The group stages of the NatWest T20 Blast competition reach their conclusion on Friday evening, with eight matches being played up and down the land.

Notts Outlaws travel to Leeds, to face Yorkshire Vikings at Headingley, with issues at stake for both counties.

The Outlaws are assured of a place in the quarter finals but will be looking for the victory that ensures them a home tie in the next round. Notts are unbeaten in their last eight fixtures (2 rained off), a run that includes a 22-run win over the Vikings at Trent Bridge.

A Notts win at Headingley will ensure a second-placed finish in the North Division and a home tie against Hampshire, who are sure to finish third in the South Division.

If Notts lose, they could be pipped for second spot if Worcestershire Rapids defeat Derbyshire Falcons and improve their run-rate.

The Rapids are currently 2 points behind Notts and their r/r is +0.38 compared to the Outlaws +0.66.

Yorkshire Vikings have even more riding on the evening. They are currently in 4th spot, on 15 points. Defeat could see them miss out altogether if Birmingham Bears defeat Leicestershire Foxes. A win would ensure a place in the quarters but they can’t now secure home advantage, so will have to travel to either Essex or Surrey, the top two in the South.

Head To Head

Friday’s contest will be the 22nd time that the two counties have met in the domestic T20 competition, with Notts holding a winning advantage of 13-7, with one match abandoned.

This will be the 10th meeting at Headingley, where Notts have won on 5 previous occasions (2005, 2006, 2008, 2011 and 2013) and lost four times (2003, 2007, 2009 and 2010).

At Trent Bridge, it’s 8 wins to 3,in Notts’ favour, with the only abandonment coming in the only match to be staged away from the county headquarters, the 2012 fixture at Scarborough.

Last Time

Notts triumphed by 25 runs in last year’s T20 match at Headingley. The visitors posted 155-8, having been invited to bat first by Azeem Rafiq, the Vikings’ captain.

His opposite number, David Hussey, top-scored for the Outlaws, making na undefeated 52, with Samit Patel adding 46.

Ian Butler gave the final stages of the innings some impetus, hitting 2 sixes and a four in a 9-ball knock of 18.

The hosts were on course, at 75-1 in the 11th over but they then subsided against the spin of Patel and Graeme White, Both claimed two wickets and only went for a combined 37 in their 8 overs.

Joe Sayers made 38 but the rate continued to climb and the result was beyond doubt going into the final stages, with Yorkshire closing on 130-6.

 

History

Notts endured a poor opening season in the domestic T20 competition. They finished last out of the North Group of 6 in the 2003 campaign, a position cemented with an 18-run defeat at the hands of Yorkshire.

The contest was played on 24th June at Headingley and the home side made 196-5 having elected to bat first.

After Charlie Shreck, on his T20 debut, had removed Yuvraj Singh – sent out to open for the Tykes – skipper Matt Wood and 23-year old Michael Lumb added 101 for the second wicket.

Wood made 57 but it was Lumb who put the Notts’ bowling to the sword by bludgeoning 55 from 26 balls, with 4 fours and 5 sixes.

In reply, Notts were very much in the contest at 140-2 but were then blown away by Lumb the bowler – sealing the man of the match award with figures of 3-32, removing Kevin Pietersen, Bilal Shafayat and Will Smith.

Tim Bresnan also claimed three wickets as Notts subsided to 178 all out in 18.1 overs.

Teams for that first meeting:

Yorkshire: Wood (capt), Yuvraj Singh, Lumb, White, Hamilton, Blakey (wk), Craven, Gray, Bresnan, Silverwood, Sidebottom

Notts: Welton, Clough, Gallian, Pietersen, Shafayat (wk), Patel, Franks (capt), Smith, Logan, MacGill, Shreck

Played For Them Both

Current Trent Bridge favourite Ajmal Shahzad played on 22 occasions for Yorkshire in T20 cricket, taking 17 wickets @33.8 and scoring 129 runs.

He has played 16 times in the short format for the Outlaws and has already taken 14 wickets @31.7 and scored 32 runs.

Amongst the other cricketers to have represented both counties, over the years, are Greg Blewett, Brian Bolus, Mike Bore, Mark Broadhurst, Gareth Clough, Phil Jaques, Younis Khan, Michael Lumb, Ashley Metcalfe, Ryan Sidebottom, Barry Stead, Richard Stemp and Alex Wharf.

 

Stats (in all domestic T20 fixtures between Notts and Yorks)

Highest Team Total

Notts: 215-6 (TB 2011)

Yorks: 207-7 (TB 2004)

Highest Individual Score

Notts: 91 MA Ealham (TB 2004)

Yorks: 96* MJ Wood (TB 2004)

Best Bowling

Notts: 3-17 SR Patel (TB 2013)

Yorks: 4-23 Naved-ul-Hasan (Headingley 2009)

Debuts:

Notts: WR Smith, CE Shreck (both Headingley2003)

Yorks: A McGrath, SP Kirby (both Trent Bridge 2004), JJ Sayers (2005 Headingley 2005), Azeem Rafiq (Trent Bridge 2008), LJ Hodgson, BW Sanderson (Trent Bridge 2010), I Wardlaw (Headingley 2011), AZ Lees, WMH Rhodes (Trent Bridge 2013).

Milestones

Samit Patel needs one more wicket to become the first to take 100 in T20 matches for Notts.

One wicket for Luke Fletcher will take him past Graeme Swann into 5th spot on Notts’ list of T20 wicket-takers. Both currently have 38 wickets apiece.

List reads: Patel 99 Pattinson 64 Mullaney 45 Ealham 41 Fletcher & Swann 38

Tickets

For all details surrounding admission prices and all other matchday information please see the official Yorkshire County Cricket Club website www.yorkshireccc.com

Coverage

You can listen to commentary of the game via BBC Radio Nottingham’s frequencies and on-line, through the BBC Sport website. Sky Sports are also screening this match.