Derbyshire Falcons at Trent Bridge NWT20 Blast

WESSELS' TON BREAKS OUTLAWS' DUCK
Another run fest at Trent Bridge saw Notts squeeze home by five runs against a gutsy Derby outfit; many records were broken. A record crowd saw Riki Wessels score the first ever Twenty 20 ton for Notts as the home team made a massive 227. But with the boundaries probably pushed in a bit too far Derby made a valiant effort as Notts who were probably a bit ring rusty following their 13 day break just squeezed home. Patel and Gurney held their nerve as key man Madsen was starved of the strike in the last few overs.

Derbyshire won the toss and with rain forecast it was an easy decision for Captain Gary Wilson to insert Notts. Madsen bowled the first over from the Radcliffe Road End and off the last ball Hales was caught at long on for 4, 5 for one. The second over from Henry went for a couple of singles. Wessels hoisted Viljoen for two sixes into The Fridge off over three; this was a sign of things to come. Off the first ball of the next over Patel was bowled by Madsen for one, 19 for two. Notts stood at 25 for two off four overs. Wessels took 20 off the next over bowled by Henry including a six and three fours. Notts finished the power play on 53 for two. Taylor had come in and was scoring many runs behind the wicket. Former Notts man Tahir's first over went for 18 as Wessels hit his fourth six. Wessels got to 50 in just 26 balls. Wessels was badly dropped on 56 on the square leg ropes by Gary Wilson off Viljoen; a very costly mistake. Wessels then hit an unbelievable six over keeper Smit's head, 89 for two off nine overs. Madsen's next over went for seven runs and a leg bye. Wessels hit his sixth six over mid wicket off Alex Hughes; 111 for two off 11 overs. The 100 run partnership between Wessels and Taylor was achieved in 55 balls. Tahir's two overs had cost 30 runs. Critchley came on with his leg spinners and conceded 13 including a six over square leg by Brendan Taylor, 136 for two off 13 overs. Taylor was paddling sweeping, deflecting and also had time for his periscope shot. Madsen finished with figures of two for 32 off 4 overs. Wessels reached Notts first ever Twenty 20 ton with a four through backward point off Henry coming off just 50 balls. Notts 160 for two off 15 overs. It had taken Notts 149 Twenty/20 matches for the first individual three figure score to be achieved. A huge six by Wessels over mid wicket off Hughes brought the 150 run partnership in 78 balls. Wessels perished next ball for 110 off 54 balls (11 x 4 and 7 x 6) caught in the covers by Gary Wilson he left to a standing ovation from the packed crowd of 14123. The partnership of 153 was a Notts Twenty 20 record; the previous best stand was 142 for the second wicket set in 2012 by Hales and Wessels versus Durham at TB. Christian kept up the momentum hitting four boundaries off his first five balls. Notts 191 for three off 17 overs. Taylor got to 50 off 35 balls. Notts completed their innings on 227 for three equalling Yorkshire's score against Notts at Leeds two weeks previously. Brendan Taylor finished on Notts T20 best of 67 not out (42 balls; 6 x 4; 3 x 6) and Christian got to 30 (18 balls; 4 x 4; 1 x 6). They had put on 55 runs in 27 balls Tahir four overs for 52 had a nightmare return. Notts had got their best score in the competition beating the 220 for six at Grace Road in 2014.

In the reply Luke Wood's first over went for nine. Harry Gurney bowled the second over as Derby stood at 16 for 0 off two overs. Wood conceded 17 off over three as Godleman hit two sixes and a four through Harry Gurney's legs. Derby 34 for 0 off three overs. Jake Ball on his return after a three week absence was hit for 16 by Matt Critchley off his first over. Critchley perished the next over skying Gurney as Ball took the steepling catch at fine leg, his 20 coming off 12 balls; 54 for one off 4.3 overs. Godleman was in fine form as Derby were now 61 for one off five overs, seven ahead of the DLS target. A slower ball from Jake Ball removed Godleman's middle stump having scored 43 off 19 balls (6 x 4; 2 x 6), 69 for two. Notts they were haemorrhaging runs as Derby stood at a massive 73 for two after the six over power play. Patel came on and went for three off over seven. Mullaney though went for 13 off his first over dropping Reece on seven; a hard caught and bowled chance. Patel then went for 17 as Derby stood at 106 for two off nine overs. Christian went for 13 as Madsen and Reece had added 50 in 27 balls. Sodhi conceded six singles off his first over, 125 for two off 11 overs. Jake Ball returned from the Pavilion End and went for nine. Derby now needed 94 off eight overs. Reece went for a switch hit off Sodhi as was caught by Gurney for 27 (21 balls; 2 x 4, 1 x 6), 135 for three. Sodhi's first two overs had gone for 10. Samit despite being clubbed for six by Wilson only conceded seven off the next over. Madsen reach his 50 off 29 balls with six over square leg off Sodhi in an over that cost 25 runs; the Kiwi still struggling to make an impact. Derby now needed 57 off five overs. Mullaney then conceded seven runs off the 16th over. Wilson hit Gurney for six but trying to repeat the shot was caught by Wessels on the long on ropes for 21, 179 for four. Derby now needed 40 off three overs; as the big crowd were now getting to frenzy. Patel went for 11 to finish with four overs for 38; good figures in the circumstances. Gurney conceded eight off his last over to finish four overs two for 34 as Madsen was now struggling to get the strike. Ball conceded a single and then was smashed for a six over mid wicket by Hughes but next ball Hughes edged to Moores to depart for 13 off 11 balls. A dreadful full toss went for six by Henry. The final two balls went for singles as Notts got home by five runs. Derby 222 for five, 449 runs had been scored on the night, at a rate of 11.22 an over, another Notts record. Crucially only one wide was bowled by Notts; Derby had bowled four and also presented Notts with two free hits. Madsen always a thorn in Notts side had made a career best 86 off 50 balls with 10 fours and four sixes. Wessels was named man of the match following his superlative innings. Notts now face Northants today presumably on the same track; common sense would suggest pushing the boundary ropes further back. MAG

BALL TO RETURN TO BOOST SQUAD


Friday 21 July

Derbyshire have started this campaign reasonably well and might find it difficult to take the wooden spoon this year, the effect of Imran Tahir's guile and enthusiasm evident from the off. Combine that with New Zealander Matt Henry and their array of Kolpaks, Derbyshire are less of a roll over than in previous seasons in this shortest format and a weakened post-Lumb Outlaws will have to be on their game in this Trent Bridge competition seasonal debut.

With Chris Read, again, sitting out this competition - previously Readie handed over the gloves to allow an extra batsman to play whilst recovering from injury, but this year it's to help the future development of the side in the post-Read era of 2018 and onward; does this mean Outlaws aren't 100% committed to winning this competition?

Is this a sign that the Blast T20 competition is already suffering with City Franchise Devaluation?

The shell-shock of James Taylor's condition last season lasted the whole season, could Luke Fletcher's (totally different) brush with death have a similar psychological blow? 

The Outlaws' last fixture at Birmingham, was so long ago.

As he's such a big character and will always be around the squad during his "confinement", it'll be just as though he was injured and shouldn't affect confidence of our professional squad.

Alex Hales
Riki Wessels
Dan Christian
Brendan Taylor
Samit Patel
Billy Root
Steven Mullaney
Tom Moores
Ish Sodhi
Jake Ball
Harry Gurney
Luke Wood
Brett Hutton
Greg Smith
Mark Footitt