Nabi's all-round performance can't prevent Notts defeat

RESULT | Vitality Blast game 3: Leicestershire Foxes 180 for 9 lost to Notts Outlaws 199 for 8 by 19 runs

SCORECARD | Available through ESPN Cricinfo

REACTION | Head Coach Paul Nixon spoke to BBC Radio Leicester’s Ian Stringer after the game  

HIGHLIGHTS | In-play highlights are available throughout the 2018 season

POINTS | Leicestershire Foxes 0, Notts Outlaws 2

REPORT | Mohammad Nabi had a fine all-round Vitality Blast game but Leicestershire Foxes lost to Notts Outlaws by 19 runs at a sun-kissed Fischer County Ground.

Paceman Zak Chappell and off-spinner Nabi were superb in returning three for 25 and two for 24 respectively as Notts Outlaws posted 199 for eight.

The Foxes was tight in the opening exchanges before half-centurions Tom Moores and Samit Patel shared a third wicket alliance of 97 in 8.3 overs, while captain Dan Christian struck a quickfire 47 towards the back end of the innings.

Neil Dexter again top-scored with 43 (28b, 5x4, 1x6), and Nabi smashed 32 off 18 balls, but the run rate crept up, the Foxes ultimately finishing on 180 for nine.

For the third Vitality Blast game in succession, the team was unchanged and bowling first after Colin Ackermann won the toss.

Overseas duo Muhammad Abbas and Nabi bowled in tandem at the start of the Outlaws innings, and the Afghanistan all-rounder made the first breakthrough as Steven Mullaney (6, 5b) lofted to Ackermann at mid-off.

His opening partner Riki Wessels (4, 9b) departed in the next over when driving Chappell to Abbas at mid-on, leaving the Outlaws at 17 for two halfway through the powerplay.

Moores looked to be aggressive throughout, and Patel struck three consecutive fours in the sixth over, as the visitors scored 32 runs from the next three overs.

The first maximums of the game arrived as Moores twice struck over the top in the eighth over, and Patel continued to look strong on the cut stroke as the score reached 89 for two at halfway.

Patel smoked a couple of fours down the ground and flicked another around the corner at the start of the 11^th over in moving to 50 from 26 balls (10x4).

Callum Parkinson made two important breakthroughs as Patel drilled to Cameron Delport at long-on and Moores was nicely held by a diving Raine at deep mid-wicket the ball after posting his 50 (29b, 4x4, 4x6).

A superb piece of relay work at deep mid-wicket accounted for Paul Coughlin (5, 6b) as he attempted to hit Nabi for six. Chappell ran around the boundary, caught the ball and threw it to colleague Tom Wells.

Outlaws skipper Christian had scored a 37-ball century at Northants on Friday and again looked in fine fettle in posting his runs from 28 balls (7x4, 1x6), including one cover drive that flew like a rocket across the lightning fast outfield.

Christian, like Luke Fletcher (0,2b), was bowled in Chappell’s last over, while Will Fraine (12, 7b) was castled by Raine.

Leicestershire Foxes needed to score at ten runs per over and got off to a flyer. Delport and Dexter each struck a brace of boundaries while the left-hander also lofted a straight six as the Foxes raced to 25 without loss after two overs.

The 50 alliance was recorded after 5.4 overs as Delport belted a four over mid-wicket but Fletcher bowled the opener with his next delivery for a hard-hit 33 (23b, 4x4, 1x6). Mark Cosgrove (0, 2b) was dismissed as Mullaney held a stunning catch at mid-wicket off Christian.

Dexter upped the ante with a couple of superb straight drives that went for four and six respectively as 15 runs were gathered off the ninth over.

But Notts took the pace off to leave the Foxes at 102 for six in the 14th over. The opener was caught at deep mid-wicket off Ish Sodhi, Lewis Hill (0, 2b) swept Patel to deep backward square-leg, while Ackermann (15, 13b) and Raine (6, 7b) were also caught in the deep, both off Mullaney.

Nabi put bat to ball in an entertaining knock, including one particularly big six over long-on, but the rate had climbed to 16.5 with four overs to go.

The all-rounder was yorked by Christian, and Chappell (2, 3b) and Wells (19, 13b) perished looking for boundaries off Fletcher and Sodhi respectively.

A last wicket partnership of 24 off eight balls followed as Abbas struck a highly entertaining 15 off just four balls while Parkinson hit 11 not out (7b), but it was not to be for the Foxes on this occasion.

TEAM | Dexter, Delport, Ackermann (capt), Cosgrove, Hill (wk), Nabi, Wells, Raine, Chappell, Parkinson, Abbas

FIGURES | Abbas 4-0-37-0, Nabi 4-0-24-2, Chappell 4-0-25-3, Raine 4-0-51-1, Parkinson 2-0-29-2, Delport 1-0-10-0, Dexter 1-0-18-0

PHOTO | Thanks to Ed Melia for the photo of Mohammad Nabi bowling today

* Our next Vitality Blast home game is against Lancashire Lightning on Wednesday, July 18! The best value tickets are available in advance – a family ticket for 2 adults and 3 under 16s is available for £37 in advance of the fixture. Secure your seat at the Fischer County Ground today HERE