Yorkshire Vikings Vitality T20 Blast at Trent Bridge Win

LIBBY AND MOORES IMPRESS ABOARD THE OUTLAWS EXPRESS

Notts returned to winning ways with an emphatic 63 run victory over Yorkshire Vikings in front of 12277 at Trent Bridge last night. The visitors badly hit by Test calls were further handicapped with Bresnan and Plunkett also out of the starting eleven. An unchanged Notts tinkered with their batting line up, once more promoting Jake Libby up to three; it worked a treat as Notts achieved their highest T20 score at Trent Bridge this season reaching 212 for five. Libby (58) and man of the match Tom Moores (80 not out) both achieved T20 bests as the pair added 112 in 11 overs. A feature of the innings was the excellent running between the wickets. 

Yorkshire after being ahead after the power play lost their way as the boundaries started to dry up as Notts bowled extremely well. Kohler-Cadmore (72) and Willey (30) added 74 in 9 overs for the Yorkshire second wicket. Crucially though the last 5.3 overs of the Tyke innings saw a dramatic slow down as only 22 runs were scored for the loss of four wickets as Gurney, Fletcher and Christian suffocated them. This period of play meant the size of Notts victory was enough to take Notts to fourth position in the Table knowing if they win their remaining two fixtures in Worcester and Leeds qualification would be certainty.

An unchanged Notts won the toss and elected to bat. Wessels hit Willey’s opening ball through the covers for four. Hales repeated the shot three balls later. Nine off the first over. Jack Brooks conceded 12 off over two, two fours for Hales. Fisher came on and was hit for 4 and then a straight six by Wessels. But next ball, he perished caught at short fine leg by Brooks off Fisher for a 9 ball 16, 31 for one. Brooks conceded just a single off his second over, 35 for 1 off 4 overs. Libby then hit Fisher for four through mid wicket damaging his bat in the process. Six came off the next over bowled by Fisher. Hales never really got going and was caught low down at point by Kane Williamson off Brooks for 17 off 18 balls, 43 for two. Notts completed the power play on 45 for two.

Jordan Thompson came on from the Pavilion End and Moores coming in lower down at four hit him for a straight boundary, 8 off the over. Moores glanced Harry Brook for a fine leg boundary and then Libby lofted him for midwicket six, 13 off the over. Willey returned and went for seven, 73 for two off 9 overs. Libby hit Rafiq for four through mid wicket, 12 off the over. Libby lofted Thompson for six into the Larwood and Voce to bring up the 50 partnership in 36 balls. A straight four for Moores off Rafiq brought the 100 in the 12th over. Libby then hit Rafiq for successive fours through extra cover, 112 for two off 12 overs. Moores blasted Jack Brooks for an off side four. Brooks finishing with 4-0-22-1. Matt Fisher returned and was hoisted for huge leg side six into the Fox Road Stand by Tom Moores. Libby paddled a four to reach a maiden T20 fifty off 25 balls, 132 for two off 14 overs Notts were to add 70 off the last six overs to turn the game in their favour. Tom Moores got his 50 off 35 balls as Willey conceded eight. Adam Lyth came on for a twirl as 100 partnership between Libby and Libby was achieved in 63 balls. Lyth bowled a no ball, the free hit going for five wides, 14 off the over. Libby trying to make room was comically bowled for 58 off 33 balls (5 x 2, 2 x 6), Thompson the bowler, 155 for three. Moores then hit the Tyke youngster for a straight six, 167 for three off 17 overs. Christian square drove Fisher for 4, then followed it up with a straight 4, and a boundary through extra cover. A six followed over long off. Christian then chopped on to Fisher for a 7 ball 20, 185 for four off 18 overs. Mullaney was dropped by substitute Jack Leaning at deep square leg off Thompson. Mullaney was then run out backing up too far for one. Moores then hit a six over midwicket. Patel then dabbed Thompson (4-0-46-1) for four, 13 off the over. Willey bowled the last over. Patel was dropped behind the wicket by Tattersall and then Moores blasted another two boundaries. Notts closed on 212 for 5 with Moores 80 not out off 49 balls with 6 fours and three sixes. Patel 7 not out. Fisher 4-0-52-2.

The sky was clear blue as the sun setting behind the TBI as Yorkshire commenced their reply. Patel opened up from the Pavilion End and his first ball was swept for six by Adam Lyth. Nine off the over. Gurney then conceded 10, boundaries to Kohler-Cadmore and Lyth. Fletcher came on for the third over as Kohler-Cadmore hit him for 6, 27 for 0 after 3 overs. Christian picked up a wicket with his second ball as Lyth (14) skied him to Mullaney in the covers, 27 for one, five off the over. Next over Gurney was hit for two fours by Kohler-Cadmore. Fletcher saw out the power play as Yorkshire stood at 47 for one, two more runs than Notts achieved.

Ish Sodhi came on the Pavilion End and conceded seven. Mullaney’s first over proved expensive, 13 runs off the bat including a 6 and 4 to Willey. Sodhi went for 4 and then Christian returned and conceded 15 including three fours for Kohler-Cadmore. The former Pear had reached 50 in 35 balls as Yorkshire stood on 86 for one off 10 overs; ahead of Notts at the same stage but facing scoreboard pressure with the 12.7 RPO asking rate. Sodhi then bowled a good over that went for 5 and then Mullaney went for 6, the screw was turning ever tighter. Patel who only bowled two overs on the night returned and pick up Willey as the left hander was well caught by Wessels at long on taking the ball centimetres from the turf, and drop kicking the ball in celebration. Willey 30 off 23 balls (1 x 4, 1 x 6). Yorkshire at 101 for 2 now needed 15.34 RPO, the game was over as a contest. Ballance hit the returning Mullaney (3-0-30-0) for six in over 14. Kohler-Cadmore blasted successive straight sixes of Sodhi, but the pyrotechnics off the bat closed down for the night as Yorkshire completely lost their way. Tom Kohler-Cadmore perished edging Sodhi to Mullaney at short third man. Kohler-Cadmore 72 off 54 balls with 7 fours and 3 sixes. Sodhi closed on 4-0-30-1. Fletcher conceded six. Then next over Harry Gurney yorked Ballance for 10, 138 for four. Only four off the 17th over. Harry Brook tried a paddle sweep and departed leg before for a 4 ball single 2, 141 for five. Fletcher 4-0-23-1. Kane Williamson then perished caught running in from long on by Alex Hales, a second wicket for Gurney, 141 for six. Matt Fisher was yorked by Gurney for one. Gurney 4-0-24-3, 143 for seven. Christian (3-0-26-1) bowled the final over, three dots, two singles and then Jordan Thompson found the ropes of the last ball of the innings. Yorkshire a meagre 149 for seven, pride had been restored for Notts. In a reprise of the Derby 50 over game earlier this season one large victory had dramatically changed the table as Notts qualification prospects had changed from being virtually dead and buried to now having their destiny in their own hands. Thunderstorms are predicted tomorrow at New Road, a no result could put the spanner in the works but Notts could still qualify on 15 points, but it appears a victory at Leeds could be essential as Yorkshire play at Wantage Road on Thursday. MAG

As the fat lady goes through her scales, warming-up before she lets rip, we find ourselves down to the last three games, Outlaws have dropped to seventh, the gap between us and the Q/F positions has now stretched to 2 points but that can be closed partially if we beat Yorkshire on Friday and Bears beat Lightning or if Lightning beat Bears then fourth position would be decided on only NRR between Outlaws and Vikings.

Time for Change?

Do we need a change in approach? Current tactics aren't working, we're shooting ourselves in the foot when losing too many important wickets in the powerplay. The opposition have out played and out thought us, particularly in the last two games and matches against Durham. We need to get smarter and be less predictable tactically.

Do we need a change in personel? The last two games have had the same eleven, games that both resulted in matches where we have suffered heavy defeats.

Jake Libby has been something of a minor revelation, kind of re-inventing himself but he still lacks that brute-force power that is more often than not necessary when batting at the times that he has been called upon to bat, ie: in the PP or in the closing stages of an innings. Jake would be better batting in middle stages of the innings but has been forced otherwise by circumstances. There has been a reason why he didn't get a sniff of a chance of playing T20 in previous years, those reason remain, not that he should necessarily be made a scapegoat; the same goes for Billy Root but difficult decisions have to be made and changes have got to happen.

The weather has certainly changed; it's currently throwing it down and there remains a chance of rain this evening too.

The only definite change this evening will be the Outlaws shirts, which have been hi-jacked by our sponsors to commemorate something important to them. We're back in yellow so perhaps that might ignite a change in other departments but Peter Moores wasn't talking last night like a man that was going to change much for tonight ..... we'd settle for just a change of fortunes really.


Jake Libby, 
Steven Mullaney, 
Riki Wessels, 
Alex Hales, 
Harry Gurney, 
Matt Milnes, 
Luke Fletcher, 
Samit Patel, 
Tom Moores (wkt), 
Paul Coughlin, 
Will Fraine, 
Dan Christian (c), 
Ish Sodh,
Billy Root.