Match Preview v Notts Outlaws
Thu 3 Sep 2020
Leicestershire Foxes travel to Trent Bridge as they prepare to face the table-toppers in Notts Outlaws in round five of the 2020 Vitality Blast campaign.
The Foxes, fresh from yet another wash-out, this time at Emerald Headingley against Yorkshire Vikings will be looking to continue their Blast campaign in the rich vein of form which saw them claim a 30-run victory over Durham Cricket in their only completed fixture of the season
Further, they will be looking for a similar performance and result from the last time they visited Trent Bridge as Arron Lilley led the Foxes to a 21-run victory in a weather affected, 11-over a side fixture.
The Outlaws head into the fixture sitting atop the Vitality Blast North Group after their fixture against Lancashire Lightning away at Aigburth CC also fell victim to the weather.
As the contest is scheduled to be played behind closed doors and is not live on Sky Sports, the fixture will be available to stream from the ECB Hub. Find more information HERE.
Head-to-Head
For the fixture against Outlaws, we compare the match-up between each team’s overseas spin all-rounders Gareth Delany (Foxes) and Imad Wasim (Outlaws).
Delany was instrumental at the top of the batting order in the 30-run victory over Durham on Monday, scoring a superb 68 from 45 balls.
The Irishman also chipped in with the ball, taking the valuable wicket of ex-Notts all-rounder Paul Coughlin with his leg-spin. Overall, in T20 cricket in his career, Delany has scored his runs at an impressive strike rate of 143.17 and hit his 50th career T20 six in that win on Monday.
Delany's boundary percentage of 20.53% is also very strong, and his useful leg-spin has taken wickets at a career average of 22.60, and economy rate of just 7.10 runs per over.
While Delany was impressing for Leicestershire earlier on in the week, rival spin all-rounder Imad Wasim was featuring for Pakistan against England in the three-match T20 international series in which he took three wickets for 96 runs across the three matches.
Left-arm spinner Wasim is less of a threat with the bat, with a career strike rate of 125.38 and lower boundary percentage of just 14.54%, but he impresses with the ball, taking his wickets at an average of 25.09 and a very low economy rate of just 6.41 runs per over.
Last Time We Met in Vitality Blast
The last time that Leicestershire Foxes and Notts Outlaws met in the Vitality Blast was in August of last season’s competition.
The meeting came at a crucial time for the Foxes as their victory over Derbyshire Falcons eight days prior set up an enticing end to the North Group’s fixtures, with both Falcons and Foxes vying for a place in the quarter-finals.
The Foxes looked to attack the small boundary at the Fischer Count Ground as captain Colin Ackermann won the toss and opted to bat first, with Harry Swindells and Mark Cosgrove forming an understanding at the top of the order.
The home side got off to a quick start, posting 41 for one after 4.5 overs after Cosgrove (14, 13b) was caught by Carter off the bowling of Harry Gurney.
The Outlaws struck again quickly after with the wicket of Arron Lilley (0, 2b) three balls later, as Colin Ackermann joined Harry Swindells (22, 17b) at the crease as they looked to form an expensive partnership.
The duo put on a stand of 72 for the fourth wicket before Ackermann (42, 31b) was caught by Libby off the bowling of Christian with the Foxes sitting on 118 for three after 14.4.
The crucial wicket of Swindells (61, 46b) fell next, caught by Duckett off the bowling of Ball as the Foxes now looked to their middle and lower order to run up the score in the remaining 4.2 overs.
The Outlaws restricted the Foxes to just 34 runs from the remaining 26 balls, with the home side finishing on 161 for eight with Callum Parkinson (4no, 4b) and Gavin Griffiths (1no, 1b) at the crease.
The Foxes took an early wicket in Notts’ innings as Joe Clarke (9, 10b) was caught by Lilley off the bowling of Ackermann as the Foxes looked to pile the pressure on the Outlaws’ top order.
The partnership of Alex Hales and Ben Duckett was not fazed, though, as they went from strength to strength.
By the end of the powerplay, Notts had posted 56 runs for one wicket, however, the Foxes attack struggled to break the second wicket stand.
It eventually came to an end in the thirteenth over as Duckett (47, 29b) was caught by Lilley off the bowling of Klein with Notts in a good position on 119 for two.
A man-of-the-match worthy innings from Alex Hales (60, 39b) came to an end seven balls later with the Outlaws still sitting on 119.
But, with 6.3 overs remaining, and the Outlaws needing 43 runs, the away side were in a comfortable position and the partnership of Tom Moores (18no, 17b) and Dan Christian (27no, 19b) saw the Outlaws over the line with seven balls remaining, claiming the win for Notts.
Squad
The squad for the Outlaws fixture remains the same from the 13 named for the Vikings Clas.
Gareth Delany and Arron Lilley will be looking to continue their form from the victory against Durham.
Despite incredible figures of 4-0-23-0 in the last outing, Tom Taylor is still searching for his maiden Vitality Blast wicket.
Ben Mike and Arron Lilley still haven’t bowled a ball in this year’s competition, and will be ready to do so if called upon by Ackermann.
Leicestershire from 13: Colin Ackermann (c), Will Davis, Gareth Delany, Harry Dearden, Gavin Griffiths, Lewis Hill, Dieter Klein, Arron Lilley, Ben Mike, Callum Parkinson, George Rhodes, Harry Swindells, Tom Taylor.
