Notts Outlaws lost by 47 runs against Leicestershire Foxes at Trent Bridge on Tuesday (June 21) night, their third T20 defeat in a row at Trent Bridge on a night to forget. Foxes captain Colin Ackermann won the toss and decided to bat first.
Leicestershire posted 170 from their 20 overs after Outlaws took wickets consistently through the innings, but the Foxes finished well. And in reply, Outlaws limped to 123 all out from 19.4 overs to lose by 47 runs.
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After attacking Luke Fletcher in the first, Nick Welch (11) was frustrated by spinner Matt Carter in the second, top edging a simple catch to Outlaws captain Dan Christian at mid-off. Fellow opener Harry Swindells (6) didn't last much longer, hitting it to Calvin Harrison at backward square leg off Samit Patel's first ball of the match at the start of the fourth.
Outlaws kept the opening overs tight, with Leicestershire Foxes 46/2 after six overs at the end of the powerplay. Patel picked up his 300th T20 career wicket in the ninth, bowling a wide full toss to Aaron Lilley (23) whose eyes lit up, but he hit it straight to Harrison in the deep who took a good catch down low in front of him.
Foxes reached 73/3 at the halfway stage. Lewis Hill (39) departed after a good innings in the 12th, hitting the ball straight back to bowler Steven Mullaney, who also clean bowled Ackermann (13) in the 14th.
Christian run out Rishi Patel (5) in the 16th, throwing underarm at the stumps as the Foxes tried to nick a quick single off Mullaney. Wiaan Mulder (27) looked to accelerate the run rate in the 17th, but picked on Ben Duckett at long-on off Dane Paterson.
Fletcher got in on the action in the 18th, with Rehan Ahmed (1) top edging to Christian at mid-off. Ben Mike down the order took the fight to Paterson in the 19th, hitting back-to-back sixes.
But a mix-up in the middle saw Duckett throw the ball cleanly from the boundary and run out Naveen-ul-Haq for 7 in the same over. Mike continued his assault in the final over, this time off Fletcher, hitting consecutive boundaries on his way to 29, but hit it to Duckett in the deep on the final ball of the innings, with Foxes ending their 20 overs 170 all out.
Foxes kept the scoreboard ticking over throughout, with Outlaws pegging them back with wickets throughout the innings. However a strong finish from Leicestershire meant the Outlaws needed 171 to win.
Callum Parkinson opened the bowling for the Foxes, and kept the first over tight, going for just two. After back-to-back boundaries by Alex Hales, Joe Clarke tried to carry on that trend off Parkinson in the third, but had two of his stumps splattered in the process, being clean bowled for 8.
Naveen-ul-Haq received treatment at the start of the fourth after stopping a ball with his hand that was hit straight back at him. After getting through the over, he left the field for further treatment, but returned later on.
Outlaws reached the end of the powerplay at 47/1. Duckett hit the first ball of an Ahmed over for four in the seventh, but was then bowled for 11 trying to sweep the spinner.
Hales and Moores kept rotating the strike well, until Moores (6) picked out Mulder in the deep off Parkinson towards the end of the 10th. Outlaws hit the halfway stage at 71/3, two runs behind the Foxes score at the same stage for the same amount of wickets lost, but from there the innings unravelled.
Mullaney (5) fell in similar fashion at the start of the 12th, hitting it to Mulder, this time at long-on, who took a superb catch in front of him off Ahmed. Hales and Dan Christian set about rebuilding the innings, choosing to rotate the strike with few boundaries in the following overs.
But Christian (6) fell at the start of the 15th, top edging to Ackermann off Mike. Hales brought up his 50 off 42 balls, reaching the milestone by smashing a six off Mike back over his head towards the end of the 15th.
For the final ball of the over, Hales (55) tried to clear the ropes again, but Mulder took the catch in the deep to reduce Outlaws to 97/6 off 15 overs. As Outlaws limped to 111/6 after 17 overs, a number of spectators headed for the exits.
Fighting for the last chance of victory, Patel (12) picked out Mike in the deep off Naveen-ul-Haq to all but end any hopes of the win in the 18th. Harrison (8) tried to scoop Naveen-ul-Haq later the same over, but his off-stump was clattered out the ground.
Fletcher (3) fell the same way in the final over, his off-stump being unceremoniously removed by Naveen-ul-Haq. Paterson then hit his first ball to Mulder to bring the innings to a halt.
Outlaws finished 123 all out off 19.4 overs, losing to Foxes by 47 runs. Notts Outlaws are next in action at Trent Bridge against Derbyshire Falcons on Thursday (June 23) evening.
Notts Outlaws: Joe Clarke, Alex Hales, Ben Duckett, Tom Moores (wk), Steven Mullaney, Dan Christian (c), Samit Patel, Calvin Harrison, Matt Carter, Luke Fletcher, Dane Paterson
Leicestershire Foxes: Nick Welch, Harry Swindells (wk), Lewis Hill, Aaron Lilley, Colin Ackermann (c), Wiaan Mulder, Rishi Patel,
Ben Mike, Rehan Ahmed, Naveen-ul-Haq, Callum Parkinson
