A heroic performance in the field from captain Byron Hatton-Lowe was not enough to prevent Nottinghamshire Under-18s from falling to a narrow four-run defeat in a 50-over friendly against Derbyshire at Notts Sports Club.
After the visitors had posted 245-7, Saad Ali made an unbeaten 66 in pursuit, but the young Green and Golds were agonisingly bowled out in the penultimate over for 241.
Derbyshire’s total was driven primarily by 81 from captain Joe Hawkins and Sam Cliffe’s measured 66, with the two adding 124 together for the third wicket.
However, Hatton-Lowe’s efforts, which saw him bowl Harrison Parker for eight, claim two catches, and execute a run-out from long-on, helped keep the visitors to an achievable score.
Akand Gangotra was the pick of the attack, returning figures of 2/55, while Oliver Henshaw and Krish Patel also joined Hatton-Lowe in the wickets column.
Despite Ali’s 66, though, only Aditya Badge was able to join him in passing 40 for the hosts at Lady Bay, as Archie Phillipson’s 3/25 saw Derbyshire to a narrow win.
View the full scorecard here.