Liam Patterson-White and Haseeb Hameed produced battling knocks of contrasting tempos but Notts Outlaws fell to a narrow 14-run defeat to Warwickshire in a rain-reduced Royal London Cup clash at Edgbaston.

Patterson-White hammered 43 from just 17 deliveries in a juxtaposition with Hameed’s 48-ball 51 as the Outlaws valiantly pursued their target of 272 in 34 overs, but were ultimately dismissed for 257 to fall agonisingly short.

The hosts had set their opponents 271/6 after being put in thanks largely to an 85-ball 113 from captain Will Rhodes, as Dane Paterson, Fateh Singh, and Zak Chappell all took two wickets apiece for Notts.

Earlier, persistent drizzle in the Second City had put paid to any hopes of a prompt 11:00am start, but conditions did become more clement as the afternoon began, allowing the clash to begin at 1:30pm.

Hameed won the toss and opted to allow Warwickshire first use of the surface, and his decision received immediate vindication as Paterson struck to bowl Dominic Sibley for just one with only his second ball.

Rob Yates and Rhodes added 113 for the second wicket, but the Outlaws fought back when Singh pinned the former in front for 46 and then caught Michael Burgess, who top-edged Paterson to him behind square.

Another sizeable partnership between Krunal Pandya and Rhodes allowed the Bears captain to go to three figures from 77 balls, and his side to push past 200, though Singh did end his innings via a Lyndon James catch.

Pandya and Ethan Brookes fell to Chappell before the end of the innings, but a 14-ball 29 from Kai Smith saw the hosts set an imposing target in conjunction with an unbeaten 24 from Matthew Lamb.

A typically swashbuckling Sol Budinger innings allowed the hosts to get off to a flier before he fell in the fifth over with the score 42/1, but regular wickets dented the Outlaws’ attempts to seize the initiative.

The wicket of Ben Slater in particular proved crucial as the opener was just beginning to go through the gears, though he fell to Brookes for 47 with the score 100/3 in the 15th over.

Matt Montgomery and Hameed added 53 for the fourth wicket before the former fell for 21, also to Brookes, but Patterson-White clawed back some real momentum, smashing four sixes in the space of five balls.

That saw the Outlaws breeze past 200 as the game crept back into the balance, with the visitors at one point needing 72 off 56, though the scalps of Patterson-White and Hameed followed in quick succession.

Singh crunched 25 from 22 in an attempt to keep the Outlaws’ run rate up with what was required, though the final stages of the chase proved just out of reach as Lyndon James and Brett Hutton both departed.

With 14 needed off the final over, last man Dane Paterson was then run out at the bowler’s end attempting a quick single, a passage of play that secured Warwickshire a close-fought victory.

*******

The Royal London Cup Final

The timeless pomp, ceremony and tradition of county cricket's historic 50-over final. 18 First-Class counties go head-to-head in this prestigious competition, aiming to emerge with the spoils at our historic venue. Secure your seats here...