Lancashire Lightning Vitality T20 Blast at Trent Bridge Win

AFTER THE RAIN, SAMIT SHINES THROUGH

inspiring first Outlaws home win, with Sodhi coming good with the ball at last too!

In front of a crowd of 11267, Notts beat section leaders Lancashire by 16 runs on the DLS method after rain during Lancashire innings stopped play for 45 minutes and reduced their innings to 15 overs. After a blistering start from Wessels (33 off 13 balls, 1 x 4, 4 x 6), Notts lost three wickets in nine balls to be 56 for 4 in the sixth over. Root and Libby were promoted up the order and struck an unlikely alliance adding 78 in 9 overs as both struck T20 bests with Libby top scoring with 44 (28 balls, 3 x 4, 1 x 6). Dan Christian blasted a quick fire 36 off 17 balls (3 sixes and 2 fours) as Notts finished with a par score of 196 for 8. The pitch being very much on the Fox Road side of the square. There were three wickets apiece for Faulkner and Lester and a horrendous night for Bunny Onions who went for 18 an over off his three overs; Wessels and Libby contriving to get themselves out off his 18 balls of dross. Dark clouds hovered at the interval and it was no surprise when rain stopped play at 29 for 0 after 3 overs, the target was adjusted to 156 off 15 overs. After the players re-emerged two wickets fell in two balls (Davies and Lilley). Jennings fell in Patel’s next over and after conceding 16 of the first over, Samit bagged two for 10 off his final two. Top scoring Karl Brown with 49 (30 balls, 4 x 4, 2 x 6) was removed by man of the match Ish Sodhi. The two spinners had returned to form with combined analyses of 6-0-43-4. The Kiwi had stuck the proverbial two fingers up at his army of critics. Apart from one madcap over from Mullaney who went for 21 with his chum Brown hitting to all parts, Notts bowling on the night was superior to Lancashire. Notts ground fielding was also improved with Will Fraine picking up two outstanding run outs, 

Lancashire won the toss and inserted an unchanged Notts. Steven Croft bowled the first over from the Radcliffe Road End and conceded six runs. Next over was bowled by Toby Lester and first ball was hit by Fraine through extra cover for four. Next ball was hit for four through backward point. Fraine was caught behind for 12 off the fourth ball, 14 for one. James Faulkner bowled the third over and Wessels drove through extra cover for 4, 23 for one after three overs. Onions first ball got hit over backward square leg for six by Wessels. The third ball got deposited by Wessels into the Fox Road Stand. Next ball was a straight six. Ball five went for six over long on. Onions got his man last ball as Wessels trying to scoop the ball to fine leg missed the ball and was bowled for a 13 ball 33, 47 for two off 4 overs. Lester then changed ends and Moores straight drove him for 4 but then was comprehensively bowled by Lester for nine, 56 for three off 5 overs. Patel (1) lasted three balls before being caught at extra cover by Jennings off Faulkner, 56 for 4. Libby hit Faulkner for four through mid wicket. Notts ended the power play on 63 for four.

Croft then conceded six. Matt Parkinson also conceded six as Libby and Root were struggling to time the ball. Eight came off Croft's second over including a sweep for four by Root. Billy Root hit Parkinson for four through extra cover, 92 for 4 after 10 overs. Libby scooped Jordan Clark for four, eight off the over. Libby hit Parkinson for four through extra cover. The 50 partnership between Root and Libby was achieved in 39 balls, 110 for 4 off 12 overs. Libby just cleared the fielder at long off to register his first T20 six, Croft (4-0-30-0) the bowler. Root got a four through wide long leg off Faulkner. Libby (39) was dropped by Jennings at mid off, Faulkner the bowler, 129 for four off 14 overs. Libby scooped the ball into Vilas gloves off Onions, 44 off 28 balls with three fours and one six, 134 for five. Seven off Onions second over. Root reverse swept Parkinson (4-0-35-0) for four, 146 for 5 off 16 overs. Dan Christian straight drove Onions for 4. No ball followed then Christian hit him for four through square leg. A six followed over backward point. The last ball was hit by Christian for six over mid wicket, 24 off the over. Onions 3-0-54-2; a very rare off day for the former England man at TB. Root making room was bowled by Lester for 40 (35 balls 4 x 4), 170 for six. Lester conceded five off the 18th over. Mullaney batting at eight hit an extra cover boundary off Faulkner. Then a six followed over the same area. Mullaney was then bowled for a seven ball 13, 187 for seven. Ball was caught and bowled by Faulkner (4-0-34-3) for a golden duck, 187 for eight. Sodhi ran a bye to the keeper but was very slow setting off and was run out for 0, 188 for nine. Christian somehow got a two with Gurney’s poor running nearly ending in disaster. Christian hit the last ball for 6 over square leg, 196 for 9 off 20 overs. Christian 36 not out off 17 balls. Lester 4-0-33-3.

Despite repeated failures, Patel once again bowled the first over from the Radcliffe Road End. Second ball was hit for leg side four by Davies; the next ball was glided for four through the vacant slip position. Davies hit his third four straight through Mullaney at extra cover. A four followed through long on, 16 off the over. Patel though was to have the last laugh later. Harry Gurney then conceded five. Brown hit Ball's first ball for a leg side four, eight off the over. Light rain stopped play at 2016 with Lancashire 29 for 0 off 3 overs. Play resumed at 2100 with the revised target at 156 off 15 overs. Half the crowd though had decided to leave the ground.

With the first ball of the resumption Patel bowled Alex Davies for 19, 29 for one. Lilley was run out first ball by a smart piece of fielding by Fraine at square leg. Off the fifth ball Brown hit a four extra cover, 36 for two off 4 overs. Brown pulled Christian for four, then hit him through the covers for four, 11 off the over. Samit bowled an excellent sixth over bowling Jennings for three. Patel 3-0-26-3. Lancashire 50 for three off 6 overs. Because of the rain, the power play had consisted of 27 balls. Six off the bat and a leg bye followed off Sodhi's opening over. Mullaney came on and first ball was hit for a straight six by Brown. Brown got a two and then followed it with a six into the Larwood and Voce. Another six over long on followed, Wessels not holding on to the very hard chance on the ropes [taking the juggling catch put touching the rope in the process - taking the sportsmanship prize in the process as most of the crowd and umpire had missed his light brush of the rope], 21 off the over. Karl Brown was the then caught at extra cover by Christian for 49, Sodhi the bowler, 83 for four after 9 overs. Gurney then removed Clark (1) caught at extra cover by Christian, 83 for 5. Gurney conceding four. Sodhi (3-0-17-2) was proving difficult to get away and bowled Croft attempting a sweep, 93 for 6 off 11 overs. Faulkner hit Ball for six into the Larwood and Voce. Two balls later Faulkner hit Ball for 4 through backward point. Vilas then hit Ball for a straight six, 18 off the over. Faulkner then guided Christian for four through third man. Faulkner then hit Christian for six over backward square leg. Faulkner (23 off 8 balls) then holed out to long on where Wessels took the catch off Christian, 123 for seven. Christian 2-0-23-1. Vilas hit Gurney (3-0-16-1) for a leg side four, seven off the over. Vilas was run out going for a second; the laser arm of Fraine throwing from the square leg ropes, 132 for eight. Ball (3-0-34-0) only conceded seven off the last over as Onions and Lester struggled to find runs. Lancashire 139 for eight after 15 overs. Notts had won their first T20 home game at the fourth time of asking and are fifth in the Northern Section. Notts head up the Riverside today with Ben Stokes playing as a batsman [only] for the home side.MAG