Raine quick to praise bowlers after key win

In-form all-rounder Ben Raine may have gone a long way to winning last night’s Vitality Blast game at Notts Outlaws with the bat – but was quick to praise the bowling unit.

Whereas the Foxes had a decent start, regrouped after the loss of a couple of wickets, and gathered momentum, Notts flew out of the blocks before being pegged back.

The Outlaws racked up 70 for one in the powerplay before the Foxes hit back by claiming five wickets for 40 runs between overs seven and 13.

It was a period that ultimately won the game and brought back memories of the early days of T20 when Head Coach Paul Nixon marshalled several successful Foxes squeezes from behind the stumps.

Nixon now has a different view sitting in the dugout or on the changing room balcony, and was delighted with what he saw.

Spin duo Callum Parkinson and Mohammad Nabi had combined figures of four for 55 from eight overs, Zak Chappell came back to bowl a good second spell, and Muhammad Abbas took the prized wicket of Dan Christian with a perfect in-swinging yorker en route to a career-best three for 32.

Raine himself dismissed opener Riki Wessels, who had smashed a rapid 50 as part of a dramatic opening six overs, but as always, the all-rounder was too modest to reference his own efforts.

Raine said: “We knew that the new ball would come on nicely, Cam [Delport] and Dex [Neil Dexter] had said that. They played really well and gave a platform for the middle order, which we took advantage of.

“You’ve got to get ahead of the game when a side has got the type of batsmen that they had got – but we shone with the ball and didn’t give them a sniff. We were excellent.

“Dan Christian was a massive wicket, he is their match-winner and was poised nicely. He is someone I have watched a lot of to see how he goes about it.

“He was getting himself in, which is what he does, and then looks to smack it, but Mo bowled an incredible spell, and Parky [Callum Parkinson] and [Mohammad] Nabi were brilliant, as they have been for most of the tournament.

“Parky and Zak [Chappell] did well as young bowlers. This is where you have to test yourself as a player, you come to big grounds with big crowds and you find out what you’re made of. We bowled really well as a unit.”

Raine, who claimed two wickets in the chase, had earlier smashed 83 off 43 balls, taking his tally in the competition to 227 runs at a superb strike rate of 208.25.

That includes three efforts that helped the Foxes to three wins - 23 off seven balls at Northants Steelbacks, 113 off 46 deliveries at Birmingham Bears, and the Notts Outlaws innings. In 96 balls faced away from home, Raine has plundered 219 runs with 16 fours and 17 maximums.

But to underline the frame of mind that Raine is in, he was still disappointed to get out at Edgbaston and Trent Bridge despite his huge contributions.

“I’ve got a good bat, so I’ve got to thank my sponsor for that,” said Raine with a smile.

“But I’ve done a lot of hard work. I’ve always backed myself to play an innings like that, I’ve just not quite worked out how to go about it mentally and how to manage myself. I’ve never once doubted I could do this – never.

“I’m over the moon with how I’ve gone but I’m still learning on the job. There were periods where I had to be tactical, and it’s about knowing when to dip in and out; when to be ultra agressive, and went to knock the ball around. I feel it’s been a good progression for me this season.

“I showed a bit of frustration when I got out because Notts had really clawed it back, especially Harry Gurney – they bowled exceptionally.

“We had come out flying in the powerplay and it looked like a big score but they dragged it back and made it hard for us. I thought we were a little bit under par. I was worried about that and wanted to be in for the last over to try and get us past 200. But we bowled really well.”

Raine is content with the start the Foxes have made ahead of next Friday’s home game against Derbyshire Falcons, a fixture that marks the mid-point of the group stages.

“It’s a good start but we’ve left maybe a game or two out there," he said. "We’ve under-performed a bit in the games we have lost, especially the Lancashire one, as we should have given them a good game.

“But it’s an open group, and I’m sure other teams will be saying the same thing. We have a short break now and then have four games in a week, starting with Derbyshire next Friday, so that will be a key period for us.”

* See Ben Raine and his teammates in our next Vitality Blast home game against Derbyshire Falcons on Friday! The best value tickets are available in advance – a family ticket for 2 adults and 3 under 16s is available for £37 before 11.59pm on Thursday. Secure your seat today HERE