Notts fell to their first defeat in five games against Northamptonshire at The County Ground to keep the Vitality Blast’s North Group tightly packed. 

The Outlaws’ 78-run loss came by virtue of a resurgent late over display with the Steelbacks racking up 177 after opting to bat first. 

The hosts then claimed three wickets for one run in the powerplay to set Notts off course, before wrapping up victory inside 15 overs.

The Steelbacks lost Emilio Gay in the early stages when he clipped Shaheen Afridi straight to midwicket. Ricardo Vasconcelos, though, combined power hitting with deft stroke play to keep anchor the hosts’ innings.

Willey, too, attacked in the powerplay, finding the boundary off Carter and Ball, but his downfall came when he made room to attack Samit Patel, only to be deceived by one which knocked back his off-stump.

Vasconcelos continued unperturbed, sweeping Patel to bring up his fifty off just 40 balls, and after cutting Carter to backwards point, Justin Broad stepped into the mantle with a swift 16.

Saif Zaib (26) and Rob Keogh (20*) then combined in an enterprising stand of 36 runs. Zaib latched onto a beamer from Afridi and hit another maximum before he holed out to long-off off Ball.

Keogh gathered two boundaries of his own as the runs continued to fly, with AJ Tye depositing Shaheen high over long-on for six and hitting three fours as the Steelbacks’ innings ended on a high.

Clarke took the attack to Ben Sanderson’s first over, picking up three consecutive boundaries.

But the evergreen Steelback seamer soon struck back, nipping one back to remove Hales’ bails, before Willey struck twice in the next over.

First Colin Munro chipped one up to mid-off before Matt Montgomery was caught at slip.

Clarke ramped Willey for six and had powered four down the ground off Taylor (2-17) when he tried another big shot off the next ball, failed to connect and had his stumps flattened. That left the Outlaws on 48/4 at the end of the powerplay.

Patel looked to regain the initiative. He powered Sanderson through the covers and disdainfully smashed Taylor over long on before collecting two boundaries off Freddie Heldreich. 

The spinner got his man in the next over though when he holed out to Zaib on the deep midwicket boundary.

Sanderson (3-29) returned to the attack and duly had Tom Moores caught behind off the first ball of his final over, finishing his stint by picking up Afridi when Taylor held onto a steepling catch.

Calvin Harrison skied a catch off Taylor with Willey doing the honours in the field before Carter holed out off Tye.

Mullaney (31) hit a big six down the ground but was the final wicket to fall caught on the boundary to give Heldreich his second wicket.