Derbyshire Falcons Vitality T20 Blast North Group Win 4 pts Report

 

ALI'S BLOWS GROUND FALCONS

Notts jumped to second in the Northern Group winning their third T20 game in a week beating local rivals Derbyshire by 10 runs in front of a crowd of around 5,000 this afternoon.

On another mainly cloudy day with a stiff south westerly wind blowing, Derbyshire won the toss and inserted an unchanged Notts. The boundary was short on the Bridgford Road side meaning gauging a par score was difficult.

Aitchison (Pavilion End) conceded five off the opening over. Munsey reverse swept Morley for two sixes in four balls and then whilst attempting another reverse sweep the ball beat both his bat and keeper Donald – four byes! Notts 21-0 off 2 overs. Munsey hit Aitchison for a six over long on and next ball edged him to the third man ropes. The following ball went for another six over long on. A wide followed. The sixth delivery was a four through extra cover off the bat of Munsey; 22 off the third over. Potts conceded two singles off the 4th over. The struggling Clarke (6 off 13 balls) had his off stump removed by Javed; 50 for 1 off 5 overs. Munsey hit Potts for four through point. Notts 59 for 1 off 6 overs.

Haynes hit Montgomery for four towards mid-wicket, seven runs and two leg byes off the 7th over. Javed conceded four and a leg bye from the 8th over. Munsey got to his 50 off 28 balls with a single off Montgomery, five off the 9th over. Haynes then took the majority of the strike over the next three overs. Haynes lofted Andersson for a straight four. Notts 85 for 1 off 10 overs.

Montgomery conceded 12 off the 11th over - Haynes smashing him for a straight six. Haynes hit Andersson for two fours through square leg; 12 off the 12th over. Haynes stroked Montgomery for six over mid-wicket. Two balls later Munsey (53 off 32 balls, 3x4, 4x6), starved of the strike, was caught on the square leg ropes by Jewell off Montgomery (4-0-34-1); 117 for 2. Munsey and Hayes had added 57 in 7.4 overs for the second wicket. Munsey Notts leading T20 scorer in 2026 with 251 runs @50.20 (145.08 runs per 100 balls).

Eight balls later, Haynes (50 off 36 balls, 4x4, 2x6) drilled slow left armer Jack Morley (2-0-19-1) straight down the pitch, the bowler taking an easy catch; 126 for 3 off 14 overs. Moores hit Javed for six over long leg. Howell was out for a golden duck strangled down the leg side caught by keeper Donald diving to his left off a short ball from Javed; 133 for 4 off 15 overs. Notts managed to get 50 runs off the remaining five overs.

Linde edged Andersson (3 0 28 0) for four through third man; nine off the 16th over . Moores whipped Aitchison (3 0 37 1) for six over cover. Two balls later, Linde had a very lucky escape. Moores straight drove Aitchison down the pitch with Aitchison deflecting the ball onto the non-strikers stumps with Linde, backing up, well out of his ground. Umpire Warren gave the South African the benefit of the doubt. Linde (8), who had a disappointing match, got two off the next delivery. However off the following ball, his luck ran out, when he was caught at deep extra cover by Potts off Aitchison (151 for 5); 10 off the 17th over. Potts conceded four off the 18th over. Moores hit Javed (4 0 31 2) for a straight four and then for a six over mid-wicket. The next ball was a four for Moores through mid-wicket; 15 off the 19th over.

Moores (39 off 24 balls; 2x4, 3x6) was caught at long on by Whiteley off Potts (171 tor 6). After two dot balls, McCann pulled Potts (4 0 27 1) for six over long leg. Next ball McCann found the extra cover ropes. McCann (12 not out) was dropped on 10 by Madsen in the covers off the last ball and he ran two. Notts 183 for 6 off 20 overs with Patterson-White on 3.

Andersson was bowled for a three-ball duck by a well-pitched Pennington (Radcliffe Road End) delivery (3 for 1), five off the opening over. Donald hit Stone for 32 in one over nine days ago and the former England paceman was probably relieved to only concede 16 this time. Donald hit two off his first ball. A four followed through point. Ball three was scooped for six over fine leg. Next ball went for a straight four, the last two balls were dot balls. Ali bowled the third over Jewell hitting him for four through square leg and then edging him for four through fine leg. Donald (20) attempting a scoop shot was then caught behind by Moores diving to his right; 30 for 2 off 3 overs. Jewell hit Pennington for six over extra cover; 11 off the 4th over. Jewell hit Linde for four through the covers and Madsen guided him for four through mid-wicket. The last ball was a Madsen switch hit for four through backward point; 13 off the 5th over. Ali then tipped the game well in Notts’ favour by taking two wickets in 4 balls. Jewell (25) skied Ali to Patterson-White at cover who took the catch (54-3). Montgomery (4) hit Ali for 4 to long leg but he fell next ball caught on the point ropes by Haynes (58 for 4). Derbyshire 59 for 4 at the end of the powerplay.

Experienced pair Madsen and Whiteley shared a fifth wicket stand of 34 in 4.2 overs. A mis-field by Ali allowed Whiteley to get a four off Howell through wide third man. Two balls later, Whiteley hit Howell for four towards fine leg; 11 off the 7th over. Stone conceded four off the 8th over. Whiteley hit Linde (2-0-24-0) for six over backward square leg; 11 off the 9th over. Linde was not given any further overs. Whiteley (24) hit Stone for four through long off but four balls later had him caught on the long off ropes by substitute Martindale. Derbyshire 92 for 5 off 10 overs.

Patterson-White conceded six off the 11th over. Howell went for nine off the 12th over. Basra (15) hit Patterson-White for successive fours but four balls later he had him caught at square leg by Howell; 117-6 off 13 overs. After facing four dot balls, Potts hit Howell (3-0-27-0) for six over mid-wicket, seven off the 14th over. Top scorer Madsen (27) holed out to Haynes on the square leg ropes off Patterson-White (3-0-27-2; 124 for 7). Three legitimate balls later, Potts hit the slow left-armer for six over square leg; 11 off the 15th over. Forty-nine were now required off 5 overs.

Pennington took two wickets in four balls in the 16th over. Potts (19) hit him for four through extra cover but was caught and bowled low down by the former Worcestershire seamer off the next ball; 139 for 8. Three balls later, Javed (1) was caught right on the mid-wicket ropes by McCann (141 for 9). McCann tossing the ball to himself to ensure he took the catch cleanly.

Disappointingly, Aitchison (25*) and Morley (5*) were allowed to add an unbeaten 32 for the last wicket off the final four overs, ensuring the match was closer than it should have been.

Ali conceded four off the 17th over. Aitchison hit Pennington (4 0 29 3) for six over mid-wicket. Poor fielding by both Moores and substitute Martindale allowed Derbyshire to collect three byes; 156-9 off 18 overs.

Aitchison carved Ali (4 0 25 3) for four through backward point; eight off the nineteenth over. Stone (4-0-34-1) bowled the last over. Aitchison ran a two and then hit Stone for six over cover. Three dot balls followed with Aitchison getting a single off the last ball. Derbyshire 173 for 9 off 20 overs with Aitchison on 25 on Morley on 5.

Ali’s three wickets in the powerplay proved crucial. Much tougher opponents and games await for the second half of the Blast with Notts playing four out of six away from Trent Bridge. It will be their away form which will determine whether Notts qualify for the last eight – third placed Leicestershire still to be played twice. MAG

It takes a lot for the Peter Moores / Joe Clarke pairing to change an eleven, let alone a winning side, this is the same Friday's squad minus Farhan Ahmed:

Joe Clarke

George Munsey

Freddie McCann

Jack Haynes

Tom Moores

George Linde

Benny Howell

Joe Pocklington

Dillon Pennington

Mohammad Ali

Ben Martindale

James Hayes

Olly Stone

Liam Patterson-White

The streaming commentary were quite animated about Freddie's possible recurring injured thumb apparently on Friday, but Freddie did bowl, bat and take a catch, so perhaps that concern was based on the fact that Freddie batted later than would have been anticipated rather than any insider knowledge.

Does Farhan's omission mean that there is an imminent loan on the cards taking him away from Trent Bridge for the upcoming rounds of the county championship?