COVERED WINTER 2020

COVERED 6 TRENTBRIDGE.CO.UK live stream were treated to aT20 master- class from an England international – but it wasn’tTest skipper andTyke Joe Root who took centre stage. True, Root did make a fluent 65 before becoming the third of Luke Fletcher’s five victims (a career-best performance for the Bulwell Bomber), but it was an inventive, impudent innings from Ben Duckett that claimed the plaudits. Well-supported by a Chris Nash half- century and some late-innings impetus from Dan Christian andTom Moores, Duckett saw the Outlaws to victory with an unbeaten 86. Notts v Leicestershire, 4 September 2020. Notts won by five wickets. Bowling atTrent Bridge is often described as one of the toughest jobs in domesticT20 cricket. It seems nobody thought to tell the Outlaws’ attack. Dan Christian, Jake Ball and ImadWasim kept the Foxes firmly tethered after losing the toss, none going at more than six an over as Leicestershire limped to 123-8. It was enough to suggest that this was a difficult pitch to score on, but Alex Hales soon gave that notion short shrift. Hales swung from the hip, hitting 44 from just 16 balls to reduce the chase to a mere formality inside the opening six overs. Captain Christian was on hand to apply the finishing touches. Notts v Lancashire, 11 September 2020. Notts won by six wickets. Another tight bowling performance, another chase completed with ample breathing space – but, at one stage, this clash between the North Group’s form sides looked altogether more complicated. Lancashire got off to a flier, 60 runs coming from their six-over Powerplay, before Outlaws stalwarts Mullaney and Patel stemmed the flow of boundaries. Lightning recorded a credible 167 from their 20 overs, but that simply cleared the stage for a Joe Clarke exhibition. Scoring at more than two-runs-per-ball, Clarke was, frankly, too good for a strong Lightning attack, ultimately departing for 77 off 36 balls. Again, the Outlaws were able to leave their engine room of Mullaney and Patel firmly in the shed. Again, Notts had breezed to victory before the death overs had even begun. Notts v Derbyshire, 13 September 2020. Notts won by 13 runs. After four consecutive successful chases, Dan Christian decided to pursue a different route to victory, with his Outlaws side batting first. The sight of Alex Hales and Joe Clarke putting the opposition to the sword, however, was one to which Notts fans have become accustomed. Hales hit 49 and Clarke 57 as the Green and Golds finished two shy of 200. Derbyshire’s chase began in disarray, with Luis Reece departing first ball, butWayne Madsen and Matt Critchley mounted something of a fightback. In a side shorn of two proven death bowlers in Fletcher and Harry Gurney, it would have been easy for nerves to abound – but Jake Ball shouldered the responsibility with aplomb. Both Derbyshire dangermen fell to the WelbeckWizard, and an accomplished final over from Dan Christian ensured the local bragging rights would stay at the East end of the A52. Notts v Derbyshire, 17 September 2020. Notts won by eight wickets . Three days later, it was Derbyshire who were invited to bat first, choosing Madsen as their best hope of combatting a triple- spin attack. After just one ball of the match however, the Derbyshire talisman was plotting a course back to the Pavilion, comprehensively undone by ImadWasim. This was an encounter without any of the tension of the previous Sunday, with Patel and Ball helping to ensure the Falcons chalked up an under-par total. The floodlights barely had time to take effect before the Outlaws had completed the job, another wristy performance from Duckett ensuring victory with nigh-on six overs of the contest remaining. Leicestershire v Notts, 18 September 2020. Leicestershire won by four wickets. Of course, no journey to a trophy triumph is without its setbacks. 24 hours after blowing Derbyshire away, the Outlaws were in Leicester to do the same. Ben Duckett was innovative once more in making 53, whileTom Moores’ two sixes – one an inch-perfect reverse-sweep, the other an outrageous short-armed jab – will live long in the memory. Moores made 51, the Outlaws 162-7, but in Colin Ackermann the Foxes had a skipper determined to lead by example. Ackermann paced the chase impeccably, with the hosts securing victory from the penultimate ball.

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy Mjk2Mzg=