Nottinghamshire’s Second XI came away with two impressive t20 victories when they faced Northamptonshire at Wantage Road.

The visitors won the toss and chose to bat in the first game, Anuj Dal and Greg Smith getting their team off to a flier, scoring 53 off the first six overs.

The quick scoring continued as the pair both went to half centuries, bringing up the 100 off the 11th over in the process.

Their first wicket partnership had realised 153 before Ben Duckett stumped Dal off the bowling of Josh Cobb for 80, Tom Moores coming to join Smith.

Smith didn’t last much longer, falling for 87 at the hands of Steven Crook, Moores and Sam Wood left to push the total past the 200 mark.

The visitors posted a daunting 201-2 off the 20 overs, Moores finishing with six not out and Wood unbeaten on 18.

Kyle Coetzer and Cobb came out of the blocks quick before Smith caught the latter off Brett Hutton’s bowling for 22, the score on 41-1.

Alex Wakely joined Coetzer but in the 10th over, Wakely was trapped LBW on 25 by Matt Carter, Duckett replacing him in the middle.

The hosts continued to add further quick runs, the hundred coming up in the 12th over before Duckett took 21 off an Adam Tillcock over.

Coetzer fell just short of his half century, caught by Wood off Tillcock in the same over, the hosts sliding to 122-3.

Steven Crook was the next man but with just four overs remaining, the required rate was 14 an over.

However, the home side scored 19 runs off the next over before Will Gidman took a great catch on the long-off boundary to dismiss Duckett (40) off Adam Tillcock’s bowling, that wicket proving crucial with the score on 169.

A further three wickets fell with some great catches on show, the hosts eventually finishing on 195-7, six runs short as Brett Hutton returned figures of 3-30 off his four overs.

In the second match Northamptonshire won the toss and elected to bat first, opening with Richard Levi and David Willey.

Two quick wickets pegged the hosts back early, Hutton bowling Willey (11) and Gidman dismissing Levi for 20, the score on 35-2.

Adam Rossington held the innings together with 57 but after regular wickets fell around him, his dismissal off Carter saw the hosts to 148-6, struggling to post a similar first innings score to the previous game.

Hutton was once again the pick of the bowlers, finishing with 3-21 as Northants posted 154-7.

Nottinghamshire replied with Sam Wood and Tom Moores but Mohammad Azharullah bowled the latter for 11 in the 3rd over (17-1), Gidman coming in.

The visitors were in further trouble when Azharullah struck again in the 5th over, bowling Gidman for eight and then Tillcock went without scoring, LBW to Cobb with the score on 35-3.

Wood and Dan Freeman rebuilt the Notts innings, the pair adding 85 for the fourth wicket before Saif Zaib bowled the former for 54.

Freeman carried on the form that saw him score a Premier League century for the Academy at the weekend, reaching his half-century off just 28 balls.

He couldn’t see the side home though, bowled by Willey for 58 with the visitors needing seven runs to win.

Greg Smith (19*) finished the game three balls later, the final score on 158-5 as Nottinghamshire won by five wickets to cap off a good day.

 

Notts Outlaws NatWest T20 Blast Fixtures & Ticket Information

v Durham Jets – Sunday 31 May 2.30pm BUY TICKETS
v Leicestershire Foxes – Friday 5 June 6.30pm BUY TICKETS
v Northamptonshire Steelbacks – Saturday 27 June 2.30pm BUY TICKETS
v Worcestershire Rapids – Friday 3 July 6.30pm BUY TICKETS
v Derbyshire Falcons – Friday 10 July 6.30pm BUY TICKETS

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