haseeb Hameed get a T20 debut or will Ben Martindale get a chance? Perhaps Peter Moores will do the Peter Moores thing and bring Ben Slater back in!
Samit Patel gave more evidence of his gradual decline with a howling dropped catch at the death tonight - the important wicket of Sam Hain too, if he'd held it.
Hopefully Calvin Harrison did enough (in Peter Moores' eyes) to keep his place.
We've not got momentum yet, but it's a start so let's not stall.
After the utter shambles of Friday, and even with the Munro/Clarke inspired win of less than 24 hours previously, I did not expect such an excellent win. Looking at the Lancashire Top 5 I just thought "Jesus". Fortunately Shaheen Afridi produced the ball of the summer, Carter was in inspired form and Lancashire seemed to lose the plot just as we did on Friday. Livingstone having batted far too slowly then did himself no favours with his reaction to Samit's non run out. Yes it was a great throw and yes he moves at the speed of a sloth these days but he was still well in.
ReplyDeleteCertainly wasn't expecting to see Hales and Clarke play today.The good doctor must have worked his magic overnight but anyway a good win against a star studded side.Glad we weren't chasing around 180 .2 wins from 3 this weekend certainly more than I thought we'd get.On a lighter note the clock is still not working.😀😀😀
ReplyDeleteGreat stuff, it felt to me a lot less formulaic in the field today, the captain seemed to be working a bit more on instinct and feel rather than from a predetermined coaching playbook. Of course, it's a bit easier to do that when things are going your way, especially a few catches sticking. Three spinners gave plenty of room for manoeuvre again, especially with the variety of a slow left armer, an off spinner and a leggie, and each contributing significantly.
ReplyDeleteKept them down to a very getable 144, baz ball is all well and good but getting a good start then needing 48 off 60 was by playing sensible cricket, very sensible professional cricket. Well done . Foxy
ReplyDelete75 NOT OUT
ReplyDeleteNotts last two games just illustrates once again how unpredictable the Blast 20 matches are. On the day anyone can beat anyone and anyone can lose to anyone. Its obviously going to be a very tight group that Notts are in and they have to keep the momentum going in order to qualify for the quarter finals.We need to keep Hales , Clarke and Munro firing for the rest of the Blast games . Was pleased to see Carter making a real effort and making a difference .
PS - anyone else missing the fireworks? It gave the games a sense of occasion . The waving of the big flags seems very tame by comparison and it lacks any sort of impact .
Bring back the fireworks Notts!
During last summer several letters appeared both nationally in the independent and locally in the post. The author provided details as to why he thought letting fireworks off every time there was 4 6 was bad for the environment. Whether it was I don’t know I’m no scientist. Perhaps the club have looked into it and deemed to go a more environmentally modus operandi, I font know. Foxy
DeleteJust optics, if the club felt that saving the planet was more important than the added frills to a game, then they would play all games earlier in the day and not use the floodlights. Cost of burning gas in those flame blasters must have increased exponentially, just like the lecky with the lights. No fireworks and flames is just a noticeable move. Should the T20 Blast now be rebranded the T20 flap?
DeleteTurn the clock back a season or two, and it was deemed to be advantageous, to have a leg spinner in this format. Maybe due to the dreaded hundred, and the IPL etc, they have gradually disappeared. Even Parkinson , once touted to become an England regular, is struggling to get into Lancashire's team.
ReplyDeleteFortunately for Notts, they still have one in the form of Harrison, who has made a difference to the team since his belated inclusion, not only through his bowling , but also his athleticism in the field.
Even with the handicap of having Peter Moores as the team picker, the back to back wins, will no doubt lift team morale and create optimism towards a possible quarter final slot.
Imran Tahir, Ish Sodhi and Imad Wasim were all important elements in Outlaws teams of the recent past. Age must be affecting Peter's memory, forgetting to include a leggy...
DeleteWhy do we think Matt Carter was not making a real effort in the previous games ?
ReplyDeleteJust because he’s gone round the park a few times, doesn’t mean he wasn’t trying or making a real effort in these previous games.
Some people seem to confuse an average or poor performance as not trying when in effect, it’s just they’ve had a poor game in most cases.
Dr. Soper