Brett Hutton ripped through Leicestershire Foxes with figures of 7-26 as Notts Outlaws kept themselves firmly in the mix for Royal London Cup knockout qualification with a 105-run win at the Uptonsteel County Ground.
Hutton’s figures represented his maiden List A five-wicket haul, and he took both the first and last wicket of the hosts’ innings as they fell well short of their 260 target, being bowled out for 154.
In setting that target, Haseeb Hameed hit an unbeaten 99* and was unfortunate to miss out on a deserved second century of this year’s competition, but still played a vital role in holding Notts’ total of 255/9 together.
That had been set after a brief mid-innings delay due to an area of the outfield failing to drain, an interruption that reduced the game to 47 overs per side and revised Leicestershire’s target slightly upwards.
The Foxes barely threatened to go anywhere near, though, as despite Wiaan Mulder’s 79*, a lethal spell from Hutton saw the visitors complete a crushing win.
Earlier, the hosts had opted to field first after winning the toss, and initially reduced the Outlaws to 63/3 in the 13th over as Chris Wright removed both Ben Slater and Sol Budinger.
However, a century stand between Hameed and Matt Montgomery, the latter of whom hit 58, saw Notts rally, as the duo dealt with the near-40 minute interruption due to the problematic outfield confidently.
Hameed played the role of rebuilder while Montgomery offered more panache, but both approaches were equally as effective as they went to their respective half-centuries within minutes of one another.
Montgomery was first, recording his at the rate of a run a ball, before Hameed posted his from 75 deliveries, passing the 100 mark for the partnership in the process.
The stand was eventually brought to an end after 20.4 overs and 121 runs by Ed Barnes’ removal of Montgomery, though Hameed continued to provide the glue as he and Liam Patterson-White took the score to 230/4.
The Outlaws would have wished for a better close to their innings as Wright picked up a six-wicket haul of his own in dismissing Patterson-White, Hutton, Fateh Singh, and Dane Schadendorf in the space of two overs.
Debutant Toby Pettman chipped in with a valuable unbeaten 5*, however, as he and Hameed ensured Notts batted out their overs and set, with conditions in mind, what looked a very defendable total.
It certainly proved to be more than enough, as a rampant Hutton set the tone by striking four times in his opening 13 balls to reduce the hosts first to 0/2, and then to 12/4.
Both Rishi Patel and Louis Kimber departed without scoring, caught by Sol Budinger and bowled, respectively, while Nick Welch (3) and Lewis Hill (4) could only manage single figures before they too were removed.
Harry Swindells looked to mount a recovery but saw his budding partnership with Mulder cut short as he was caught and bowled by Patterson-White for 27.
Mulder found more success in building a partnership with Arron Lilley, adding 84 for the sixth wicket, but the returning Hutton tempted him into a big, yet mistimed, strike and he was pouched by a diving Ben Slater for 28.
From that point, the end was clearly nigh, and the remaining four wickets went down for the addition of only five more runs in 12 balls, as the ever-developing Fateh Singh picked up two before Hutton wrapped up victory.
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