Worcestershire Rapids Vitality T20 Blast at Trent Bridge Win Report

 

CAREER BEST FLETCH SEES NOTTS START WITH A WIN

On a cold, blowy night Notts started their Blast campaign with a 4-wicket victory over Worcestershire in front of around 6,000 spectators. After inserting Worcester, Notts took 3 wickets in the powerplay and the visitors struggled to gain momentum, the largest stand was 47 between Munro and Libby for the 4th wicket in 6 overs. Munro played a lone hand scoring 66 in 43 balls (7x4,2x6) but he fell in the 17th over edging Fletcher to Patel who took a smart catch at short third man. Fletcher ended with career best T20 figures of 5-32 in three overs having conceded 16 off his first three deliveries, Ed Pollock hitting him for 466. Worcestershire 164-9 off 20 overs, seemed below par. Notts lost the rusty Hales early, Clarke and Duckett added 54 in 4.1 overs for the 2nd wicket and from that point onwards Notts were always favourites. Clarke top scored with 52 (off 34 balls, 6x4,2x4). Moores, scratchy at first, but then got into stride. Badly dropped on 28 he eventually was out for 47 (off 31 balls, 2x4,3x6). It was left to cool head of Christian 23 not out to see Notts over the line with 2 balls to spare.

Carter (Pavilion End) bowled the opening over and went for four, Pollock hit Fletcher for four through mid-wicket and then hoisted him for two legside sixes. He departed next ball for 19, caught by Hales at mid-on, 20 for 1, 16 off the over. Haynes hit Ball for four through mid-wicket and a four over mid-off, 12 off the third over. D'Oliveira hit Christian to the mid-wicket boundary, but then departed getting a thin edge to attempted leg side shot and edging to Moores, 39 for 2 after 4 overs. Munro hit Patel to the cover ropes and then a straight four, 9 off the fifth over. Haynes was dropped on 14 by Harrison off Ball at deep backward square leg. It was not a costly drop as Haynes (15) fell. Attempting to hoist Ball behind the wicket he only succeeded in edging to Moores, 56 for 3 at the end of the powerplay. Ball had taken his 100th wicket for Notts in T20 cricket.

Harrison conceded six off his first over as did Carter in the 8th over. Munro swept Patel for a legside four, nine off the over. Libby hit Carter to the extra cover boundary. Worcestershire 86 for three off 10 overs.

Munro hit Harrison (2-0-18-0) for six over mid-wicket and then a four through square leg, 12 off the over. Mullaney went for five in his first over. Libby (15) got a leading edge and was caught at mid-off by Mullaney off Christian (3-0-22-2), 103 for 4 in the 13th over, four off the over. Munro reached his 50 off 33 balls, with a four through covers off Mullaney (2-0-16-0), he repeated the shot next ball, 12 off the over including a leg bye. Munro hit Christian for a huge six over square leg, Worcestershire 130 for 4 off 15 overs.

Munro on 66 survived an easy stumping chance by Moores off Carter (4-0-25-0). Once again, this missed opportunity did not hinder Notts as Munro (66 off 43 balls) was caught at short third man by Patel off Fletcher, 136 for 5 in the 17th over. The Kiwi left-hander had achieved his highest score in the Blast. Cox hit Fletcher for 6 into the Fox Road Stand and then a four through extra cover Cox (20) perished next ball caught on the mid-wicket ropes by Harrison off Fletcher, 148 for 6 off 17 overs. Worcester though could only muster 16 off the last three overs of their innings.

Patel (3-0-23-0) conceded six off the 18th over. Waite (2) was caught at long on by Hales off Ball (3-0-24-2), 154 for 7. Just four came off the 19th over. Fletcher bowled the last over having Baker (5) caught and bowled, a swirling effort on the offside, 161 for 8. Fletcher (3-0-32-5) picked up his 5th wicket when Barnard (5) was caught behind, 162 for 9 Worcestershire 164 for 9 off 20 overs, an under-par score. Fletcher had achieved a T20 best, beating his 5-43 v Yorkshire at Trent Bridge in the behind closed doors 2020 season.

Baker (Pavilion End) opened the Rapids bowling. Clarke hit him to the square leg ropes and then the cover boundary off the 5th and 6th balls, 12 off the first over. Hales (2) was caught by Baker at short third man off Pennington's first ball, 12 for 1, four off the 2nd over. Morris was whipped for a leg side boundary by Duckett. Clarke slogged Morris for 4 over mid-wicket and next ball found the ropes at long leg, 31 for 1 off 3 overs. Duckett hit Pennington into the second tier of the Fox Road Stand, later in the over Duckett found the cover boundary, 15 off the over including 2 wides. Duckett found the backward square leg ropes off Yorkshire loanee Waite. Clarke then hit for four through square leg and followed it with a six into the Fox Road, 15 off the over. Morris was hit for six by Duckett over backward square leg, bringing up the 50 partnership in 24 balls. He was out next ball for 29 (off 14 balls) trying to repeat the shot, caught by Pollock at square leg, 66 for 2. Patel played back 4 dot balls, Notts 66 for 2 at the end of the powerplay, seven ahead of the visitors.

Barnard conceded 4 off his first over. Patel (4 off 9 balls) holed out going for a straight six caught by Morris off d'Oliveira for 4, 72 for 3, five off the 8th over. Clarke hoisted Barnard for six into to the Larwood and Voce Stand, 86 for 3 after 9 overs. Five came off the 10th over bowled by d'Oliveira. Clarke got to 50 off 28 balls with a mid-wicket boundary off Baker, eight off the over. Moores hit Barnard (3-0-27-0) for six over mid-wicket and next delivery a four through square leg, 12 off the over. Moores reverse swept d'Oliveira for four. Clarke (52 off 34 balls) skied d'Oliveira to Munro at mid-wicket, 116 for 4 in the 13th over. Clarke and Moores who had shared the match winning unbroken partnership in the recent championship win against The Pears had amassed 44 in 5.1 overs for the fourth wicket.

Baker conceded 3 singles off the 14th over. Christian hit d'Oliveira for 4 through mid-wicket. Moores on 28 was dropped at wide long on by Haynes off d'Oliveira (4-0-24-2), a sitter. Eight off the 15th over. Moores hit Waite for six over square leg, nine off the 16th over. Christian hit a full toss from Baker (4-0-36-0) to the long leg ropes and then following delivery a six over square leg, 150 for 4 off 17 overs.

Moores hit Morris for a straight six, nine of the 18th over. Moores (47) skied Waite and Cox took a running catch towards short fine leg, 159 for 5. Mullaney (0) lasted two balls skying Waite to Pennington (2-0-18-1) at backward square leg, 159 for 6. Harrison backward scooped Waite (3-0-28-2) to the boundary off the last ball of the 19th over. Morris (3.4-0-34-1) bowled the last over, Christian got single to tie the scores. Then after two dot balls, Harrison (8*) hit the winning boundary through the covers. Notts winning by 4 wickets with 2 balls to spare at 2113. Christian 23 not out off 19 balls (2x4,1x6) Next up, Northants on Monday night. MAG

THE BLAST IS BACK

Secret Squirrel has announced an unrevealing 15 man squad; so keeping his cards close to his chest then...

Alex Hales

Ben Slater

Sol Budinger

Joe Clarke

Ben Duckett

Samit Patel

Tom Moores X

Steven Mullaney

Dan Christian C

James Pattinson

Calvin Harrison

Matt Carter

Luke Fletcher

Jake Ball

Dane Paterson

Worcestershire have added Colin Munro and Matthew Waite to their squad that lost at Yorkshire on Wednesday.

24/05/2022



It's the twentieth year of domestic T20 cricket in this country. This year's Vitality T20 Blast will see no Jets, Crusaders, Lions, Sabres, Gladiators or Welsh Dragons but Spitfires will return again, as counties struggle to find a stronger brand locally under competition from the ECB's onslaught from Hundred franchise cricket, with it's deeper marketing budgets.


Notts Outlaws' game against Worcestershire Rapids will be the first Group T20 game since last year's Hundred and the imposition of pre-booked allocated seating for members and for Joe Public and after having a quick look at the website, sales haven't been good in the newly zoned PKF Smith Cooper stand; the most "crowded" zones appear to be "members" and "family" but neither of those zones are more than a third sold and the other zones are barely occupied - Mr Temple must be biting his fingernails hoping for a late surge in sales. The motivation for Mr Temple's pre-booking your seats decision was so called "demand" for groups of like-minded people sitting together, but this just hasn't materialised (as yet). Ordinarily the Smith Cooper is 80-90% occupied on match nights, so this will be the litmus test. The Fox Road stand is half sold at best at the moment. The pavilion is sold out and most areas of Hound Road and Radcliffe Road have good sales densities, so this is where members have opted to book!


25/05/2022


Comments on another post on this blog (75 not out) and in today's Telegraph, confirm that Counties including Notts are struggling to sell tickets for this year's Blast. The Hundred has confused the the casual spectator(?) Having fixtures during the GCSE and A level exams is hardly going to attract 16-18 year olds either and, as said elsewhere, if the direction of sales is in the wrong direction, then any changes need to be reversed quickly. In Trent Bridge's case those changes are the existence of the franchise Trent Rockets and the assigned seating at Blast games. If both were scrapped, it would prove to be a popular move with vast majority, but probably not the bean counters on the committee. Remember: after ECB bribes and hand-outs, the Blast is the chief source of income for most counties.


Kent won the competition last year, who like Notts have white ball specialists to call upon this week; so Outlaws Christian, Hales, Patel, Carter*, Harrison* and Ball* can be added to our squad mix. Defeat for a near full strength Notts side at Derby yesterday, should serve as a huge wake-up call and nip any complacency in the bud. Areas to work on: varying the top and middle order according to game and pitch conditions, death bowlers - who are going to be our (probably only) two specialist pace bowlers in the eleven? Is there still a role for, the less mobile in the field, Steven Mullaney (we're all getting older and slower)? Nevertheless, expectations are sky-high for Notts Outlaws and failure to reach the knock-out stages would be unthinkable, even not getting a home quarter-final would represent abject failure; so the pressure is on from game #1 against Worcestershire Rapids.


How many ties will we rack-up this season, was it three last year?

Notts Seconds managed to tie one of their games today with Lancashire at Worksop College. 26/05



Secret Squirrel might have a surprise in stall for us (like Calvin Harrison was last year) but here are the likely pool of players:


Alex Hales
Joe Clarke
Sol Budinger
Ben Duckett
Samit Patel
Tom Moores X
Dan Christian C
Calvin Harrison
Matt Carter
Luke Fletcher
Jake Ball
Steven Mullaney
Dane Paterson
James Pattinson


wildcards: Toby Pettman, Dane Schadendorf, Ben Slater - anyone else?


26/05/2022


Watched the streaming from Headingley yester-evening, was impressed with Harry Brook and young Matt Revis as Yorkshire Vikings outplayed our opponents tomorrow, in a 7 wicket win. Crowd-wise the attendance wasn't great, but there were a lot of groups of youngsters being focussed-on by the TV, these groups were delightfully diverse in their composition also. It looked like the Yorkshire complimentary ticket budget had been dug into deeply and that they have a crowd choreography department as well .


Worcestershire Rapids to lookout for: Jack Haynes at the top of the order and ...
the rest of the side appeared under-cooked but D'Oliveira and Ed Barnard showed brief flashes of what they could/might do. Pat Brown was a shadow of his former self, but have benefitted from the game. Rapids' side did lack overseas players / white ball specialists and that extra quality was telling in the way the game panned-out. Are Munro and Bravo still in India?