David Hussey and Alex Hales struck markedly different but equally composed knocks to secure victory for Notts Outlaws against Lancashire Lightning at Old Trafford.
The duo did the damage in the middle overs but Mitchell McClenaghan, Lancashire's outstanding bowler with five for 29, took two wickets in the fifteenth over to give the hosts a chance before Samit Patel and Steven Mullaney saw Notts safely across the line.
"Huss made my job really easy because I didn't have to take any risks while he was scoring freely." Alex Hales
The win means that Notts have now won nine of the ten limited overs matches they have played this season.
"It's a big win for us because we have never won a twenty20 at Old Trafford before," said Hales.
"Huss made my job really easy because I didn't have to take any risks while he was scoring freely.
"With our batting line-up, were comfortable chasing anything if we apply ourselves and we've shown that we can take the game away from our opponents."
Opener Michael Lumb's personal battle with New Zealander McClenaghan intensified as he edged to slip having scored a solitary run. Lumb fell to the same bowler in last week's abandoned T20 international at The Oval and couldn't capitalise on the form he demonstrated with fifty against Leicestershire in the interim.
Riki Wessels (13) put one up in the air for wicket keeper Gareth Cross in an over in which he attempted to raise the rate and James Taylor (4) survived a confident appeal for a leg-side glance to the keeper only to find Parry at deep square leg from the next ball.
The partnership between Hussey (52) and Hales (49) proved pivotal with the Australian dominating the home bowlers with fluid boundary hitting and composed singles to all corners. Hales was content to hand the strike back to Hussey as the pair brought up the fifty partnership from 29 balls.
Harry Gurney had helped the Outlaws make an ideal start when Ashwell Prince ambled out of his crease to present a simple run out chance which was duly taken. A lazy jog past Steven Moore gave Prince a reprieve as his opening partner reluctantly trudged back to an unrecognisable Old Trafford Pavilion and Prince soon followed, caught in the deep by Steven Mullaney off Ajmal Shahzad.
Ian Butler clung on to a diving catch to take advantage of Gurney's slower delivery to Tom Smith after Katich and Croft had exacted a surge.
Hussey handed the ball to Butler for the final over with Gareth Cross hitting consecutive boundaries before picking out Steven Mullaney at long-on. The Lancashire total of 155-6 looked light and so it proved as the Outlaws' top eight made light work of their chase to win by four wickets with 14 balls to spare.
Click here to purchase tickets for Notts Outlaws Friends Life t20 matches at Trent Bridge.
Notts Outlaws Friends Life t20 matches at Trent Bridge
Friday 19 July Vs Durham Dynamos - 6pm TICKETS
Tuesday 23 July Vs Derbyshire Falcons - 6.30pm TICKETS
Friday 26 July Vs Yorkshire Vikings - 6pm TICKETS
Sunday 28 July Vs Lancashire Lightning - 2.40pm TICKETS
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