Luke Fletcher was at the fore once more as Notts Outlaws moved one step closer to securing a quarter-final place in the NatWest T20 Blast.

The bowler has excelled since making his return to the format, his trademark full bowling earning him the plaudits of many in the game. It’s hard to believe he found a place in the Outlaws’ T20 eleven hard to find over the last few seasons.

“I don’t forget those times, I’m just really chuffed to be involved. I really appreciate playing, I’m grateful for my position in this team and now I’m just trying to keep hold of it,” he said.

“My theory is, if you get a Yorker right it shouldn’t go anywhere, the only way it should go for four is if someone nicks it through Ready.

“That’s how I work, and everyone knows what I’m going to do but I back myself to put it in the blockhole, and if you want to hit it out of the park then have a go.

“In the last three or four games we’ve done well as a bowling unit. If we carry on like we have, and field the way we are, we’ll be very hard to defeat.”

Trent Bridge hosted a crowd in excess of 10,000 who witnessed a showcase in death bowling from Fletcher, who ended the match with figures of 3-11. Fletcher hailed the support of the Nottinghamshire faithful in pushing the side one step closer to a home quarter-final.

“We had a huge crowd here for this match, and to have another one like this would be fantastic, we all enjoy playing here,” he said.

“We know our record in knockout T20 isn’t great here, but we want to put that right and get to final’s day.

“That’s the loudest I’ve heard it here since we played that quarter final here two years ago. I was fielding toward Fox Road, and when we got two wickets I couldn’t hear myself think.”

The Outlaws have two more fixtures in the group stages of the tournament, away at Northants and Yorkshire. While their place in the knockout stages is all but confirmed already, Fletcher is keen to cement their position ahead of a grandstand end to the season, with the county excelling in all formats.

“We’ve had a good couple of months and its important that we keep going,” he said.

“We’ve got a four-week break from four-day cricket so that’ll be good for a couple of the senior bowlers like Andre to rest up and then we go again.

“Now, we’re going into a spell of 50-over and if we can take this form into that then it’ll be brilliant too.”

 

The Royal London One-Day Cup is now just around the corner, and tickets for Notts Outlaws v Surrey on Sunday 10 August are just £1 when bought in advance. Click here to secure your seats.