Notts began their 2007 Twenty20 Cup campaign in style with a comfortable victory over Derbyshire thanks to four wickets from Gareth Clough and an unbeaten half-century from Samit Patel.

Derbyshire 148 (Clough 4-24, Ealham 3-37)
Notts 149-4 (Patel 55*, Jefferson 31)

Notts won by six wickets
Scorecard

Despite heavy rain throughout the East Midlands during the day, the floodlit match started on time with the hosts choosing to bat after winning the toss.

And although the Outlaws were initially slow to get into their stride, the medium pace of Clough and Mark Ealham proved the undoing of the Derbyshire batting.

Ealham removed openers James Pipe and Michael Dighton in quick succession and while Australian duo Travis Birt and Simon Katich briefly threatened, both gave catches to David Hussey.

Clough then stepped up to claim three wickets in his final over before Ealham returned to wrap up the Derbyshire innings.

That left Notts chasing just 149 to win and although Stephen Fleming and David Hussey fell in the space of three balls, Patel was unmoved and saw the job through.

The 22-year-old hit three fours and three sixes in his 45-ball innings, while Will Jefferson added two more maximums and three boundaries with 31 from 19 balls.

Chris Read then joined Patel to finish the game off with 10 balls to spare.