Durham 96/5-98/9 Notts Outlaws (T20 Blast North Group) 24.06.22
After a near two-hour delay due to rain, the Notts Outlaws held their nerve to beat Durham in a last over thriller in a match reduced to 11 overs a side, and keep their slim hopes alive of qualifying in the Vitality Blast twenty20 competition.
After losing the toss, the Outlaws lost both openers Joe Clarke and Alex Hales within the first two overs. Ben Duckett smacked two fours before being third out for ten off six balls, but Tom Moores came in and hammered three fours in four balls.
Skipper Dan Christian was dismissed for a second-ball duck, and Moores added two more boundaries before being caught for a swift 25 off 11 balls, with five fours. Notts were 48 for 5 by the end of the fifth over.
Steven Mullaney continued to pile on the runs, and despite the county losing three wickets in the final over, Nottinghamshire finished their 11 overs on 98 for 9, with the club captain unbeaten on 34 off 23 balls (four fours and one six). Ben Raine (3 for 12) was the best bowler for the home side.
Spinner Matthew Carter took two quick wickets and Raine smashed two consecutive sixes, as Durham reached the five over mark on 46 for 3. Notts then took two wickets in two overs as Durham fell behind the run rate, still needing 35 off three overs after the eight-over mark.
Opener Michael Jones was still batting and Ned Eckersley came in as 13 runs came in one over. After ten overs, the score was 83 for 5, and Durham still needed 16 to win. Eckersley hit a four and a six off consecutive balls, but Christian conceded just two singles off the next two balls, as four were needed off the final delivery.
With a yorker, just a leg bye was taken as the Notts Outlaws won by two runs. Jones remained unbeaten on 30 off 25 balls, and Eckersley was on 24 off 13. Carter took 2 for 13 off his two overs, whilst Samit Patel again impressed with 2 for 16 off three overs.
With 11 points from 12 games, Notts are still four points behind the fourth placed team, with Birmingham, Lancashire, and Derbyshire heading the North Group table on 16 points.
*Article provided by Hitesh Darji (Cricket Correspondent)
*Main image @TrentBridge Joe Clarke & Alex Hales couldn’t help stop Notts from defeat.
