v Lancashire Lightning RLODC at Aigburth, Liverpool

READ AND HUTTON SEE NOTTS HOME BESIDE THE MERSEY

Notts winning run continued at windy Aigburth today with a four wicket victory with 20 balls to spare. 

A good sized crowd gathered near the banks of the Mersey on a ground three miles to the south of the Liverpool City centre. Naming an unchanged team, James Taylor elected to bowl on winning the toss on a dank morning. Lancashire were kitted out in a green strip; seemingly no longer the Red Rose but now The Limeys. 

 Gurney (River End) and Hutton (Pavilion End) opened the bowling. Karl Brown was dropped at slip by Hales off Gurney when 7. In the sixth over Prince (5) mistimed a Hutton delivery and was excellently caught by Ball at mid on as the ball went skyward and was moving in the wind, 19 for one. Brown was given another life when dropped at cover by Patel and the second wicket partnership had added 52 when Alviro Petersen was smartly stumped by Read off Mullaney for 28. Mullaney having replaced Hutton who had bowled eight consecutive overs for 31 runs.

Tahir came on from the River End and his twirlers accounted for Horton who played on for 13, 95 for three. The wicket was not the easiest to bat on and with the dank conditions and a bumpy outfield brisk run scoring was proving difficult. Brown and Horton added 66 in 15 overs. Patel replaced Mullaney whose 10 overs went for 43 and got Brown stumped by a country mile for a match high 77 off 114 balls with three sixes and three fours. 

 Lancashire then lost their way only adding a further 54 runs in the last 8.4 overs. Croft fell to well judged catch on the square leg ropes by Tahir off Patel for 38. Faulkner biffed 17 before putting a Patel ball into orbit and Read took the catch. Davies was caught behind by Read off Ball for 14 and three balls later Brendan Taylor held another skier, removing Arron Lilley for 8. The catch was highly celebrated by his teammates after his nightmare at New Writtle Street. Lancashire closed on 216 for 8, 30 or so short of par. Patel had taken three for 31 off five overs and Ball two for 24 off eight. The quality of the bowling could be judged by another low extras count, only three given away.

Notts came out to bat and the sun started to appear albeit intermittently. Wessels gave it away being caught at deep square leg off Gavin Griffiths for 6, 18 for one. Hales was dropped by keeper Davies when on 16 but lived a charmed life as he went for his shots. He eventually fell to a smart caught and bowled chance low down to his left by Griffiths. Hales gone for a 26 ball 32, Notts 53 for 2. Brendan Taylor lasted two balls before driving Griffiths to mid on to register successive ducks. Notts 53 for three, Chelmsford revisited. Titch and Samit added 51 in 12 overs as Notts looked comfortable once more but Patel gave it away being caught on the deep mid wicket boundary for 29, Parry the bowler. Mullaney never really looked settled against Lilley's off spin and was caught at leg slip for six, Notts now struggling somewhat on 127 for five. Worse followed four overs later as James Taylor's impressive innings ended on 56 when he was stumped off Lilley for 56, an innings made of 77 balls with four fours and one six. 

Notts now needed 71 runs off 15 overs but with only four wickets left and with three of them rabbits. However Hutton batted positively and maturely scoring 33 off 41 runs as Notts chiselled their way at a target which was manageable as the required run rate was only four and a half an over. Lancashire heads dropped in the later stages as Read won the game with a 6 and a 4 off Griffiths. Read 47 not out off 45 balls. You will remember he played a similar innings on this ground last year when Notts won via a Gurney cover drive off Glenn Chapple. The seventh wicket had added an unbroken 71 runs. Notts have now got a winning momentum and head to Lord's on Thursday to try and guarantee a home quarter final. MAG

.............................................
Hopefully a Lorra, lorra laughs at Liverpool for Outlaws


Nottinghamshire visit Lancashire tomorrow for their next away day Royal London fixture. MAG (Nottsview reporter) "He was the writer" "You you you" must be clocking up a few air miles this week; Hove, Chelmsford, Liverpool and with London on Thursday. 

Away at Lancashire isn't "Through the years" a happy hunting ground for Notts in the one day competitions;  Lancashire winning 25 out of the last 27 meetings(ECB stat). But Outlaws must be a high at the moment with confidence after chasing down, successfully, totals in all of the three completed matches in this year's one day cup, so have to be confident after also beating Lightning in their recent T20 bout at Old Trafford.

Tomorrow Aigburth, Liverpool is the venue so that will a change for "Both sides now", and when Outlaws "Step inside love" "Something tells me" they might have memories of last year's championship victory which was probably the most thrilling finale of 2014. Whilst the locals after their recent loss will "Surround yourself with sorrow" but at least the ground won't come as any "Surprise surprise" and isn't a "Blind Date" for either side.

Lancashire have been in good batting form in the main, Last week we faced "Alfie"but tomorrow it will be Alviro and the Prince. Obviously being an out ground, there are any lights so the game will have an early start with no "Liverpool lullaby" necessary by the close.

Notts Outlaws squad might possibly remain the same again, but Mick, "If I thought you'd change your mind" Michael Lumb, Luke Fletcher and Sam Wood are waiting to take their opportunity.

Hopefully "Baby we can't go wrong", fingers crossed, but "I've been wrong before"! Either way, "Something tells me (something's gorra happen tonight)" or "Where is tomorrow", weather permitting. RIP Cilla.

(finally a use for wikipedia and Cilla Black's discography oh what a "silly boy" I am, "don't answer me").