Derbyshire Falcons Vitality T20 Blast at Trent Bridge Win

FOUR STAR SODHI DRIVES OUTLAWS TO VICTORY

On a night when all the overseas players showed their worth

A crowd of 10203 saw Notts gain a vital 9 run victory against their nearest rivals after Derbyshire 93 for two in the 10th over (only needing a further 74 runs) suffered stage fright. In a game dominated by the two teams respective overseas players, Notts decided to go with an extra bowler, a move which proved wise after the event as Jake Ball went lame after he bowled seven balls. Notts once more misfired in the power play ending it at 37 for three. Moores (48) got runs against the Peakites yet again, but Notts were in real trouble at 93 for five in the 13th over. The skIpper joined forces with Root and added 73 in 46 balls as Notts closed on 166 for five a score that looked 20 or so runs under par. The two overseas bowlers Ferguson and Wahab Riaz were outstanding for Derby with 4 over spells of 2 for 15 and 1 for 17 respectively. Patel removed the big hitting MacLeod in his first over. Riaz though came in as a pinch hitter and raced to a 50 off 29 balls. He added 50 for the second wicket with Billy Godleman in 34 balls before man of the match Sodhi weaved his magic getting his leg break to turn. Firstly Godleman was leg before for 14 as Sodhi after a three over gap then switched to the Pavilion End. Riaz edged to Moores and then two balls later Wilson was bowled. Sodhi was on fire! In his next over top batsman Madsen lost his nerve holing out to the square leg ropes, Sodhi 4 for 17. Derby’s long tail could not cope with experienced pair, Fletcher and Gurney as the boundaries started to dry up. Notts remain fifth in the Northern Section with the batting concerns very much remaining. A return to fitness of Hales for the last four games would deliver a massive boost to a fragile batting line up.

Notts won the toss and elected to bat with Fletcher replacing Fraine. Riaz opened from the Pavilion End and conceded just a single. Notts finally found the ropes off the tenth ball as Moores blasted Rampaul for an offside four, a six over mid wicket followed next ball, 15 for 0 off 2 overs. Lockie Ferguson Yorked Wessels who took 6 balls for his 2, 16 for one. The rapid Ferguson conceded only two in his opening over. Libby hit Rampaul for a four through fine leg. Moores then hit an offside four, 28 for 1 off 4 overs. Libby (11) hit Ferguson for a boundary through extra cover. Next ball he lost his off stump as Ferguson yorked him, 32 for two. A bouncer from Ferguson went for 4 byes, 36 for two off 5 overs. Mullaney was out for a 4 ball duck caught at third man by Rampaul off Riaz. A maiden for Riaz, another nightmare power play for Notts, standing at 37 for three.

Tom Moores hit Viljoen for an extra cover boundary, and then followed it up with a straight four, 12 off the over. Ferguson conceded four including 2 no balls, 53 for three off 8 overs. Patel hit Hughes for four through extra cover, then next ball found the ropes at backward point. The last ball was flicked for four through the vacant slip position, 13 off the over. Patel was dropped on the mid wicket ropes on 13 by Godleman off Viljoen, a sitter. Five off the over. Moores hit Hughes for an offside four. The left hander hit Hughes for a six over long off. Patel then dabbed Hughes for four, the 50 partnership achieved in 33 balls, 88 for three off 11 overs. Moores was caught at deep mid wicket by Anuj Dal, as leg spinner Critchley picked up a wicket with his first ball, Moores 48 off 34 balls (4 x 4, 3 x 6), 88 for four. Four off the 12th over. Viljoen yorked Patel as Samit lost his off stump for a 20 ball 22, 93 for five. Just two off Viljoen's (3-0-18-1) third over and final over. Critchley conceded three singles off the 14th over. The ground was almost silent when the 100 came up in the 15th over. Three off Ferguson's last over as he finished with 4-0-15-2. Matt Critchley then went for five, 107 for five off 15 overs. Christian just cleared the mid wicket ropes off Riaz, 12 off the over. Christian hit Critchley for successive sixes over long on and mid wicket. Next ball was edged by Christian for four. Root reverse swept the leg spinner for four, 22 off the over. Critchley 4-0-34-1. On the night he was to be upstaged by Sodhi. Riaz returned with 4 byes off his first ball and four leg byes off his last, the Pakistani 4-1-17-1. Billy Root hit Rampaul for a six over extra cover. Root hit the last ball for four through the covers. Notts 166 for five off 20 overs Christian 39 not out off 25 balls (1 x 4, 3 x 6) and Root 28 not out off 24 balls (2 x 4, 1 x 6). They had added 73 in 46 balls for the sixth wicket and gave Notts hope.

Godleman hit Patel's first ball for a leg side for four, MacLeod (4) did the same but next ball he played on, 9 for 1 after 6 balls. Riaz hit Gurney for four through mid wicket, 5 off the over. Jake Ball conceded six off over three including 2 wides. Riaz ramped Fletcher for four, the over costing seven. Riaz hit Gurney for a leg side four. Next ball was hit for a six over long on. Godleman guided Gurney for four, 16 off the over. Riaz had a let off on 24 as Mullaney missed a chance off Ball running on from long on. Jake Ball had to leave the field with a side strain. Fletcher completing the last five 5 balls of the over got hit over mid wicket for six. Riaz then ramped Fletcher for four, 57 for one at the end of the power play. Seemingly well ahead in the game.

Sodhi the game changer?

Sodhi broke the 50 partnership between Godleman and Riaz, as the former was leg before for 14, 59 for two. Madsen swept the leg spinner for four, six off the over. Patel bowling from the Pavilion End was hit for a six into the Fridge by Madsen, 74 for two after 8 overs. Madsen hit Mullaney for a four through square leg. Riaz then hit Mullaney for a straight six, Mullaney sole over going for 12. Riaz brought up his 50 off 29 balls with a six over long on off Sodhi. 

Sodhi on fire!

Riaz with his maiden T20 fifty (previous best 42) departed caught behind by Moores off Sodhi for 53, 93 for three. Wilson departed for a two ball quack bowled Sodhi, 93 for four off 10 overs. Patel then conceded four. Madsen (21) frustrated holed out to substitute Will Fraine on the square leg ropes as Sodhi picked up wicket number four, 98 for five off 12 overs. Patel finished with 4-0-30-1, six off his last over. Three came off Sodhi's last over 4-0-17-4. 

Hardus Viljoen went for a leg side hoick but missed and was bowled Christian for seven, 110 for six. The skipper preferring himself to the out of sorts Mullaney. Critchley hit Christian for a four through extra cover, nine off the over. Fletcher conceded six off the 16th over. Hughes hit a slower ball from Christian for four over long leg. Hughes then hit another four off Christian (2-0-23-1) in the same area, 14 off the over. An excellent over from Gurney saw him go for 5 singles and then York Alex Hughes for 18, 141 for seven off 18 overs. Fletcher (3.5-0-34-0) conceded nine off the 19th over. Derby needed 17 off the last over. Critchley skied a slower ball from Gurney (4-0-33-2) straight to Christian at mid off, 150 for eight. Dal got a four through third man due to confusion from Fletcher and Sodhi. Derby though fell nine runs short at Notts 157 for eight. The experienced bowling line up had come up trumps, defending an inadequate total. Notts will have to bat much better to qualify for the knockout stage, much better opponents await. MAG