Notts Outlaws Match Preview - 20/08/2022

After three wins on the trot, Leicestershire are looking to earn their sixth win from seven in the Royal London Cup.

The penultimate round of the group stage sees East Midlands rivals Nottinghamshire make the short trip to Uptonsteel County Ground, with both teams still firmly in the hunt for qualification spots.

Wednesday’s four-wicket at Gloucestershire took the Foxes to the summit of Group A, while Nottinghamshire’s 14-run defeat to Warwickshire left them two points off the top three.

Last Time We Met:

It was an unhappy last meeting for Leicestershire in the previous List A encounter between the two sides, with Notts recording a comprehensive seven-wicket win at Welbeck.

After being inserted by the hosts, the Foxes slumped to 144 all out, with 70 of those runs coming in a partnership between Ben Mike (34) and Rehan Ahmed (35*).

In reply, the Outlaws chased the total within 21 overs. Mike, Ahmed and Ed Barnes taking a wicket apiece.

In Focus:

After a slow start to the tournament, Harry Swindells is starting to show the form resembling his true capabilities, with back-to-back fifties in the Foxes’ previous home fixtures last weekend showing the full range of his skillset.

Against Somerset, he arrived with the score at 67 for four, showing an exemplary temperament in building a canny 70 after a stay of more than 30 overs at the crease to help the Foxes to a competitive total of 269.

Two days later, the Leicester-born wicketkeeper showed his firepower, blasting a quickfire 54 to add vital late innings impetus which propelled the side to 338 in a 131-run win over Warwickshire.

It backs up a solid 2021 campaign, in which he averaged 35.8 and recorded his List A career-best of 75 against Surrey. If the Academy graduate can continue such progression, a maiden hundred in the format beckons.

Opposition Player to Watch:

Sol Budinger is developing quite the reputation for his destructive approach at the top of the innings. The 22-year-old averages 31.46 striking at an eye-catching 137.24 for Nottinghamshire in List A cricket and is leading the way in his county’s batting charts this campaign.

An average of 48 and strike rate of 148.78 shows his ability to immediately put the opposition on the back foot, something he’s done against Leicestershire’s Second XI on numerous occasions already this term.

He belted 76 off just 34 balls in the 50-over fixture featuring the Foxes’ first-choice attack at Lady Bay last month, whilst he hit three fifties alongside a best of 151 in four innings against the Second XI from four innings in the Second Eleven Championship in May and July.

Squad:

Beuran Hendricks misses the fixture after receiving a Hundred call-up, while Tom Scriven is ruled out with a minor hamstring issue. Will Davis joins the squad. 

Leicestershire Foxes: Barnes, Bowley, Davis, Hill *, Kimber, Lilley, Mulder, Patel, Steel, Swindells +, Walker, Welch, Wright.