Worcestershire Rapids 159/8-165/5 Notts Outlaws (T20 Blast North Group) 03.07.22
Despite their disappointing campaign in this year’s Vitality Blast twenty20 competition, the Notts Outlaws ended on a positive note with a fourth successive victory in their final North Group game away to Worcestershire Rapids. Chasing 160 to win, they eased to a five-wicket win with eight balls to spare.
Electing to field first, the county were again indebted to Jake Ball who took the first three wickets for only five runs as the home team fell to 41 for 3 after six overs, despite a swift 27 off 14 balls (two fours and two sixes) from Kiwi Colin Munro.
Moeen Ali (28 off 19), and Kashif Ali (23), kept up the tempo before both were dismissed in quick succession by the occasional off-spin of Sol Budinger, who finished with the impressive figures of 2-21 in his four overs. Ed Barnard (38 off 23), was the only other batsman to make any useful runs as the Rapids finished on 159 for 8 after 20 overs.
Ball picked up another wicket to end with 4-25 and Samit Patel (1-26), again kept things tight. The Outlaws made a bad start losing Joe Clarke caught for a second-ball duck, but Alex Hales thumped two sixes in a six-ball 14, and Budinger showed his batting promise with four fours and a six in a 12-ball 24.
From 39-3 in the fourth over, the county steadily picked off the runs, with the vital innings coming once again from the reliable and dependable Ben Duckett. In partnership with another regular contributor, ‘keeper Tom Moores (26 not out off 15), the pair put on an unbeaten 45 for the sixth wicket in four overs to see the county home.
Duckett finished on 62 not out off 44 balls (seven fours and one six), with Moores ending the match with a six off West Indian Dwayne Bravo. The Notts Outlaws, who were one of the pre-tournament favourites, finished with 15 points from 14 matches in their group, to end up fifth in the table, just outside the top four on run-rate, after Leicestershire were deducted two points.
Just a mention on the great Sir Richard John Hadlee, one of the county’s greatest ever cricketers, who was born yesterday in 1951 in Christchurch, New Zealand.
*Article provided by Hitesh Darji (Cricket Correspondent)
*Main image @TrentBridge Ben Duckett once again scored another half century.
