A bristling half century from Riki Wessels and an inspirational debut performance from West Indies’ international Darren Sammy helped Notts Outlaws to a 15- run victory over Durham Jets in their NatWest T20 Blast match at Trent Bridge.
Wessels was the pick of the batsmen scoring 67 off 41 balls, with four fours and five sixes. The Australian shared a 100-run partnership with Samit Patel, who added 46.
Sammy was playing in his first of his four match spell at Trent Bridge and the West Indian altered the complexion of the afternoon. He removed Calum MacLeod and Paul Collingwood in successive balls when both batsmen had become set at the crease.
The home side posted a competitive 175 for seven, after being invited to bat first, with Usman Arshad being the pick of the bowlers, returning two for 19 with the ball.
Durham’s response floundered after losing both openers cheaply and they closed on 160 for six, with Gordon Muchall finishing on 42 not out, although the visitors didn’t ever really recover from Sammy’s twin-strike in the eleventh over.
Wessels, nevertheless, deservedly collected the man of the match champagne and admitted he’d enjoyed himself at the crease.
“It was nice to get some runs today, they were much needed from my point of view. I feel like I’m timing it quite nicely at the moment and am back to somewhere near, where I was at last season. Obviously I was disappointed to get out when I did and like that. I thought the shot was on but it was a good catch and it’s the second time he’s done that to me already this season.”
On his stand with Patel, he said: “That was quite a crucial stage of the game for us really because we’d lost two early wickets and if we’d lost another then we could have been struggling to get 120 on the board, so it was quite nice to build up a good partnership with Samit, but disappointing to lose so many wickets towards the end.
“We were pleased to get up to 175 because I think we’d have taken 160 at the start but from a batting point of view we did what we wanted to do, get some runs on the board and put them under pressure.”
The Outlaws’ starting line-up showed two changes from the defeat against Yorkshire Vikings. Alex Hales returned to the side after his brief spell in the IPL and there was a debut for Sammy, with Greg Smith and Will Gidman the two players omitted.
Hales made only 7. He heaved Paul Coughlin away for a mighty 6 at the start of the second over but then found the safe hands of Scott Borthwick on the midwicket fence when looking for a repeat.
It became 18 for two at the start of the next over as Usman Arshad reacted sharply to gobble up a caught and bowled offering from Brendan Taylor, who had scored only 2.
Riki Wessels, on 9, nearly emulated Hales. He hit Coughlin away on the leg side and watched as Borthwick got finger tips to it but the ball just about had enough height to carry for a maximum.
The penultimate ball of the powerplay saw Wessels launch Coughlin over the ropes again as the first six overs ended on 45 for two.
Samit Patel also got into the act by clubbing his first maximum, levering Ryan Pringle towards the fence in front of the pavilion to bring up the 50 partnership.
Patel launched another meaty blow, over extra cover and deep into the New Stand, and took Notts to 81 for two at the halfway stage, with 19 coming from Pringle’s second over.
At the start of the 14th over Wessels reached his 50, getting there from 34 deliveries with four fours and three sixes. A boundary from Patel brought up the 100 partnership from 71 balls, but he perished for 46 from the next delivery, spooning Coughlin high to Mark Stoneman at cover.
Wessels’ fine knock ended when he worked Keaton Jennings behind square but low into the hands of Hastings.
The captain James Taylor edged Arshad behind for only 7 but Darren Sammy and Steven Mullaney both hit sixes in the 18th over off Hastings.
Mullaney (8) was run out, trying to pinch a single to mid off and Sammy lofted Hastings to long on for 19.
In reply, Durham’s innings got off to a poor start when Stoneman went without scoring, helping Jake Ball into the hands of Hales at deep midwicket.
Phil Mustard (11) tried to get after Luke Fletcher but only succeeded in finding the back pedalling Samit Patel.
MacLeod and Collingwood rebuilt, taking the score to 68 for two at the halfway stage, by which time Notts had used seven different bowlers.
The eleventh over was hugely significant as it ended with Sammy claiming back-to-back wickets. Firstly, MacLeod top-edged down to Fletcher at fine leg for 32 and then Collingwood was bowled next ball, trying to whip to leg.
The big-hitting Hastings only made 6 before spooning the ball high to Sam Wood at point, giving Steven Mullaney his 50th wicket in the T20 format.
Pringle was the only other wicket to fall, hitting Fletcher to Mullaney for 25, after a stand of 61 with Muchall.
Despite the loss, Durham remain top of the North Group, with 6 points from five matches played. Notts Outlaws have won two and lost one of their first three fixtures.
Notts Outlaws NatWest T20 Blast Fixtures & Ticket Information
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