v Lancashire Lightning FLT20 at Old Trafford

Hussey blasts Outlaws to victory and ends Old Trafford hoodoo

A fourth wicket partnership of 78 in 51 balls between Alex Hales (49) and David Hussey (52) gave Notts their first ever Twenty/20 win at Old Trafford. Having had only two limited overs victories in 50 years of limited overs cricket, the monkey has finally been removed from Notts back. Those with extremely long memories will remember the nine wicket victory inspired by Chris Broad and Derek Randall in the first game of the 1991 Sunday League championship winning season, where Wasim Akram appeared to wearing numerous pullovers on a bitterly cold April afternoon. Two years earlier on a sunny September Wednesday afternoon Andy Pick bowled Notts to victory in the long forgotten Refuge Assurance Cup.

In front of a crowd of 3,500 on a warm Monday evening, Hussey won the toss and elected to bowl. After a terrible mix up Moore sacrificed himself as Prince tried to steal a single. Gurney’s opening over had gone for a single. Butler’s opening over went for 15, but Gurney continued to turn the screw. In the fourth over, Prince (8) was caught in deep by Mullaney off Shahzad, 22 for two. Croft and Katich added 93 in 68 balls as Lancashire fought back. Aussie left hander Katich was caught was by Hales on the deep mid wicket ropes, his 48 came off 38 balls with five fours. Patel had bowled well his four overs had cost 29 runs. At this stage with wickets in hand Lancashire looked to be heading for around 170 but they lost their way in the closing overs. Hussey who had introduced himself in the 15^th over as he had done last Friday should have bowled more overs picked up Croft who holed to Lumb on the deep square leg boundary. Croft out for 52 off 44 balls, 120 for four. Smith biffed 12 off eight balls until falling to a fine catch low down on the run by Ian Butler at long on in front of the members; Gurney picking up a deserved wicket.  Cross hit Butler for a six and a four off his first two deliveries but then was caught by Mullaney at long off as Lancashire closed on 155 for six. Gurney was most economical bowler going for 18 runs in his four overs, Tom Smith hitting a six in his last over. Hussey’s two overs went for 12. Butler was expensive once again his four overs going for 40; Shahzad’s three overs also went for 10 an over.

Notts needed 7.8 RPO but got tied down early doors. The brisk left armer McClenaghan got Lumb (6) to edge to first slip for the second time in a week, nine for one in the third. Wessels has he had done against Leicester went for his shots, a six just cleared the fielder but McClenaghan got his man by beating Wessels for pace as he skied the ball into Cross’s gloves; 33 for two. Wessels gone for a 10 ball 13. Taylor hit one four off a Parry long hop, but his other five balls resulted in zero runs, he tried to repeat his boundary but only resulted in finding Moore on the square leg boundary, Notts wobbling at 50 for three off 40 balls. Hussey strode to the wicket and immediately Parry’s slow left armers for four. Hussey was hitting boundaries all over the place and  Hales who earlier had two huge sixes including a hooked six into the mass of Lancashire spectators was happy to take the back seat for a change.

 Hales though caused huge amusement by breaking his bat in making the stroke the bat flying to square leg, Notts though still managed to scamper three. 

http://www1.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/cricket/8801877/flying-off-the-handle

Hussey was in imperious form as the crowd’s heart sank, Parry four overs for 40 runs being particularly expensive. With the score on 128, Hussey drove the returning McClenaghan to mid off to depart for a 28 ball 52 including seven fours, a match winning innings. McClenaghan was bowling fast, but cut an eccentric figure with his towel hanging at the back and repeatedly falling over Greg Smith style in his delivery stride; something that Ian Butler had also done more than once earlier. Hales gave it away by holing out to deep mid wicket his 49 came off 37 balls with three sixes and zero fours. As expected, the emergence of the baseball season had seen a welcome return to form. Man of the match  McClenaghan picked his fifth wicket as Read clearly beaten for pace turned his back and only succeeded in skying the ball into orbit; 146 for six. McClenaghan finished with figures 4-0-29-5, the first nap hand in Twenty/20 cricket for the Red Rose. Mullaney finished with three successive boundaries, although the first two were aided and abetted by Kabir Ali’s poor efforts (1.4-0-28-0); Notts home with 16 balls unused by four wickets. The handful of Notts spectators had seen a rare limited overs win in Manchester. MAG

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The Outlaws eleven for this evening's Lightning clash at Old Trafford.

Harry Gurney replacing Jake Ball

Alex Hales
Michael Lumb,
 Riki Wessels,
 James Taylor,
 Samit Patel
 David Hussey (C),
 Steven Mullaney,
 Chris Read (W),
 Ian Butler,
 Ajmal Shahzad,
 Harry Gurney,