v Leicestershire FLT20 at Grace Road

Outlaws lose their way with a poor display

A poor night for Notts as muddled team selection followed by mediocre bowling and abysmal fielding resulted a humiliating seven wicket defeat to a weak Leicestershire outfit.

Logic would suggest that you put the best team out on the pitch in the competition you have most chance of winning; unless Gurney was injured his non-selection was a grave mistake. The idea of resting a player from the rigors of a four over spell do not hold any credence in my eyes.  Instead Notts brought back Fletcher who had an indifferent night and Graeme White also returned, the twirler probably does not know whether he is coming or going, I am not sure who he moonlights for Northants or Notts? Wessels meanwhile is rumoured to have a broken finger.

Hussey lost the toss and initially all appeared to going well, Lumb and Hales added 41 at 10 an over, Having hit two enormous sixes Lumb (23) skied a catch to Thakor off Taylor to depart for 41. Hales added a further 37 runs with Patel who looked in fine form. Shakib removed Hales (27) to a catch behind, 78 for two off 8.2 overs. Notts needed to keep the momentum going, everybody expected Hussey to come in next, but there was no change to the script as Taylor came in at four. Notts lost crucial momentum, Leics knowing Taylor inside out brought the slow men on, and although Naik went off lame mid over, nudger and nurdler Taylor was scampering but could not get the ball out of the ring. The runs were drying up, Patel who had played excellently knew he had to get on with up he was bowled making room for 50 an innings which contained six fours and one six. Hussey came in too late in the fourteenth over as Notts had scored at less than a run a ball in previous four. Like Patel, Hussey had to force the pace but he was bowled by Cobb for seven, Notts were now certain to fall way short of the 180 par score.  Read out of sorts with the bat in 2013 lasted three balls failing to get off the mark. Mullaney tried his best to finally kick start the innings again, but boundaries were not forthcoming except for an isolated six from Taylor who finished on 33. Mullaney was bowled off the last ball for 16. 158 for 6, was not a match winning total. Hasan had bowled well with 4-0-21-1, but Notts had shot themselves in the foot. The lesson to be learnt was Notts had to take the pace off the ball to have a chance.

Far worse was to follow, five catches at least were dropped as Notts had a similar bout of butter fingers, Lumb dropping three. Fletcher’s first over was up to mark Cobb was dropped at mid on by Lumb but next ball Greg Smith went for a single caught behind. Too many extras were then conceded, and Leicester were scoring at ten an over. Hussey persisted with his pace men as ball was regularly going to the boundary. Mullaney came on for over seven and immediately removed Joe Burns (26) who holed out to Hussey who took the catch on the run. Just as Notts appeared to have a lifeline Mullaney was inexplicitly taken off after one over on a pitch where clearly the pace had to be taken off the ball. His replacement Jake Ball went for 14 off over 8, and the pressure was removed as Leicestershire then cantered to the easiest of victories as Hussey rotated his bowlers to no avail. White did bowl O’Brien but then was dispatched for two sixes as his tendency to bowl too short too often reared its head once again. Cobb (67*) was named man of the match but he was dropped three times the more obvious choice should have been Bangladeshi Shakib-Al-Hasan who finished with 43 off 21 balls with three sixes and three fours. Notts had lost by seven wickets with 16 balls unused. The injury to Wessels is a blow as the balance of side has now been disturbed as Notts have no obvious batting replacement. Notts will hope for a much improved performance at the improving Bears in their 4-day game starting on Monday as their road tour of England now goes to its third week.

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The Outlaws has been announced this eleven for this evening:

Alex Hales 
Michael Lumb
James Taylor
David Hussey
Samit Patel
Chris Read
Steven Mullaney
Ian Butler
Graeme White
Luke Fletcher
Jake Ball

 Graeme White's loan deal ended on 11th July with the Sticklebacks and doesn't appear to be cup tied for the group games - Outlaws and Steelbacks being in different groups.