Leicestershire Foxes Vitality T20 Blast at Grace Road Win Report

 

OUTLAWS WIN, BUT...

Notts got back to winning ways by defeating a mediocre Leicestershire Foxes team by 22 runs at Grace Road last night. On an awkward pitch with huge boundaries, where pace off was very much the preferred option, Joe Clarke played another outstanding innings (72 off 41 balls, 8x4, 3x6). When he was eventually dismissed in the 14th over with the total of 133, Notts were already in a good position on a pitch where anything over 150 seemed difficult to chase. Timing the ball proved very difficult for most batsmen but Notts will be disappointed with only scoring 32 off the last 6.2 overs in the innings as Tom Scriven recorded best T20 figures of 4-21. Leicestershire despite not losing their first wicket until the 9th over were always behind the asking rate as all the Notts bowlers, Jake Ball apart, bowled miserly. The captain leading the way with 3-18 in his 4 overs including a caught and bowled deflected of non-strikers Wiaan Mulder’s chest! Notts outfielding was more impressive than the scruffy untidy efforts of the Foxes fielders earlier.

With Lancashire and Yorkshire both surprisingly losing, Notts now lie second in the table. A single victory in the last three games might be sufficient for the qualification. Notts though will be concerned about a lower calf/ankle injury to Samit Patel who had to come off of the field mid over whilst bowling and a possible hamstring injury to Colin Munro sustained whilst running between the wickets. Notts in fact finished the game with three substitutes with Clarke also absent from the field.

An unchanged Notts won the toss and elected to bat on what was now a pleasant evening. Despite the cheap admission prices a poor-sized crowd was in attendance. Why oh why don’t all counties follow Kent’s lead and charged for their Blast livestreams, they are chucking away a fortune.

Parkinson (Pavilion End) bowled the first over and conceded three plus 4 byes. Clarke and Hales both got a four through third man off Finan, 10 off the 2nd over. Clarke hit Salisbury for successive boundaries through third man and square leg, nine off the third over. Clarke hit Parkinson to the cover ropes. Parkinson bowled Hales (5) who was attempting a sweep shot, 31 for 1. Seven off the 4th over, slow-left armer Parkinson has a habit of dismissing Hales. Munro got a boundary through long leg off Finan. Munro was dropped on 5 by Kimber at short fine leg off Finan, the ball going for four. Kimber left the field later and did not bat. Clarke hit Finan for four through mid-wicket, 15 off the 5th over. Clarke on 26 was dropped attempting a ramp shot by Parkinson at short third man off Salisbury, an easy chance which cost Leicestershire hugely. Munro hit a four through backward square leg and a straight six off Salisbury, 60 for 1 off 6 overs. Notts very much in the ascendancy.

There was a long stoppage with Munro being treated for an hamstring injury caused when running a single. At one point it appeared he might need a runner, but he carried on unaided but he did not field for Notts. Five off the 7th over bowled by Ahmed. Munro hit Ackermann for a straight four and Clarke hit him for six over mid-wicket 13 off Ackermann’s solitary over. Munro (28) hit Ahmed straight to Finan at long on, 79 for 2. Five off the 9th over. Clarke hit a four through extra cover off Scriven. Notts 91 for 2 off 10 overs

Montgomery hit Parkinson for 4 through extra cover. Nine off the 11th over. Joe Clarke got to 50 off 32 balls with a single off Ahmed and then cut the leg spinner for four, 11 off the 12th over. Montgomery stroked Finan to the mid-wicket boundary and Clarke hit him for 4 through mid-wicket. The last ball of the over which cost 15 was hit for six by Clarke onto the roof of The Meet. Clarke (72) smashed Scriven for a straight 6, but in trying to repeat it he mistimed the shot and was caught at short third man by Patel off Scriven, 133 for 3. After Clarke’s outstanding innings the rest of the Notts innings was anti-climactic as only 32 runs were added in the final 6.2 overs of the innings for the loss of 6 wickets. The top three of Clarke, Hales and Munro are crucial in Notts posting a winnable total.

Seven runs came off the 14th over. Two balls after Clarke’s dismissal ,Montgomery (21) fell to a catch at long on by Finan off Parkinson, 133 for 4. Moores was lbw to Parkinson for 1, 136 for 5 Notts had lost 3 wickets off 7 balls. Three off Parkinson’s (4-0-22-3) last over. Ahmed (1-27) conceded five off his 4th over. Salisbury went for 5 singles in the 17th over with Patel and Mullaney struggling to time the ball. Patel (8) fell to a fine diving catch at long off by Mulder off Scriven, 151 for 6. Six off the 18th over. Mullaney cut Salisbury for four through third man and two deliveries later hit him for a straight boundary, 10 off the 19th over. Afridi (3) holed out to the point ropes caught by Finan off Scriven, 163 for 7. Mullaney (15) was caught on the mid-wicket ropes by Finan off Scriven, the former Cheshire’s man fourth catch of the innings equally the club record. Finan having a mixed evening his three overs having been smashed for 39. Carter hit a single off the last ball, two off the over. Notts 165 for 8 off 20 overs with Harrison on 1 and Carter on 1. Scriven outstanding with figures of 4-0-21-4. Notts’ total appeared to be 15 or so over par.

The first two balls of the opening over from Afridi (Bennett End) went for one and four byes respectively as Moores was struggling to cope with Afridi’s pace. Leicestershire 8 for 0 after 1 over. Patel conceded six off the 2nd over. Carter went for 5 in the 3rd over. Welch hit Ball for six over wide long on, 10 off the 4th over. Carter went for 5 off the 5th over. Handscomb hit Afridi for 4 through extra cover. Leicestershire, who didn't find the boundary enough, 42 for 0 off 6 overs.

Six including a leg bye came off the 7th over bowled by Mullaney. Handscomb on 26 had a let off when the fumbling Moores failed to take a Patel delivery with Handscomb well down the pitch. Welch reverse swept Patel for 4, nine off the 8th over. Welch swept Mullaney for 4 through fine leg. Moores redeemed himself from the previous over, this time stumping Handscomb off Mullaney for 28 (off 30 balls), 63 for 1. Seven off the 9th over. Rishi Patel hit Harrison for 6 over square leg. Leicestershire 74 for 1 off 10 overs needing 92 off the last 60 balls.

A switch hit from Rishi Patel saw him brilliantly caught by Montgomery on the distant deep cover ropes off Mullaney, 75 for 2. Three off the 11th over. Welch (32 off 30 balls) was caught at long on, Hales taking the steepler off Harrison, 77 for 3. Zimbabwean Welch has replaced the disappointing Sol Budinger in Leicestershire’s Blast opening slot. Harrison went for 4 singles off the 12th over. Ackermann (3) was caught and bowled at the second attempt by Mullaney. Mullaney fumbled the original effort but the ball bounced comically off non-striker Mulder’s chest and the juggling Mullaney held on to the effort. Leicestershire 81 for 4. Four conceded off Mullaney s (4 0 18 3) last over. Patel (2.4-0-18-0) appeared to injury his left ankle/lower calf whilst bowling the 4th delivery of his third over. Samit who has gone through his entire career without being injured collapsed on the floor but despite the efforts of physio Kunwar Bansil who was having a busy night had to limp off which meant Notts had three subs on with club sport psychologist Chris Marshall now on drinks duty.

Harrison (2.2-0-14-2) completed Samit’s over and removed Ahmed (3) with his first ball caught behind by Moores, 88 for 5 after 14 overs. Carter went for 3 in the 15th including a leg bye. Scriven ramped Ball for 4. A well-judged catch by Hales off Ball saw the end of Scriven for 5, 96 for 6. Finan hit Ball for 4 off his first ball, 12 off the 16th over. Carter (4-0-14-0) conceded two plus two leg byes off his last over.

Mulder hit Afridi for consecutive legside boundaries, 11 off the 18th over. Mulder hit Ball for consecutive sixes over mid-wicket and long on. Finan hit the last ball for four through square leg. Ball (3-0-41-1) proving rather expensive. In his two matches on awkward surfaces his combined bowling figures were 7-0-86-2. Mulder edged Afridi for 4 through third man. Next ball, Afridi (4-0-28-2) bowled Mulder (38) with a slower ball, 141 for 7. Finan (13) lost his middle stump as Afridi picked up his 2nd wicket, 142-8. Salisbury got a single off the last delivery. Leicestershire 143 for 8, had lost their ninth game in 11 attempts.

Next stop, New Road tomorrow. MAG

The squad news, as Pravda TB are engrossed in Project Molehill Mountain, has now made a late arrival.

Joe Clarke

Alex Hales

Colin Munro

Matt Montgomery

Samit Patel

Steven Mullaney

Calvin Harrison

Tom Moores

Shaheen Shah Afridi

Matt Carter

Jake Ball

Lyndon James 

Haseeb Hameed

Conor McKerr

So no surprises and no indication that there'll be any changes to the XI either.

Foxes haven't announced a squad yet either, but once they do it's likely to not include former Outlaw Sol Budinger who's currently in their 2s side playing at the Polo Farm, Canterbury.

Jack Brooks played for Somerset last night taking two wickets in the power play.

19/06

This game has potential banana skin written all over it! But, perhaps we've just suffered our banana skin moment already at Northampton. So, this could be our getting back on the Raleigh Chopper with scuffed knees, determined to succeed game!

There's been a lot of "weather" about over the last few evenings, we could ill afford a one pointer against the Foxes.