v Derbyshire Falcon NWT20 Blast at 3aaa County Ground Derby

OUTLAWS HAMMER DERBYSHIRE
by 7 wickets with 33 balls unused, after Gurney (4/20) clips Falcons' wings


Notts eased to victory with 33 balls to spare in front of a non-animated full house at the Racecourse Ground. Derbyshire made an inadequate 114 all out with Man of the Match Harry Gurney taking a baseball best four for 20. Notts got home by seven wickets with Wessels (35*) and Christian (38*) adding 58 in seven overs. A lot of the disappointed home crowd disappearing before the last rites were issued.

Dan Christian won the toss and put Derbyshire in on a sunny but windy evening. Brendan Taylor replaced England centurion Alex Hales. The first over bowled by Andre Russell proved eventful with a poor misfield by Patel off the first ball gifting Broom a single. Next ball Rutherford departed for a golden duck edging to keeper Wessels. Chesney Hughes was then dropped by Jake Ball diving forward at long leg. The Antiguan made use of his good fortune hitting Russell for four at mid wicket and top edging a six also off the Jamaican.

Off the last ball off the fourth over Broom starved of the strike was leg before to a Yorker bowled by Ball, Broom gone for a 4 ball three, 25 for two. Chesney Hughes got to 26 when he was leg before to Gurney, 29 for three. It was difficult to time the ball on the slow pitch but Thakor and Madsen added 29 in four overs before Shiv Thakor was bowled attempting a slog sweep off Mullaney for 15. Mullaney bowling his four overs straight through for 21 runs. Next Madsen (15) was bowled by a slower ball from Russell who had switched to the City End. At 60 for five in the tenth over, Derbyshire were in deep trouble.

Notts’ mixed day in the field continued when Wood dropped Neesham whilst on 15 down on the deep wicket boundary, Mullaney the unlucky bowler. Next ball captain Alex Hughes on nine was dropped by Christian at cover also off Mullaney. Thirty runs were added in four overs then Hughes (12) found Ball at deep mid wicket, Patel (4-0-21-1) the bowler. The scoring had ground to halt only eight were added in the next two overs when Neesham (23) pulled the returning Ball finding Wood at deep mid wicket. Ball continuing his good form from The Oval with figures of 4-0-18-2. Next over Poynton (6) was caught at deep square leg by Smith as Gurney picked up his second wicket, 101 for eight. Gurney then took two in two to end Derbyshire’s pathetic effort. The man mountain that is Ben Cotton and former Notts man Carter both being bowled. Russell on his second and last appearance was the most expensive bowler with 4-0-34-2.

Notts needed less than a run a ball. In the third over Lumb (12) was adjudged leg before by umpire Baldwin, the left hander clearly thought he had hit the ball, Madsen being the lucky bowler. Smith crashed a straight six, nearly decapitating an old boy sitting in his deckchair, but then ran for a suicidal single off Carter to depart for 12, 45 for two after the six over power play. Russell crashed two sixes off Ben Cotton, one landing on the roof of the old Lund Pavilion. Russell then was caught at third man in the same over with eight ball 15 to his name. Wessels and Christian guided Notts to victory, the captain hitting three sixes, two in succession off the young Derby captain and then the winning hit as Neesham conceded 27 runs off just nine balls. The crowd had seen a non contest and remained silent all night. Notts now lie fourth in the Northern Group.

Notts now try and breathe life into their disastrous championship season by heading to Edgbaston on Sunday. Their points tally and position in the table being an accurate reflection of their meagre efforts so far. MAG
Outlaws have announced their squad for the game at Derby tomorrow night.



Dan Christian (c), Jake Ball, Luke Fletcher, Harry Gurney, Brett Hutton, Michael Lumb, Steven Mullaney, Samit Patel, Andre Russell, Greg Smith, Brendan Taylor, Riki Wessels and Sam Wood.

No return for Chris Read yet and this is the last outing for Andre Russell, the rest of the squad holds no surprises as we have now reached the point where ever match needs to be won after previous failings.