Toby Pettman returned figures of 4-44 on only his second first-team appearance as Notts Outlaws defeated Surrey by eight wickets at Welbeck and confirm their spot in the quarter-finals of the Royal London Cup.
Pettman’s haul came just three days after his Outlaws debut and helped the hosts to dismiss Surrey for 181, as Brett Hutton followed up his seven-for on Saturday with three more, and Liam Patterson-White also took 2-29.
Only Tom Lawes, who top-scored with 75, and Nick Kimber, who made 34, passed 20 for the visitors as they left more than ten of their allocated overs unfaced, leaving the Outlaws with a routine chase.
Half-centuries from Ben Slater, who finished unbeaten on 85, and Lyndon James (54), saw Notts overhaul their target inside 32 overs.
Earlier, upon arrival in the sumptuous surroundings of Notts’ northern outpost of Welbeck, Haseeb Hameed had opted to insert the visitors after winning the toss, and his decision paid immediate dividends.
Ben Geddes and Cameron Steel each nicked Pettman into the slips before the seamer, born in the county he was now tormenting, turned catcher behind square as Brett Hutton removed Ryan Patel via a top-edge.
That put the Brown Caps at 14/3 in the sixth over, and they fell further into the mire when Jamie Blake and Sheridon Gumbs departed in identical fashion, edging Hutton behind to Dane Schadendorf to leave them 36/5.
Lawes and Nico Reifer attempted to lead something of a fightback with a stand of 55 before the latter was languidly caught and bowled by Liam Patterson-White for 18.
His replacement Kimber, alongside Lawes, did have a little success at resisting the home attack as they added 77 together, but the returning Pettman hit back when Lawes top-edged to Matt Montgomery at short cover.
From that point, the Outlaws wasted little time in cleaning up the innings as Kimber was bowled by Fateh Singh in the next over, before Pettman saw Conor McKerr held by Hutton and Patterson-White pinned Matt Dunn lbw.
In reply, Sol Budinger laid the platform with a typically speedy innings, striking a four in the opening over and following it up with two sixes in three balls before falling at the end of the sixth for a 20-ball 32.
That set the tone for Slater and James, who together put on 114 for the second wicket in just under 22 overs to keep the Outlaws on a canter for their target.
Both batted with discipline to rotate the strike effectively but did free their hands when the opportunity presented itself, none more so than in the 17th over when Slater hooked McKerr for six over backward square.
The opener clipped Yousef Majid into the off side shortly afterwards to bring up a 61-ball half-century, before James posted his own fifty in 56 deliveries with a single from the same bowler.
The latter’s half-century almost immediately followed the duo reaching their century partnership, which also came off Majid’s spin, though James fell six balls later when he was caught by Gumbs off the bowling of Kimber.
The unperturbed Slater continued on his way, however, and, now joined by captain Hameed, was able to guide the Outlaws to the brink of their target with nine off Majid’s seventh over.
His ultimate crowning moment came in perfect circumstances as he flicked Steel for four to confirm a red inker and keep the Outlaws’ knockout hopes alive, with a third-placed finish and progress then being confirmed a few hours later as Warwickshire fell to a narrow home defeat to Somerset.
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The Royal London Cup Final
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