v Lancashire Lightning FLT20 at Trent Bridge

 Hales and White star as the Red Rose wilts

A blistering start by Notts in the opening 11 overs of the match (125 for two) ensured Notts claimed a money spinning home quarter final in the Twenty/20.

Notts were unchanged from Friday’s match against The Tykes as Glen Chapple won the toss and inserted Notts in front of another bumper crowd of 8,219.

On the same pitch as used on Friday it was obviously that spin would hold the key. Lancashire had Parry and Kerrigan both crocked so had to rely on novice Aaron Lilley and part-time spinner Steven Croft in the tweaking department.

Lumb and Hales got Notts to a rapid start, the six overs of the power play went for 59 until off the last ball of the sixth, Michael Lumb holed out off Chapple for a rapid 30 off 15 balls with three sixes. A typical muscular effort from the left hander. Alex Hales looking more and more like his former self tore into the Red Rose bowlers as 63 runs were added with Patel off 4.3 overs. Hales had the spectators in L+V and Fox Road ducking for cover as Patel contributed just two runs to the first 51 runs added in the partnership. Patel played on to the expensive Kabir Ali for 13. Hussey became Chapple’s second victim as he departed for 13-ball 10. In the next over, Hales was run out by Tom Smith; the magnificent effort of 82 had contained six sixes and three fours. He was named man of the match for the second consecutive game. Notts innings fell away slightly with only 69 runs added in the last nine overs. Wessels was run out for 22 and Read made 19 as Notts closed on 194 for six. Croft had very respectable figures of 4-0-17-0, but the rest of Lancashire bowling was mauled.

Moore was out to the first ball of the reply hitting the ball straight back to Patel. Karl Brown was out in Patel’s next over caught by White on the square leg boundary. Tom Smith was lucky to survive a skier as Mullaney and Patel both went for the same catch as communication went out of the window as the fielders collided.  Not to worry as a fine running catch by Mullaney in front of the members saw off the Liverpudlian for 22; 51 for three in the seventh.  Katich was now clearly the danger man and he looked in ominous form. Croft fell leg before to the jubilant White for 23 and then two balls later Katich departed caught and bowled by the former Stowe schoolboy for an eight ball 16; game over as Lancashire were 73 for five in the ninth over. Gareth Cross became slow left armer White's fourth wicket as Cross was caught by Michael Lumb at deep square leg. A heavy shower halted proceedings for half an hour with Lancashire on 87.6 for 11.2 overs. A good proportion of the crowd headed for the exit gates.  

Jake Ball bowled Kabir Ali for 1 on the resumption. In the next over White went nap as Chapple was bowled for one. White had got Notts best ever figures in 10 years of Twenty/20 competition with 4-0-22-5. Only Darren Pattinson at Edgbaston two years ago and Richard Logan versus the Red Rose at TB in the competitions first year had previously got a five wicket bag. Hales opening blitzkrieg had though in the umpires' opinion made him the man of the match. Lilley hit out briefly for a 9-ball 18 before playing on to Gurney; who was once again economical. Patel got the final wicket as former Notts man Prince was caught at mid-wicket by Mullaney for an innings high 27. Lancashire 134 all out, 60 runs short of the Notts’ total. Notts spinners had come up trumps as they shared eight wickets as Patel finished with 3.5-0-34-3. So in the captain’s pre-match words Notts had avoided going to a “dung heap” and have a home quarter final to look forward to. Notts topped the Northern group with seven wins from 10 matches. They were clearly the best team in the group, but will they suffer stage fright once again in the last eight? MAG

Same squad as for Friday night has been announced but it might see today's (Saturday) birthday boy Ajmal Shazad in the XI instead of Jake Ball???? (but it didn't)

Baz Hales
Michael Lumb
Riki Wessels
Samit Patel
David Hussey
Steven Mullaney
Chris Read
Graeme White
Ajmal Shahzad
Jake Ball
Harry Gurney
Sam Wood
Ian Butler

Lancs squad unchanged for today's game:

Chapple (c) Brown Clark Croft Cross Hogg Kabir Katich Kerrigan Lilley McClenaghan Moore Prince Smith

News

Ross Whiteley (43) on Pear début helped Andre Russell (77) chase down a stiff Somerset target of 189 today at New Road, for his new employers. Oops Derby what did you do there?