Lancashire RLODC at Old Trafford Win

FABULOUS FIGHTBACK BY OUTLAWS

Jennings Ton takes Lankies to the Brink of Victory before Outlaws' Bowlers Strike!

Superb death bowling by Notts ensured a narrow nine run victory in their opening Royal London fixture in front of a small crowd at Old Trafford last night. On a sunny day a total of 627 runs were scored in a 100 overs in an entertaining encounter on a flat wicket. Despite Keaton Jennings’ second ton in a week against Notts and five wickets for Matt Parkinson, Notts collective team effort saw them over the line. Needing just 76 runs off the last ten overs with seven wickets remaining, Lancashire struggled to find the ropes on the vast Manchester outfield. Samit Patel bowled economically to only go for 4.9 RPO (the best of the match) and in combination with Root started to apply the tourniquet, it was then left to Gurney and Ball to take late wickets as Lancashire stumbled at the final fence. Three Notts batsman got to 50 the pick being man of the match Steven Mullaney's 70 (coupled with 9-0-56-1 and 2 catches) ; he was well supported by Taylor (58), Nash (52) and Moores (47). It was a pleasing debut for Will Fraine who looked composed with the bat in the closing stages making 13 at more than run a ball and then fielding impressively in the deep throughout Lancashire innings.

Notts won the toss and elected to bat. The holders missing six players from the winning line up from Lord's namely Hales, Lumb, Brendan Taylor, Read, Broad and Pattinson. With the wicket expected to spin, Notts opted for a fifth bowler combination of Root and Mullaney with the possibility of also using Chris Nash. This meant that Huddersfield born Will Fraine made his debut for Notts. The Durham University student became the fourth Huddersfield born player to play for Notts following Jimmy Hindson, Ajmal Shahzad and Ryan Sidebottom. With Onions and Anderson missing from the Red Rose line up it was Tom Bailey (Statham) and Joe Mennie (Pavilion) who opened the bowling. 

Wessels and Nash got Notts off to a good start. In the ninth over Wessels going for a shot down towards fine leg only succeeded in edging go Bailey into Davies gloves, a poor shot 44 for one. Wessels 23 off 32 balls with 4 fours. Notts reached 50 for one at the end of the first power play. Clark and Parry replaced Mennie and Bailey. In his third over Parry was hoisted for six by Moores over mid wicket. Leg spinner Matt Parkinson came on for the fifteenth over replacing Clark. A four through long off by Moores saw the fifty partnership for the second wicket with Nash off 49 balls. Notts reached 100 in the 19th over. Nash reached his 50 off 58 balls with a leg side sweep for four off Livingstone, the seventh bowler used in the first 22 overs. Next over Jennings became the 8th bowler utilised and he made the breakthrough. Nash went for a shot over mid wicket but got an edge and the ball spooned to Livingstone in the covers. Nash 52 off 61 balls with five fours, 128 for two. A good innings for the former Sussex man. Excellent keeping by Davies whipping off the bails to dismiss Moores for 47 (49 balls, 2 x 4, 1 x 6) was a momentum changer, Jennings with his 2nd wicket, 133 for three. Taylor and Patel added 31 before Patel chopped on to the returning Mennie (Pavilion End) for 14. Mullaney and Taylor batted circumspectly to begin with but started to accelerate the Notts 200 coming up in the 30th over via a leg side 4 by Mullaney off Parkinson. Next over Mullaney hit Clark for six over long on. Mullaney was then dropped at 26 at mid wicket by Mennie off Jennings, a difficult chance running back at mid wicket. Notts were 212 for 4 off 40 overs, the 50 partnership between Taylor and Mullaney achieved at a run a ball. Taylor reached his 50 with an enormous six over mid wicket off the expensive Clark. Ross Taylor (58) holed out to long off where Bailey took an easy catch, Parkinson the bowler, 248 for 5 in the 44th over. Keeper Davies went off with a thumb injury in the 45th over, Vilas taking over behind the sticks. Root did not last long being caught at extra cover by Lilley off Parkinson for 6, 267 for six. Mullaney got his 50 off 45 balls in the 46th over. Mennie having conceded 21 in first seven overs, then conceded 30 in the next two as the skipper went on a boundary hunt. Mullaney having batted so well eventually miscued to be caught in the covers by Livingstone as Parkinson picked up his third wicket. Mullaney out for 70 (54 balls, 8 x 4, 1 x 6), 297 for seven. Fraine not overawed on his debut hit 13 of 11 balls before being caught on the leg side ropes by Jennings off Bailey, 307 for eight. Ball was out first ball caught at mid wicket, the fourth wicket for Parkinson. Luke Fletcher hit Parkinson for 461 off successive balls. Gurney was then bowled first ball as Parkinson finished with a List A best of 5 for 68. Notts 318 all out with one ball unused. Fletcher 12 not out. A very competitive total on an easy paced track with little venom.

Patel opened up from the Statham End and conceded nine, not helped by some poor fielding from Fletcher. Ball bowled over two and conceded a further nine. Fletcher came on for the third over and his second over had Davies caught at mid off by the skipper for 12, 25 for one. Notts though were carrying little wicket taking threat. Gurney came for over 10 from the Pavilion End and conceded 10. Lancashire 64 for one at the end of power play one, 14 ahead of Notts. Mullaney then replaced Fletcher. Jennings and Livingstone added 50 in 43 balls. In his second over Mullaney bowled a wide and the extra ball was hit for a massive six over mid wicket by Livingstone. Notts desperately needed a wicket and in the 16th over Livingstone was adjudged leg before to Gurney for 33 (38 balls), 95 for 2. The Lancashire 100 came up in the 17th over. Jennings feasting on Notts attack reached his 50 off 46 balls. The fifty partnership between Jennings and Vilas came up in 51 balls with Mullaney and Root bowling in tandem. Lancashire were well on course; the 150 coming up in the 25th over. It was a surprise when Dane Vilas 41 (39 balls – 4 x 4) gave it away slogging Mullaney to Fraine on the deep square leg ropes, 158 for three. Lancashire and in particular Jennings were cruising getting to 200 in 33 overs. Jennings got to his ton off 98 balls including nine fours; the home fans now getting excited. Lancashire got to the third power play on 243 for three, 76 were now needed off 10 overs but the boundaries had started to dry up. Samit returned and Croft (33) top edged him to Fletcher at short third man, 245 for four. Root joined Patel in a spin twin bowling attack, Samit finishing with 1 for 49 off 10 overs. Clark never really looked in and departed lofting Root to Taylor at short square leg, 266 for 5. Fletcher came back for over 45 and conceded 12, 41 runs now required off 5 overs. Eight came off the next over bowled by Root. Jennings brilliant innings came to end pulling Gurney to Taylor at square. He had scored 136 off 129 balls (11 x 4), certainly a case of one that got away, Lancashire beating Notts to his signature last autumn,. Lancashire now needed 28 off three. A misfield from Fletcher kept Mennie on strike, next ball the Aussie lost his off stump to Ball departing for 4, 293 for seven. A slow bouncer saw Lilley pull Ball to Mullaney, 299 for 8 with 13 balls left. Parry played on to Gurney for a two ball duck, 301 for nine. Gurney 3 for 61 including only nine off his two overs. Sixteen were required off the last over but Ball conceded 6 as Lancashire closed on 309 for nine. Ball eight overs 2 for 48. Notts had turned the game around in exciting fashion; their experienced bowling line up had seen them over the line. Their previous List A victory at Old Trafford had been 27 years previous; game 1 of their 1991 Refuge League triumph. MAG
Outlaws have announced this 14 man squad, including new signing Will Fraine: Potentially 7 new Outlaws!

Jake Libby, 
Chris Nash, 
Steven Mullaney (c), 
Riki Wessels, 
Harry Gurney, 
Matt Milnes, 
Luke Fletcher, 
Samit Patel, 
Tom Moores, 
Ross Taylor, 
Jake Ball, 
Will Fraine, 
Billy Root, 
Jack Blatherwick.