Friday 23 August 2019

Leicestershire Foxes Vitality T20 Blast at Grace Road Win




HALES LEADS THE WAY AFTER OUTLAWS' BOWLERS STIFLE FOXES' INNINGS

Notts cruised to a seven wicket victory in front of a crowd of 4704 at Grace Road last night. They restricted Leicester to a below par 161 for nine; the home side despite the fast outfield could only find the ropes 14 times in the innings. Harry Swindells top scored with 61 off 46 balls (6x4) but Leicester were tied down by an accurate Notts attack led by Luke Fletcher (3 for 17) and Harry Gurney (2 for 29). Fletcher having signed a two year contract extension earlier in the day, welcome good news for the beleaguered Notts faithful. When Notts batted they took 20 off the fifth over of the innings bowled by Will Davis and this set the platform for a comfortable victory. Man of the match Alex Hales (60 off 39 balls (8x4,1x6)) and Ben Duckett (47 off 29 balls (7x4)) added 96 for the second wicket in nine overs with both falling with the score on 119. Moores (18no) joined Captain Dan Christian (27no) and they added an unbroken 46 for the fourth wicket in 5.2 overs as Notts won with seven balls to spare. Notts now lie third in the Northern Section and are well placed for qualification for the quarter finals.

Leicester won the toss and elected to bat in perfect batting conditions with clear blue skies. In came Fletcher and Ball for Imad Wasim and Luke Wood. Eight came off the first over bowled by Carter from the Bennett End including a wide and 4 leg byes Ten runs came off the second over bowled by Patel as Christian started with an all spin attack. Nine came off Carter's second over including a boundary for Swindells. Seven runs were scored off the fourth over bowled by Fletcher. Cosgrove was caught at short third man by Carter off Gurney, 41 for one after five overs. Lilley, show outstanding at Trent Bridge earlier in the Tournament, played on to a well pitched from Fletcher for a duck, 42 for two. Three off the over. Leicester 44 for two after the power play.

Eight runs were acquired off the seventh over bowled by Jake Ball including a boundary for Ackermann. Patel conceded five off the eighth over. Carter bowled the next over, Leicester 65 for 2 after nine overs. Patel conceded 13 including boundaries for Ackermann and Swindells. Christian came on from the Bennett End and went for 10 as The Foxes briefly started to accelerate. Jake Ball conceded six, Leicester 94 for two off 12 overs. Gurney returned and went for eight including a boundary for Swindells. Nine came off Patel's last over, Patel 4 0 37 0. Colin Ackermann holed out to Libby on the mid wicket ropes for 42 (31 balls – 5x4), Christian the bowler 118 for three in the 15th over. Christian 2 0 19 1. Harry Swindells hit Ball for a four who appeared to hurt his left hand injury trying to stop the ball. Play carried on after Ball received treatment from James Pipe. Harry Swindells departed for 61 caught by Duckett at mid on off Ball, 127 for 4. Nine off the over and Ball (3 0 23 1) departed from the field. Carter (4 0 31 1) got one to turn in to left hander Dearden (1) who lost his middle stump, 135 for five. Eleven off the over including five wides. Gurney then went for seven runs including an edged four for Lewis Hill. Hill departed for 12 caught on the distant square leg boundary by Duckett off Fletcher, 148 for six. The hit would have been a six on virtually any other ground. Aadil Ali (12) lost two stumps as he was comprehensively bowled by a Fletcher Yorker, 154 for 7. Klein (1) was caught behind by Moores off Gurney. Leicester 161 for nine after 20 overs Parkinson 4 not out and Griffiths 1 not out. The rampant Fletcher (3 0 17 3) the star, well supported by Gurney (4 0 29 2). The Notts fielding was better on the night as the home side were to put in a rather ragged effort in the field

The sun was setting in the clear blue sky as dusk descended during the break, the floodlights now beaming in the warm night air.

Four came off the first over bowled by Callum Parkinson. Hales hit Klein for a leg side four, eight off the over. Clarke hit Griffiths for an offside four. Clarke (9) was dropped at short third man by Parkinson (a sitter) on 8 off Griffiths but departed to Ackermann's first ball, hitting a long hop from the spinner to Lilley at deep square leg, 23 for one in the 4th over. Alex Hales drove Davis for four and then a poor ball was deposited for a leg side four. Next ball, Hales nudged Davis for four through third man. A straight six followed 20 off the over; this was the key over of the Notts innings. Hales hit Klein towards the extra cover boundary and a half tracker followed that Hales hit for a leg side four. Notts 56 for 1 after six overs, 12 ahead of Leicester

Parkinson conceded seven off the seventh over. Lilley then went for five in his sole over. Griffiths was hit three consecutive fours in the ninth over by Duckett, 14 off the over. Duckett having gained confidence from his innings at Scarborough earlier this week. Hales got to 50 off 28 balls with a single off Griffiths. Davis conceded 12 including a boundary for Hales, then Parkinson conceded 11, 106 for one off 11 overs. Duckett hit Ackermann for a leg side four and he reverse hit him for four, 12 off the over. Duckett holed out to square leg ropes caught Ali bowled by Klein for 47 off 29 balls, 119 for two. Hales went eight balls without scoring and departed bowled by Parkinson for 60 off 38 balls, 119 for three in the 14th over. Moores was missed at extra cover by Dearden off Griffiths, five off the over. The batsman losing the ball temporally in the floodlights; Notts 126 for three off 15 overs. Ackermann conceded seven in the 16th over. Christian slashed Davis for an offside four, and was driven for four by the skipper, 12 off the over. Davis had been hit for 44 off three overs. Christian greeted the returning Klein with four backward of point. He repeated the dose off the last ball of the over. Griffiths bowled by the 19th over from the Pavilion End with Moores hitting boundaries off the first and fifth balls of the over to seal Notts the victory. Yorkshire next up at Trent Bridge tomorrow. MAG





Friday sees Notts limp back to the thrash and crash of T20 after the defeat beside the sea at Scarbados.

Foxes are on a bit of a roll after their rain reduced smash and grab at Trent Bridge last month, that set them on a run of sorts. 

Peter Moores will face the temptation to throw Paul Coughlin into the XI unless there he's had some reaction to the Yorkshire game. 

The Notts' website appears to have sidetracked itself with charity buffets, but has now belatedly announced a below full strength squad:

Joe Clarke
Alex Hales
Ben Duckett
Tom Moores
Dan Christian
Jake Libby
Sami Patel
Luke Wood
Luke Fletcher
Matt Carter
Harry Gurney
Chris Nash
Jake Ball
Liam Patterson-White


Imad Wasim isn't available for this weekend.

3 comments:

  1. Need a good result in this game, so we keep our destiny in our hands.
    Also to revenge the shocking defeat to this lot at Trent Bridge.
    The openers owe us a big score!

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  2. Stonewall Jackson23 August 2019 at 21:58

    Good win for the lads. Should never have lost to them at our place. Good to see Baz and Duckett hit form just when we need them. Also, credit to BIG Fletch playing only his 2nd game. The Raptors have just beaten the Bears so with us and them both having so called easier last games on Friday, assuming we can knock over The Vikings this Sunday, a home qtr game looks like it will be the winner when we play each other this Wednesday. They've got a difficult game versus the Lightning on Sunday though so perhaps they can do us a favour

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  3. Not a brilliant Match and not a brilliant atmosphere - Grace Road just doesn't lend itself to creating good atmospheres. Leicestershire fielding was weak at times but they were certainly some 20 runs 'light' at the end having failed to accelerate in their final few Overs. I am still uncertain that Notts will get a Home Quarter-Final. Joe Clarke again failed and his 1st Team future must now be looking in some doubt. Wonderful to see Luke Fletcher bowling so well and delighted that he has been given a new 2 year Contract.

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