NOTTINGHAMSHIRE OUTLAWS 98 FOR NINE BEAT DURHAM 96 FOR FIVE BY TWO RUNS
Nottinghamshire Outlaws held their composure in the final over to edge out a narrow two-run win over Durham in their Vitality Blast clash at Seat Unique Riverside.
Heavy rain at Chester-le-Street reduced the contest to 11 overs per side, but the Outlaws still mustered a solid total of 98 for nine courtesy of a fine knock of 34 from Steven Mullaney along with a useful 11-ball 25 from Tom Moores. Ben Raine gave Durham a target to chase with a tidy spell of three for 12 from his three overs.However, the home side failed to time the ball to put the pressure on the Outlaws amid miserly bowling Matthew Carter and Samit Patel. Ned Eckersley gave Durham hope in the final over with successive boundaries, but he and Michael Jones could not complete the job, falling just short of the target.The elements caused an almost two-hour delay and reduced the contest to 11 overs per side. Requiring impetus at the top of the order in a shortened game, Joe Clarke began the innings brightly by striking Raine’s first ball down the ground, only then to sky the fifth ball to Liam Trevaskis at long-on. Alex Hales and Ben Duckett also fell cheaply, presenting simple catches to Ashton Turner, allowing Brydon Carse and AJ Tye to enter the wicket column, reducing Nottinghamshire to 16 for three.Moores came out in blistering form, scoring three boundaries in his first four balls, capitalising on a shortened powerplay of 3.2 overs. He continued his assault, taking a further 10 off Trevaskis’ first three deliveries before he was given a life by Paul Coughlin. However, his reprieve lasted only one ball as Nathan Sowter produced a sensational diving catch at long-off to remove the left-hander for 25.Mullaney held the Outlaws’ innings together and dispatched his first six into the stands, with a sweetly-timed pull against Tye. He added a boundary courtesy of a mistake from Graham Clark, who fumbled a catch into the boundary. Raine returned for the final over to dismiss Lyndon James and Patel to hold the visitors to 98 for nine from their 11 overs.Carter ensured that Durham’s response began slowly, prising out Clark for one caught behind and then the vital wicket of Turner for only three. Trevaskis displayed intent by sweeping his first ball for six, but his stay would be short after making 12 before being bowled by a quicker ball from Patel. Raine answered back for Durham by taking Mullaney for back-to-back sixes to the short leg-side boundary, leaving the contest in the balance at the half-way stage.Outlaws skipper Dan Christian brought himself into the attack and produced a brilliant yorker to bowl Raine for 16, while Patel produced a gem of an eighth over to concede only three and send Carse on his way. The required run rate climbed to 12 runs per over, cranking up the pressure on the hosts.Luke Fletcher held his nerve to leave Durham needing 16 off the final over to force their fourth win of the competition. Clean striking from Eckersley with a six and four in successive balls gave Durham a chance, but Christian responded with well-placed yorkers from the final two balls to concede only singles to see his team to a narrow victory.