Notts Outlaws will be hoping to capitalise on their win over Lancashire Lightning as they head up to Durham for their second Vitality Blast fixture in as many days.
The Outlaws sealed a rain affected 16 run victory over the top of the table Lightning to get back to winnings ways last night (Friday 27 July).
Spinner Ish Sodhi claimed figures of 2-17 in the win whilst Jake Libby and Billy Root both notched career best T20 scores in their 78-run partnership, with 44 and 40 respectively.
With the win, Steven Mullaney has assured that the spirit in the dressing room is still high as the Outlaws look to make it two wins on the bounce.
“It’s about getting back together and close as a squad really and we know we’ve got the talent to perform on the big occasion, as we did last year,” he said.
“But now it’s really coming to crunch time and we’ve got eight games to make sure we qualify for the quarter finals, and we’re confident going into Durham on Saturday.”
Another stellar crowd of 11,267 saw the win against Lancashire and Mullaney is hoping Notts can repay the supporters faith in the side.
“I want to thank them first of all because we’ve not put a real good performance yet but we’re looking to repay the faith in them,” he said.
“We really do appreciate all their support and hopefully they do keep coming because I’m confident we can turn it around.”
Notts now head up to Durham after their first win in three games to play the Jets in front of the Sky cameras.
With two games in two days and a long journey north, Mullaney is aware of the impact that could have on the Outlaws.
“The intensity of it makes it really hard and Durham came here last week and beat us so it’s going to be another tough game,” he said.
“We’ve been training the specific roles that you’re going to be playing in the games.
“We’ve been going back to what we did well in those three games that we won and trying to rectify the things that we haven’t done so well in the games that we lost.”
Durham currently sit second in the T20 Blast table with four wins out of six, including a 34-run triumph at Trent Bridge thanks to an unbeaten 98 from opener Tom Latham.
That defeat will still be fresh in the minds of the Outlaws squad and Mullaney knows the key figures they must nullify to get revenge in the return fixture.
“With Durham [Tom] Latham played a really good innings here, I thought [James] Weighell bowled really well and they’ve got the experience of Paul Collingwood.
“Everyone in the country has got good players and everyone can beat everyone so we’re going to have to be at our best to win them games.”
Notts Outlaws squad to face Durham Jets: Jake Libby, Steven Mullaney, Riki Wessels, Harry Gurney, Matt Milnes, Luke Fletcher, Matt Carter, Samit Patel, Jake Ball, Tom Moores, Will Fraine, Dan Christian, Ish Sodhi, and Billy Root.
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It's Derby time! Notts Outlaws play local rivals Derbyshire Falcons under the lights of Trent Bridge on Thursday August 2 in the T20 Vitality Blast, from 6.30pm. Secure your seats here...