v Durham T20

Hales on song for Outlaws  Another victory for Notts in front of a near 8,000 crowd at Trent Bridge on an excellent batting track. Patel was released from Lord’s by England and with Hales returning, Notts reverted to their preferred line up with White and Elstone dropping out. On a windy evening, Voges won the toss and elected to bat. Notts got off to a rapid start. Lumb hitting Onions for a huge six over mid-wicket and with six further boundaries departed for a 20-ball 36 to a fine diving catch by Stokes off Claydon, 44 for one in the fifth. Hales who was denied the strike early doors continued his fine form of the previous Sunday and ripped the Durham bowling to shreds. He helped add 142 for the second wicket with Riki Wessels in 13 overs. In total Hales who got his runs all round the wicket hit six fours and four sixes in his 51-ball 88. The out of sorts Plunkett bowled two beamers to Wessels which both were no balls that went for four. As a result he was ordered out of the attack by the umpires and the remaining ball of his second over was bowled by Myburgh. Plunkett figures therefore were 1.5-0-34-0; ouch! Hales and Wessels holed out to successive balls to Claydon, Wessels’ 53 came off 38 balls with five fours and a six.  Patel and Voges added 24 in the remaining 13 balls of the innings as Notts closed on a mammoth 210 for 3, a good 30 runs over par. Leg spinner Borthwick (3-0-39-0) and Graeme Onions (4-0-46-0) also took heavy punishment. Gurney’s first over went for just a single, as Durham struggled early doors. Gibbs got hit in the nether regions from Carter and in the ensuing mayhem was run out trying to return to his crease by the bowler, the South African gone for nine, 21 for one in the fourth over. The Colonel hit four fours until being caught by Jimmy Taylor off Pattinson. Ben Stokes took a liking to Mullaney bowling from the Pavilion End, as he hit two sixes over mid-wicket into the well-populated Fridge. Myburgh was bowled by Samit Patel for 16, 82 for three in the 11th as the result was now not in doubt. Patel was hit for two straight sixes as Stokes reached 50, but he departed next over to attempted paddle sweep; caught by Carter at short fine leg off the returning Pattinson. Stokes’ 56 came off just 32 balls. The game then drifted to its inevitable conclusion, Carter picked up a couple of wickets and Mullaney after his earlier punishment picked up former Notts bogey man Breese. Notts’ bowling on the night was much more impressive than Durham as the visitors closed 41 runs short on 169 for seven. Hales was named man of the match, an easy choice.  MAG