Lead High Performance Coach, James Franklin has named a 14-man squad for Durham’s third Vitality Blast fixture against Notts Outlaws at Emirates Riverside.
Durham have made a positive start to their 2021 campaign so far with two wins from two and will be looking to continue that tonight when they host Notts at 6:30pm.
Stuart Poynter returns to the Durham squad for tonight’s game having scored 172 runs for the seconds in their recent ECB 2XI T20 group games. Sean Dickson drops out the squad for this fixture with the right-hander currently on paternity leave.
Notts currently sit in 5th place, with one win, one loss and one tied game so far this term. Their win coming over Northamptonshire Steelbacks on Sunday. Joe Clarke has continued his fine form into the white ball season, and currently sits in top spot with 189 runs, having scored 136 over the Steelbacks at the weekend.
Squad vs Notts Outlaws (15 June)
Cameron Bancroft*, David Bedingham, Scott Borthwick, Jack Burnham, Brydon Carse, Jack Campbell, Graham Clark, Paul Coughlin, Ned Eckersley, Matthew Potts, Stuart Poynter, Ben Raine, Matt Salisbury, Liam Trevaskis
Words from Liam Trevaskis on Leicestershire win
“Me and Ned thought if we could get to the last two overs needing 15 we would be in with a chance. We didn’t do that but it just shows that in this form of cricket anything can happen and you’re never really out of it, which is why the lads love playing it and people love watching it and why players are paid good money to take part in tournaments and be entertainers.
“Credit to our bowlers for dragging them back in their innings. Matty (Potts) getting three in an over really pegged them back and Rainey (Ben Raine) was excellent as well.”
The Opposition
Coach: Peter Moores
Captain: Steven Mullaney
Last Year’s Performance: Champions
2020 Leading Runscorer: Joe Clarke (371 @ 37.10)
2020 Leading Wicket Taker: Jake Ball (19 @ 13.63)
Overseas players: Dane Paterson (South Africa – whole tournament)
Key man: Alex Hales – Had a sub-par Blast in 2020 yet bounced back as top scorer in the Big Bash and with 8,066 runs is the highest scoring Englishman in T20 history.
Flies under the radar: Steven Mullaney – Seldom makes headlines but scores quickly and has a knack of chipping in with vital wickets with his medium pace wobblers and will captain the team in the group stage following Dan Christian’s Australia call.
Best Player Under 24: Lyndon James – Yet to appear in the Blast but is expected to get his chance after impressing with bat and ball in red ball cricket this season.
Blast expectations: Semi-finalists three times in the last four seasons and winners twice, the defending champions are among the favourites again, although they must manage without left-arm spinner Imad Wasim from their title-winning team because of the clash with the rearranged Pakistan Super League, while 2020 leading wicket-taker Jake Ball has not played any cricket since April 9 because of a back injury. Nonetheless, with a top order comprising Alex Hales, Ben Duckett and Joe Clarke and big hitters such as Tom Moores in the middle, Nottinghamshire should score heavily again, while Wasim’s absence will an opportunity for veteran all-rounder Samit Patel to show he can still make an impact in his 19th T20 campaign, having made 191 appearances since the competition began in 2003, more than any other player. Anything less than another trip to Finals Day will be seen as a disappointment.
Tickets
Tickets can be bought from Gate 2 on match day priced at £20 for adults and £5 for a child.