Durham Jets NWT20 Blast at Trent Bridge

RECORD PUSHING OUTLAWS THRASH DURHAM

as Alex Hales goes ballistic 

Yet another slog fest at Trent Bridge as Notts thrashed Durham to go top of the Northern Section by 5 wickets with 37 balls unused. Man of the Match once more was Alex Hales with 95 off 30 balls with nine fours and nine sixes. The opening partnership of 126 was made off just 43 balls. The score of 106 at the end of the power play is a T20 world record. Records galore once more. All this after Durham struggling at 124 for 6 off 16 overs, added 59 in last fours overs as Coughlin and Pringle attacked Ball and Gurney to good effect. Seventeen sixes were hit in the match, 12 by Notts.

Notts won toss and elected to bowl, once again they were unchanged. The pitch was the same one used for the Yorkshire game with the very small boundaries remaining. Patel opened up from the Radcliffe Road and with his last ball Clark tried to hit him to mid wicket and was bowled for one, 3 for one. Steel had a let off as he skied the ball off Gurney, unfortunately none of Notts fielders went for the catch, seven for one off two overs. Ball conceded 15 off the third over including three fours for Cameron Steel. Christian went for nine in over four with two fours for Steel. Gurney then went for seven, 38 for one after five overs. Ball went for a further 10 as Durham completed the power play on 48 for one. 

Patel returned and went for nine runs. Mullaney then came on from the Pavilion End. Steel promptly hit a full toss straight to Hales on the mid wicket ropes. Steel got 35 off 23 balls (3 x 4, 1 x 6); three off the over. Ish Sodhi with his third ball removed Jack Burnham's leg stump as he departed for one, 61 for three. Sodhi went for four. Gareth Harte was next to go caught at deep cover by Taylor off Mullaney for six, 68 for 4 off 9.3 overs. A heavy shower stopped play at 1505. Play recommenced at 1518. Durham 71 for 4 at the half way stage. Sodhi was proving economical his second over going for six. Richardson hit Mullaney (3-0-24-2) for consecutive boundaries, 92 for four off 12 overs. Six came off over 13 bowled by Patel. Richardson reached 50 off 37 balls as Sodhi went for six. A wild swing and miss saw Richardson gone for career best 53 off 41 balls (5 x 4), bowled by Patel, 107 for five. Patel excellent again; 4 overs two for 23 on the batting paradise. Sodhi was hit over square leg for six by Poynter. Two balls later a leg stump full toss was dispatched for six by Coughlin. A long hop saw Poynter (8) put Sodhi straight to Christian at cover. Sodhi 2 for 31 off his four overs. Harry Gurney conceded nine as Durham stood at 133 for six after 17 overs. The eighteenth over went for 10 including four byes as Ball was too fast for keeper Moores. Pringle hit Gurney for consecutive fours. Coughlin then hit him for six over square leg then edged four followed. Nineteen off the over, Gurney 4-0-39-0. Pringle then drove Ball for four. Six leg byes followed courtesy of four overthrows from Taylor. Pringle then hit Ball through fine leg for four. Ball finally pitched one up and bowled Pringle for 25 (12 balls – 4 x 4). The seventh wicket had added 52 runs in 22 balls. Coughlin then hit a six behind the wicket, 21 off the over. Ball 1 for 46. Durham had scored 59 off the last four overs. Durham 183 for seven after 20 overs.

Then came the blitzkrieg. Hales hit Weighell for six over square leg and then a four as first over went for 13. Arshad bowling consecutive beamers was removed from the attack and four runs to Notts via two no balls. Arshad (0-0-5-0 – what a crazy game!). Captain Paul Coughlin replaced him and was hit for 464 for Hales. Coughlin was then struck on the hand after fierce drive from Hales and after five balls he had to go off. The over had to be completed by a third bowler. Jack Burnham. Three bowlers to bowl one over. Notts 32 for 0 after two overs. Brydon Carse on his Durham T20 debut then came on and Wessels hit him for three consecutive fours. Pringle was hit for six over cover by Wessels as the 50 partnership in 22 balls, 51 for 0 after four overs. Rain stopped play at 1628 for Notts 55 for 0 after 4.1 overs. Play restarted at 1708 and started as it ended with Hales hitting Carse for four, two more fours followed. Two no balls were bowled and Wessels hooked the free hit for six, 27 off the over. Hales reached his 50 off 19 balls with a two off Pringle.
Hales hit Pringle for three sixes in over six. Notts 106 for 0 after 6 overs. Hales then hit Steel for 6 and then was dropped off a caught and bowled chance. Another two sixes followed over mid wicket. Twenty off the over. He then skied Weighell to keeper Poynter, 95 in 30 balls (9 x 4, 9 x 6). He left to a standing ovation. There followed a series of dismissals as Notts were trying to improve their net run rate. Moores was well caught to his right at cover by Carse for a golden duck as Weighell picked up second wicket, 127 for two. Christian hit successive fours and then was dropped by Richardson. He was then dropped again by Carse off Weighell. Dan Christian was finally caught on the long off ropes for 10, 138 for three. Mullaney became the second Notts batsman with a golden blob as was out caught slogging by Weighell off at mid off off Steel (4-0-60-2). Wessels was dropped at mid wicket by Richardson off Weighell when 26, 141 for four off 10. A total of 14 was hit of over 11 including three fours. Carse went for just two in over 12. Twenty three came off the next over, as everybody was now losing all sense of perspective. Patel was then out for 26 (4 x 4; 1 x 6) off 16 balls caught by Steel at mid on off Carse, 180 for five. Notts got home shortly afterwards in bright sunshine with Wessels 41 not out off 34 balls (4 x 4; 2 x 6) and Taylor one not out. A home quarter final is now a strong possibility with two home games and away game at Worcester to come. Proper cricket returns tomorrow..... MAG