Nottinghamshire v Worcestershire Royal London Cup June 1st

Nottinghamshire v Worcestershire Royal London Cup 2018 June 1st Trent Bridge

NOTTINGHAMSHIRE Outlaws bounced back after their defeat to Warwickshire at the beginning of the week to beat Worcestershire Rapids by 38  runs with over three overs to spare at Trent Bridge to keep their hopes of reaching the next stages alive.

Defending only 202 the Outlaws owed a great debt to paceman Luke Fletcher who got wickets at vital times to get his best List a bowling figures of four for 20 in nine overs.  It was Fletcher who got the early breakthrough that the Outlaws needed when Joe  Clarke pulled him to Chris Nash at square leg.  In the next over Moeen Ali was beaten by pace from Jake Ball and was comprehensively bowled.

The 24 year old Aussie Callum Ferguson was the next edged to go when top edged a pull off Fletcher and stumper Tom Moores took a stealing catch.  Fletcher’s next two wickets came at the death when Rapids skipper Joe Leach skied him to Outlaws skipper Steven Mullaney at mid off.  Fletcher got his fourth wicket when he yorked  Charlie Morris.

The Rapids hopes of victory rested with Daryl Mitchell if only he could get somebody to stay with with him.  Both Brett D’Oliveira and Ross Whiteley tried and both failed as they scored eight between them. D’Oliveira drove Samit Patel to Matt Carter at short cover and Whiteley tried to smash Nash over long off but toe ended it to Riki Wessels at mid on.

Mitchell was joined by Ben Cox and this was the Rapids last hope but after adding  37 in 10 overs the partnership was broken when Cox top edged a sweep off Carter and Mullaney  at leg slip took a relative easy catch.  

Cox was replaced by Ed Barnard added 63 in 14 overs with Mitchell.  Barnard even slog/swept Patel over mid wicket for the first six of the match.

The pair kept the scoreboard moving and looked like they would see the Rapids home. But as they crept nearer to record breaking seventh wicket stand against the Outlaws, Mitchell chipped Mullaney to Ross Taylor at short mid wicket.

When Barnard was bowled having a big swing at Patel the Rapids needed 63 from the last 10 overs with only three wickets standing. 

THe Rapids head coach Kevin Sharp said: “We’re disappointed but never at any time did we think we were out of this match.  They have been a few times this season when we’ve looked out of a match but we’ve always come back.”

Outlaws head coach Peter Moores said: “We needed a wiin today and if we keep winning then you keep it in your own hands.  I said before the game that we have three cup finals to play.

We managed to get enough to get enough runs to defend on that pitch.Low scoring games  make the best viewing.  I thought it was. A fantastic effort by our bowlers to defend 202.  Once we got them three down for less than 30 they were under pressure.

Sunday’s game at Durham is a massive game for us and we have to get ourselves a win.”

After winning the toss and putting the Outlaws into bat in muggy conditions Moeen Ali took his best List A figures of four for 33 in his 10 overs beating the three for 28 he took against the Outlaws five years ago also at Trent Bridge as the Outlaws went from 104 for two to 202 all out 25 overs.

Bowling in tandem with leg spinner D’Oliveira they dried the Outlaws boundaries up.  Wessels was Moeen Ali’s first victim just after he had brought up his fifty when he turned Moeen Ali off his legs for a single.  He made room to cut the next bell he faced and was bowled.

While Kiwi Taylor was still at the crease the Outlaws had hopes of getting a big score  but as he neared his half century he was bowled by Moeen Ali when he tried to cut one that spun back in at him.

With seven wickets down the Outlaws tail had to move the ball around and keep the scoreboard moving with singles but Fletcher had other ideas as he tried to his side out of trouble but but Moeen Ali to Ferguson who took a tumbling catch at fine leg.

Carter followed Fletcher’s lead and slogged Moeen Ali off his legs hoping for a six but again found Ferguson on the fine leg boundary for an easy catch.

Even when Moeen Ali wasn’t taking wickets with the the ball he held a comfortable catch at short third man when Nash had a wild swing at Mitchell and skied it.

Backing Moeen Ali up at the Pavilion end were D’Oliveira and Mitchell who both took two wickets. Patel tried to drive D’Oliveira through mid on and was bowled. Five balls  after Patel was bowled Mullaney tried to cut him but got a faint edge to stumper Cox.  With five overs left in their innings the Outlaws lost their last to first ball of the 45th over when Ball tried to turn Mitchell off his legs and was bowled.

Alex Hales playing his first match since returning from India first expansive shot was a cut over cover off Leach to the boundary.  But those who expecting to see fireworks from Hales were disappointed when Barnard sent his middle stump out of the ground with the third ball of the second power play.  In the next over  Moores chipped Morris to Leach at mid on.

FULL SCORECARD