It’s been a funny old year for our cricket teams and in particular Nottinghamshire CCC have suffered most from the covid-chaos that has been caused turning an originally scheduled campaign into catastrophe but with a much shorter season there has seen plenty of optimism still for those supporting green and gold.

For the second successive campaign Notts four day side failed to record a win, they had chances but never got over the line… But a much changed team on last year, a much younger team, a much more bat-strong line up gives us hope for the future. Haseeb Hameed has promised with a steady average of just over 38 with more to come I’m sure, Ben Slater his opening partner had the third highest average in the Bob Willis Trophy and we know on his day he can be brilliant. Another high flyer is Ben Duckett who averaged 56 in his eight innings this summer for Notts.

It is however the bowlers that let Nottinghamshire down this season, only young Joey Evison getting in the top 40 (at 39) for the competitions best averages… But contrast that form with the red ball to that of the white, and you have chalk and cheese, with a very strong stilton on show from the Outlaws in the T20 Vitality Blast.

Notts have literally blasted everybody out of the park. In their group games they finished the North Group on top, with 7 wins from 10 games only one loss and two no results via games cancelled down to bad weather. Notts have outscored ‘Everybody’ in County Cricket with the best run rate of the competition. Only Surrey shared the same points total as South Division winners.

Joe Clarke has often been the star of the show with 100 not out against Durham the best of his doing en-route to scoring 316 runs in eight innings. The 24 year old has averaged over 45 which is the same as Ben Duckett whilst Steven Mullaney has bettered that with 46 although often coming in at a later order.

Tom Moores and Dan Christian have had their moments, For Chris Nash and Alex Hales we hope that theirs are still to come. The Outlaws batting line-up is an endless list of star quality, and I’ve not yet mentioned Samit Patel.

With the ball they have been pretty useful too. Star of the show has been Jake Ball with more wickets (14) than any other bowler in the competition. Luke Fletcher as always has been economical when used whilst Pakistan International Imad Wasim has had his very own moments of class.

Next up for Notts is a season defining match that win it, will see the Outlaws through to Finals Day in the Vitality Blast but lose it, and it’ll be season over for another year.

The Outlaws take on Leicestershire Foxes ironically the only team to beat them this season in a match that all be it behind closed doors will be screened live on Sky this Thursday night.

A cracker it will be, lets hope the boys get the job done and continue their terrific form in the shortest format of cricket.

Full Quarter Final draw:

Gloucestershire v Northamptonshire Steelbacks (14:00)

Notts Outlaws v Leicestershire Foxes (18:00)

Surrey v Kent Spitfires (13:00)

Sussex Sharks v Lancashire Lightning (13:00)

All ties to be played Thursday 1^st October with the winners going through to finals day which will be played on Saturday 3^rd October at Edgbaston.

*Main image @TrentBridge Imad Wasim & Dan Christian pivotal in Notts T20 performances thus far.