Notts Outlaws just fail to halt unbeaten Lancashire Lightning in Vitality Blast

Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell starred with the bat and in the field as Lancashire recovered from two for two in the first over of the game to maintain their unbeaten start to this season’s Vitality Blast at the expense of Nottinghamshire.
Notts Outlaws Dan ChristianNotts Outlaws Dan Christian
Notts Outlaws Dan Christian

Maxwell thrilled an Emirates Old Trafford crowd of 9,712 with 73 off 46 balls as the Lightning posted 151-6.

He then claimed four catches - a Lancashire record - as Notts slipped from 96 for three in the 13th over to 101 for six in the 15th.

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Visiting captain Dan Christian (41 not out) brought the game back into the balance with two leg-side sixes off Saqib Mahmood as the penultimate over went for 21 before James Faulkner, another Aussie, defended 12 off the last over, taking two wickets.

Notts finished on 148 for nine, with Lancashire winning by three runs.

Lancashire have now won five of their seven North Group fixtures, added to two No Results, and sit on 12 points. They are three clear of Worcestershire in second, who have only played six.

Notts remain in the top four with three wins and three defeats from seven.

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Former England all-rounder Samit Patel also impressed for Notts with one for 14 from three overs of left-arm spin and 34.

But he was one of three wickets to fall for five runs in 12 balls as spinners Matthew Parkinson and Liam Livingstone put the skids under the visitors.

Parkinson, became the fastest Lancashire bowler to 50 T20 wickets in his 29th game, and finished with three for 22 from four overs of leg-spin.

The Lightning recovered from two for two in the first over and 35 for four in the ninth to post 151 for six thanks to a superb 107 fifth-wicket stand between Maxwell and Dane Vilas (46 off 36).

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They united for eleven overs to share their county’s record fifth-wicket partnership in T20 cricket.

Having been invited to bowl, Notts made the perfect start through left-arm seamer Luke Wood, who bowled Alex Davies with the first ball of the night and then Steven Croft for one with the fifth, both off inside edges.

Shortly afterwards, Livingstone was bowled trying to scoop Pakistan left-arm spinner Imad Wasim before Keaton Jennings was stumped off Patel.

That paved the way for Maxwell and experienced South African Vilas to first of all rebuild the innings by scampering singles and twos before opening up later on.

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The Lightning (66 for four after 12 overs and 91 for four after 15) scored 85 off the last eight overs and 60 off the last five.

Maxwell effectively utilised the reverse pull and ramp against Harry Gurney late on before he and Vilas then fell in to Gurney in the 20th over.

Richard Gleeson gave the hosts the ideal start to their defence when he trapped Joe Clarke lbw with the first ball of the chase, replicating Wood’s early strike.

Gleeson then had Ben Duckett caught at mid-off by Maxwell off a full toss - 29 for two in the fourth before Hales (29) miscued a sweep at the leg-spin of Parkinson to Maxwell at deep mid-wicket (65 for three in the ninth).

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Notts reached halfway at 76 for three, but things started to unravel as Livingstone had Tom Moores caught at long-off by Maxwell and Wasim lbw.

Parkinson also had Patel caught at deep cover - 99 for five in the 14th - and Wood stumped.

Christian’s late heroics are then to no avail as Faulkner struck twice in two balls in the last over, including another catch for Maxwell.

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