v Worcestershire Rapids NWT20 Blast at Trent Bridge

RAPIDS RUN DRY AS OUTLAWS WASH THEM AWAY

Notts good run in the Twenty/20 continued as they thrashed Worcestershire by nine wickets with a whopping 46 balls to spate. A workmanlike display in the field saw the visitors restricted to 124 for eight and then Notts were catapulted to victory by man of the match Riki Wessels who scored an undefeated 80 not out off 35 balls with seven sixes and six fours.

Once again Dan Christian won the toss and inserted Worcester. Notts were unchanged from Northampton. Worcestershire were without injured South African Kyle Abbott. Play got under way 15 minutes after heavy morning rain. A good sized crowd still gathered on a cloudy windy afternoon. In a reprise of Northampton Patel opened the bowling and went for seven runs. Gurney was hit for a straight six into the Radcliffe Road sight screen by Joe Leach who followed up with a four. Worcestershire had 22 off two overs and with short boundaries in place it look like a run fest was on the cards. Unfortunately for The Pears everything unravelled from this point onwards. Pinch hitter Leach holed out to Mullaney at long on off Jake Ball for 18. The Welbeck Wizard's first two overs went for just seven runs. Dan Christian bowled the last over of the power play from the Radcliffe Road and opened up with five dot balls including the key wicket of boy wonder Joe Clarke caught by Wessels for a 14 ball seven, Christian’s last ball of the over was hit for four by Kohler-Cadmore; 38 for two after six overs. Christian never bowled again in the innings. Tahir then bowled in tandem with Patel. In over nine a smart piece of fielding from Tahir off his own bowling saw him aim and fire and remove D’Oliveira who was attempting to score a single. D’Oliveira run out nine; 54 for three. In the twelfth over big hitter Ross Whiteley (10) was caught at long off by Mullaney as Patel picked up his sole wicket of the innings. Patel was economical once more conceding 20 runs off his 24 balls. In the next over Mullaney who had replaced Tahir had Kohler-Cadmore caught at wide long on by Wessels for a 28-ball 22, 75 for five in the thirteenth, the game as good as over. Things get worse for the visitors when Captain Mitchell was run out without facing a ball as Ben Cox went for a second run, Jake Ball firing the ball from deep mid wicket in to bowler Tahir, 77 for six. The leg spinner was hit for ten in his last over including successive fours by Cox; this time finishing with four overs for 26. Cox added 26 with Rhodes until the latter; son of Coach Steve and grandson of former Notts gloveman Bill Rhodes was stumped by Read off Mullaney (4-0-26-2) for seven. Matt Henry was hoovered up second ball edging Gurney to Read. Barnard help add 20 runs off the last 15 balls as Cox ended with 37 not out, 124 for eight was completely inadequate score taking into account the small boundaries. Indeed only 11 fours and one six were hit in the entire innings.

After a quiet first over from Shantry which went for three singles and a leg bye, Notts innings exploded as the last four balls from Leach’s opening over were hit for four, six, four and six by Wessels. Lumb followed it up next over hitting Shantry for three fours but then departed skying Matt Henry to deep mid off to depart for 14, 37 for one. Wessels though was in overdrive as Ed Barnard was for hit three sixes in his only over, as The Fridge was being peppered. Two more sixes in the next over by Wessels off Henry saw him get to his 50 in 17 balls, a superlative effort albeit aided by the short boundaries. Notts 79 for one after the powerplay.D’Oliveira was then hit for Wessels seventh six of the innings. The winning runs were obtained by a four by Wessels at 1657 off Mitchell, Notts 128 for one off 12.2 overs. Wessels 80 not out aided by Greg Smith 32 not out off 27 balls including one six off Henry and two fours. A very easy and satisfying win. Notts lie in second place in the North, one point behind leaders Northants. The Foxes next up on Tuesday under the Grace Road lights.MAG