COVERED SPRING 2020

33 JOIN OUR MAILING LIST FOR ALL THE LATEST: TRENTBRIDGE.CO.UK/MAILINGLIST “ALEX HALES’ INNINGS WAS THE HIGHEST EVER RECORDED IN A ONE-DAY FINAL AT LORD’S.” PeterWynne-Thomas Randall would go on to amass 134 before the first wicket fell. In a suitable tribute to the competition’s initial sponsors, Nottinghamshire won the title in the last summer of 40-over cricket – 2013. Notts beat Somerset in the semi-final at Trent Bridge, with Jake Ball’s performance of four for 25 securing him the Man of Match award. The Final was at Lord’s. Two Test stars returned for the showpiece event, with both Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann making their first appearances of the competition against Glamorgan. In the event, Samit Patel’s bowling won the match – Notts’ first Lord’s final victory since 1989. In the third of the original one-day competitions, Notts were the losing finalists in l982, when Somerset took their opponents apart. But in contrast to much of the tale that has unfolded on these pages, Nottinghamshire have performed exceedingly well in the last six years. The Outlaws were flummoxed in the semis of 2014 and 2015, first by Durham’s Ben Stokes, who hit 164, and then by Surrey’s Kumar Sangakkara, who took 166 off the Notts attack. In 2016 Notts began with gusto – or at least with Michael Lumb, who scored centuries in the first three matches. The side then faded and ended 6th in the North Group. All was forgiven in 2017 as Alex Hales’ record-breaking 187* confounded Surrey. His innings was the highest ever recorded in a one-day final at Lord’s, despite the majority of previous finals being 60 overs per side. Whilst T20 competitions are not the subject of this piece, Notts’ achievement in winning that competition in 2017 can’t be ignored. The Outlaws defeated Birmingham Bears, the home side, at Edgbaston, with Samit Patel gaining the Man of Match award. Notts therefore won the ‘double’ – shades of Rice and Hadlee. A further double would be nice in 2020. HISTORY