Notts Outlaws 206-261/2 Birmingham Bears (T20 Blast North Group) 17.06.22
During a previous twenty20 tie at Trent Bridge in 2015, Alex Hales stunned the Bears with a barrage of six consecutive sixes in two separate overs as he almost single-handedly took the Outlaws to an easy victory.
Yesterday, it was Birmingham who went run crazy and recorded the highest ever total in English domestic twenty20 cricket, as Notts succumbed to a disappointing 55-run loss at Trent Bridge.
The Notts Outlaws won the toss and put the Bears into bat. Alex Davies (5) went early, before opener Rob Yates smashed six fours and three sixes in making 53 off 29 balls. From 87-2 in the ninth over, Sam Hain and Adam Hose then proceeded to put on a record unbeaten 174 for the third wicket off only 70 balls. Hain blasted 112 off 52 balls, his maiden t20 hundred, with 12 boundaries and five maximum hits. Hose was even more brutal with ten sixes and three fours in his 88 off only 35 balls.
Slow bowlers Matthew Carter and Samit Patel took a wicket apiece, but overseas stars Dane Paterson (two overs for 36 runs), and Dan Christian (59 runs conceded off three), suffered the most.
Alex Hales (4), was dismissed early in the Notts reply, but with Joe Clarke crashing 25 (444661) off a Craig Miles over, the fifty arrived in only 3.4 overs. Ben Duckett came in and added a quick-fire 26 off ten balls (four fours and one six), and with Clarke reaching a 22-ball fifty, the hundred came up in the eighth over.
Clarke battered 86 off 45 balls, with eight fours and five sixes, before being caught in the 13th over with the total on 150. Tom Moores (40 off 21 ; four fours and two sixes), and Christian (33 off 16 ; five fours and one six), tried their best to keep up with the run-rate, but when Moores fell with 92 still needed in 5.4 overs, the rest of the batting failed, as Notts were bowled out for 206 in 18.2 overs.
The defeat puts the Outlaws further down the North Group table in seventh place, with seven points from eight games. Lancashire, Northants, the Bears, and Yorkshire occupy the first four places with double-figure points tallies. Notts next face Lancashire in Blackpool tomorrow, desperately needing some wins now to keep their hopes alive in the competition.
*Article provided by Hitesh Darji (Cricket Correspondent)
*Main image @TrentBridge Sam Hains & Adam Hose helped set a record total for Birmingham.
