Lancashire Lightning Vitality T20 Blast at Stanley Park, Blackpool Loss

 

OUTLAWS STRUCK DOWN BY LIGHTNING AT THE SEASIDE

it was just a stroll in the park for Lancashire

Lancashire literally had a stroll in the Park in Blackpool today winning by 6 wickets over a stale Notts outfit who offered little with bat or ball.

In front of a large crowd on a sunny afternoon albeit with a stiff north westerly wind blowing, Lancashire won the toss and inserted Notts, as Stanley Park hosted its first T20 fixture. Notts somewhat foolhardy stuck to same aged eleven.

Slow left armer Tom Hartley (South End) dropped Hales (0) off his own bowling, Hales hit him for a straight four, six off the first over. Hales hit Gleeson to the cover ropes., 7 off the second over. Hales attacked Bailey. His first ball was hit for a six over square leg, the second ball was a hit to the point ropes. The third ball was pulled for another six over square leg. Hales (22) perished next ball caught on the square leg ropes by Bohannon, 29 for 1. Duckett hit the last ball of the over for four to long off, 22 off the 3rd over. Clarke (6) was caught by David skying the ball to mid-on off Gleeson, 35 for 2. Duckett scooped Bailey for four and then hit a four through square leg., ten off the 5th over. Gleeson bowled the last over of the powerplay, 52 for 2 off 6 overs.

Duckett swept Parkinson for 4 to mid-wicket and Patel hit the leg spinner to the point ropes, 12 off the 7th over Wells went for 7 in the 8th over. Duckett (29) attempting to ramp Hartley was caught by keeper Vilas, 81 for 3 off 9 overs. The shot ricocheted of Vilas's helmet and he caught the rebound running low to his left. Wells conceded six off the 10th over.

Patel hit Hartley for 6 over square leg, 9 off the 11th over. Moores hit David for 4 through third man, Notts 105 for 4 off 12 overs. Wells conceded 4 runs in the 13th which included three successive dot balls to Moores who once again was failing to rotate the strike. Patel hit David for successive leg side boundaries. Moores hit the off spinner for a straight four, 16 off the over. Moores (16) went for an impossible two off Hartley hitting the ball to Croft on the mid-wicket ropes who threw the ball to Hartley, 126 for 4. Moores was two thirds through his second run as Patel never contemplated running the second.

Patel (45 off 36 balls) was dismissed three deliveries later to a catch on the square leg by Wells off Hartley (4-0-27-2l, 126 for 5. Parkinson conceded 5 off the 16th over. Mullaney (4) going for a leg side hit was plumb leg before to Wells, 132 for 6. Wells (4-0-20-1) conceding 3 off his last over. Christian hit Parkinson (3-0-32-0) for an off driven four. Harrison twice hit Parkinson for four through extra cover, 15 off the over. Harrison scooped the impressive Gleeson (4-0-24-1) for 4, ten off the 19th over. Harrison was caught and bowled by Lamb for 17, taking one hand off the bat, the ball ballooned into the covers. 160 for 7, Lamb bowling his first over of the contest was hit by Christian for a boundary through extra cover. Christian deposited the 5th and 6th ball for legside sixes. With lightning-fast outfield, Notts had scored a seemingly under par 179 for 7 off 20 overs with Christian unbeaten on 30 (off 14 balls) and Carter on 1. Lancashire's ground fielding had been excellent and Notts innings, which lacked a major contributor had been squeezed by 13 overs of spin.

Fletcher (South End) bowled the first over and went for 8, Jennings hitting the last ball for a mid-wicket four. Jennings on 6 was dropped by Christian a swirling chance at long off, that he threw for four., 9 off Carter's first over. Jennings hit Paterson for 6 over square leg, 24 for 0 off 3 overs. Jennings (24) hit Fletcher for 6 over square leg, but he then hit Fletcher straight to Mullaney at mid-wicket, 31 for 1, Fletcher conceding 7 off the 4th over. Bohannon (7) was caught by Christian at mid-off, Paterson the bowler, 31 for 2. This was good as it got as Croft and Vilas added 114 in 10.2 overs against some pretty mediocre Notts bowling.

Croft hit Paterson for an offside four and then six over square leg, 44 for 2 off 5 overs. Vilas hit Christian to the mid-wicket boundary and next ball a four through backward square leg. Croft hit the skipper to the point ropes and then he finished with 4 through extra cover. Christian going for 17 off his sole over. Lancashire 61 for 2 off 6 overs.

Vilas swept Harrison for 4, 8 off the over. Vilas hit Patel for a straight four, 8 off the 7th over. Croft hit Patel for 6 over mid-wicket, Lancashire 90 for 2 off 9 overs. Mullaney bowled 5 wides down the legside. Vilas hit him for an offside four, 12 off the 10th over. Mullaney only given one over once more.

Vilas hit Harrison for six over mid-wicket, 114 for 2 off 11 overs. Vilas pulled Carter (2-0-21-0) for successive boundaries, 12 off the over. Carter is having a poor tournament.

Vilas pulled Fletcher for 6 to reach 50 off 24 balls, 10 off the 13th over. Patel conceded 3 off the 14th over. Croft got to his 50 in 34 balls with a cover driven four. Vilas finally departed for 55 (off 30 balls, 7x4, 2x6) caught by Joe Clarke at deep point off Paterson, 145 for 3, David hit Paterson for an off side four. David (5) then hit Patel (4-0-30-1) straight to Mullaney at backward point, 152 for 4. Wells hit the disappointing Harrison (3-0-31-0) for two off side fours. Fletcher (4-0-32-1) conceded 7 off the 18th over. It was left to Wells to get the winning runs hitting Paterson (3.2-0-37-2) to the mid ropes, Lancashire 181 for 4 off 18.2 overs with Croft 61 not out (4x4,2x6) off 44 balls. Despite fielding a very understrength line up because of England call ups, Lancashire had won at a canter.

Notts lying seventh in the table now need to probably win all five of the remaining games to qualify for the last eight. Budinger, Evison, James, Patterson-White and Slater should now get a chance to step into the team, the lack of mobility of the Notts team in the field is now getting beyond a joke. MAG

What would Einstein say?

The Blast competition relentlessly carries on, tomorrow playing second fiddle to Harry Stiles (rather than Nobby Stiles) at Old Trafford, so the game is taken to the seaside.

Notts have chased in every game that's gone to a conclusion this season so far. We've now won 3 out of those 7 chases. So last night when confronted by a hardened road, why did DC think chasing would be a good idea? With less than a 50% success rate, isn't it time to reassess what we believe ourselves to be good at?

We are currently 7th in the table, below both Derby and Leicester with only bottom side Worcester having fewer wins. Q/F qualification is a seasonal, minimum expectation for Notts; we have set that bar for ourselves, but really a top two position and a home Q/F is what we assume we'll get given past investment in the squad and what has been delivered in previous years. Unfortunately for Notts, other teams have moved-on and improved whereas Notts have stood still resting on their laurels, although some would say moved backwards! Time waits for no man, so perhaps some are getting beyond their use by date.

Be it loyalty to his team, backing his own judgement or just sheer pig-headedness, Peter Moores won't try anything, or anyone new. If you were to be objective about individuals and their contributions this season in the Blast so far, who deserves to keep their place in the eleven outside Clarke, Hales, Duckett and perhaps Moores junior? After the mauling last night, most of the bowlers must be suffering with PTSD and in need of a long break!

As a consequence of previous successes and every game being accompanied with such high stakes at the top of the league, very few other players outside the old regulars have been blooded in the past. Is it time for fresh blood now and not waiting until next year?

But of course this season is over yet and after today's results, only the top three sides have less than four defeats at this stage. Win our games in hand, and we go level with fourth placed Yorkshire so expect little change yet.

I have little confidence that Peter Moores will ring in the changes this week, so it's got to be time for the army of coaches to start doing their jobs. Rival analysts have sussed Carter and Harrison so they need to learn a few more tricks and we need to get Jake Ball back on the (Stanley) park. 

Now announced:

The squad for the Lancashire day trip is the same fourteen as Friday.

What was that Einstein quote about the definition about insanity?