Notts Outlaws slipped to their first defeat of the NatWest T20 campaign when they went down by 6 wickets to Yorkshire Vikings at Trent Bridge.

The visitors had been set to score 144 in the North Group encounter and they reached their target with 7 balls to spare, with captain Andrew Gale finishing with an unbeaten 68 to his name.

Gale scored his runs from 55 balls, hitting 5 boundaries and a six and in the process he became the first Yorkshire batsman to pass 2,000 runs in T20 cricket.

Earlier, the Outlaws posted 143 for seven after being asked to bat first, with Samit Patel top-scoring with 41, made from 27 deliveries, with two fours and a couple of maximums.

Notts director of cricket Mick Newell admitted his side were always up against it.

“Lots of things didn’t go our way,” he said. “We didn’t get things right tonight.

“It was a slightly disappointing performance but that’s the nature of T20. I’ve said all along that you aren’t going to win 14 out of 14 , you just have to make sure you win the majority of your matches.

“They squeezed us in the first few overs, although the scores at the end of the powerplay overs were identical but the fact we’d lost two wickets was quite costly, especially Brendan and Riki, two explosive players so that was a costly loss there and if you don’t get wickets early yourself, you feel you are always hanging on to the game rather than dominating it and we were only ever hanging on.”

The starting eleven for the Outlaws showed just one change from the team that beat Birmingham Bears a week earlier, with Sam Wood replacing Alex Hales, who was absent on IPL duty with the Mumbai Indians.

Yorkshire gave a debut to their new overseas star, Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell, who had twice been on the winning side at Trent Bridge as a member of the Hampshire side that had been victorious in 2012 and 2014 quarter finals on the ground.

Riki Wessels and Greg Smith opened the innings for the home side and took 13 from the first three overs. The fourth over began by Wessels (13) top-edging Tim Bresnan for six over third man. Attempting a repeat, to another shortish delivery, the ball flew in the same direction but was taken by the sliding Matthew Fisher.

Brendan Taylor (8) twice hit Liam Plunkett through the covers then tried to hoist him down the ground but couldn’t beat the leaping Fisher at mid on. There was some debate as the ball seemed to lodge in the fielder’s clothing, rather than his hands but, after discussion, the umpires ruled in Yorkshire’s favour.

Smith looked to attack at every opportunity, pulling Fisher for two boundaries in the sixth over, which ended with the Outlaws on 44 for two. 

Samit Patel lofted Rich Pyrah for a straight six at the start of the tenth over but the bowler had his pay back five balls later as Smith skied to Plunkett at long on for 27.

James Taylor made 3, before edging Plunkett to a diving Jonny Bairstow, leaving Notts on 80 for four.

Patel hit Maxwell over the ropes in the 15th over and the 100 came up two balls later. Steven Mullaney played a ramp shot for four against Fisher then drilled a waist-high shot into the covers which Andrew Gale couldn’t hold.

Adil Rashid broke the fifth wicket stand of 32 by having Patel caught behind for 41, after the batsman had advanced a long way down the track to the spinner.

On 18, Mullaney was dropped by Hodd, running to his right at long on, off Bresnan. Sam Wood (8) wasn’t so lucky, taking off for a quick single he was run out by athletic work from Bairstow.

Maxwell went for 31 runs from his four overs, ending with Mullaney lofting high over extra cover and into the base of the Fox Road Stand.

Turning for a second run, Mullaney was run out from the final ball of the innings for 38, leaving Will Gidman unbeaten on 2.

Harry Gurney gave the home supporters a lift by beginning with a maiden against Gale. In his next over Andrew Hodd drilled a ball viciously back at the left-armer, but the ricochet fell to safety.

Another chip off the same bowler only just cleared Smith on the edge of the circle, although the fielder did get a finger-tip to it.

Patel broke the opening stand in the ninth over, as Hodd (22) chipped a half volley straight to James Taylor, who then caught Alex Lees (2) in similar fashion off Mullaney.

Bairstow wasted no time in hitting Patel down the ground for six but then went for a big hit too many off Mullaney and was caught by Brendan Taylor, although there was nearly an almighty collision with Luke Fletcher and the ball bobbled on Taylor’s body before being gathered.

Gale passed his 50 from 43 deliveries and remained to see his side over the finishing line, although Maxwell wasn’t there to accompany him, after falling to Sam Wood for a quickfire 20, which included two mighty blows for six.

 

Notts Outlaws NatWest T20 Blast Fixtures & Ticket Information

v Durham Jets – Sunday 31 May 2.30pm BUY TICKETS
v Leicestershire Foxes – Friday 5 June 6.30pm BUY TICKETS
v Northamptonshire Steelbacks – Saturday 27 June 2.30pm BUY TICKETS
v Worcestershire Rapids – Friday 3 July 6.30pm BUY TICKETS
v Derbyshire Falcons – Friday 10 July 6.30pm BUY TICKETS

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