Yorkshire Vikings 202/5-179/7 Notts Outlaws (T20 Blast North Group) 06.06.22
Chasing a daunting target of 203 to win their latest Vitality Blast twenty20 game, the Notts Outlaws fell well short against Yorkshire Vikings, despite two superb knocks from Steven Mullaney and skipper Dan Christian.
Put into bat, Yorkshire accrued a fine total of 202 for five in their 20 overs, mainly due to consistent batting from the top order. Finn Allen (16 off 10 balls), and Adam Lyth (20 off 13), started off with 34 off the first three overs, before captain David Willey and Harry Brook put on 76 in 6.1 overs for the third wicket. Willey fell for 34 off 19 balls (three fours and two sixes), at 119, and Brook fell four runs later for 40 off 25 (two fours and three sixes). Wicket-keeper Jonathan Tattersall then ensured the total passed two-hundred with an unbeaten 30-ball 48.
Jake Ball, with 3 for 29 in three overs, and spinner Calvin Harrison (1-27 in four), were the pick of the bowlers for the county.
After his brilliant batting in recent games, Alex Hales was bowled first ball by Willey to the second ball of the innings. Joe Clarke and Samit Patel fell in consecutive deliveries in the next over, and when Tom Moores was caught in the eighth over the score was just 50 with half the side dismissed.
Mullaney and Christian then put on 114 for the sixth wicket in 10.5 overs, but when the former was dismissed for a fantastic career-best 79 off only 46 balls, with nine fours and three sixes, the county still required 39 runs off two overs. Christian (56 off 35 balls; 3 fours & 3 sixes), was bowled four balls later, and the Outlaws eventually batted out the remaining deliveries to finish on 179-7 and a defeat by 23 runs.
The county were mainly undone by Dominic Drakes (3-31), and by tight bowling from Willey (1 for 26 in his four overs).
With their third defeat in four games, the Notts Outlaws are still sixth in the North Group table with five points from six games.
Notts now have a four day break before their next game against Leicestershire on Friday, desperately needing a win to boost their chances of making the quarter-final stages of the competition.
*Article provided by Hitesh Darji (Cricket Correspondent)
*Main image @TrentBridge Notts bowler Matt Carter went for 34 from his 4 overs without wicket.
