Running Foxes end Outlaws' away winning streak

BLAST 13 | Leicestershire Foxes 177 for eight (19.4) v Notts Outlaws 173

SCORECARD | Available from Cricinfo HERE

POINTS | Leicestershire Foxes 2, Notts Outlaws 0

REPORT | Leicestershire Foxes end Notts Outlaws' away winning streak in the Vitality Blast with a last over victory at the Uptonsteel County Ground.

The news from the middle of the Uptonsteel County Ground was that the Running Foxes won the toss and inserted the hosts to open the batting.

County made one change from their victory over Durham Cricket, last time out in the Vitality Blast, as Louis Kimber returned after successfully self-isolating with Scott Steel the man to miss. A re-jig of the batting line-up saw Rishi Patel open the batting alongside Josh Inglis for Leicestershire.

Callum Parkinson and Naveen opened the bowling for the Foxes with each bowler conceding just six from their first overs.

The first Outlaws wicket then fell in the fourth over, as Alex Hales (15) sent Ackermann’s full toss straight to the hands of Arron Lilley, stood at deep midwicket who made no mistake with the catch.

Ben Duckett joined Joe Clarke in the middle with the visitors on 24 for one.

The visitors then responded to the early wicket of Hales with an over of 19 from the fifth, with Clarke recording back-to-back maximums.

The fifty was brought up by the visitors in their final over of the powerplay, with the first six overs coming to an end on 62 for one.

Clarke went on to record his half-century in the seventh over by sending one over long on for his fourth six of the evening. The fifty came from 20 balls and included four fours and four sixes.

His stint in the middle came to an end five balls later, as Clarke (57, 27b) looked to pull Ackermann away but, similarly, to Hales picked Lilley out at deep midwicket who took his second catch of the evening.

The halfway point in the Notts’ innings then came up after three consecutive fours for Duckett, with Outlaws sitting on 110 for two after their first ten overs.

The third wicket fell in the eleventh over as Griffiths chimed in to clean bowl Tom Moores for seven, as Samit Patel joined Duckett with Outlaws on 115 for three.

Parkinson then went on to claim his first wicket of the contest, as he pinned Duckett infront for 45 as the batsman looked to sweep away.

Lilley then continued his strong spell with the ball, restricting Patel and Steven Mullany to just three from the fourteenth.

Two overs later and Lilley brought his superb spell to a close with the wicket of Mullaney, as Ackermann was wise to his drive and catches him at extra cover for seven.

A double-wicket over then followed for Naveen, as like at Trent Bridge, he found himself on a hat-trick ball.

First to go was Trego (1) as Naveen’s slower ball clattered the batsman’s middle and off stumps.

Calvin Harrison then came and went without troubling the scorers as he is caught at deep midwicket by Lilley.

The remaining three wickets then fell in consecutive overs as Ackermann claimed his third of the evening as Carter (0) swept him down to deep backward square leg straight into the hands of Naveen. Ackermann brought his four to a close with figures of 4-0-35-3.

Naveen then closed his overs out with his third of the evening, after Patel (26) pulled the delivery straight to the hands of Lilley at deep midwicket who claimed his fourth catch of the match.

Griffiths then closed the innings on 19.2 after clipping the top of middle and off stumps of Paterson for six, bringing Notts’ innings to a close on 173 following a superb fightback from the Foxes, after an explosive start for the visitors.

Josh Inglis got the Running Foxes’ innings off to a quick start as he recorded two fours off the opening over of Patel.

Rishi Patel then followed up in a similar fashion with his first two fours of the evening from the second Notts’ over, Carter’s first.

Paterson came in for his first over and claimed the wicket of Patel, as the Foxes man was caught by Duckett diving forward at deep square leg for 11 (7b). Inglis then followed the wicket up with a huge six over the leg side as he pulled Paterson away from the very next ball.

Overs of 15, 12 and 14 then saw the Running Foxes record 75 runs for one wicket in the powerplay, with the second wicket partnership seeing their fiftieth run come after 20 balls together.

The wicket of Inglis then came up in the seventh over after an explosive 42 off 19 “ Hales caught the Foxes man at long on as Inglis looked to go big off the bowling of Harrison.

Lilley went on to record 17 off the eighth over himself including a lovely straight drive for six, straight back over the head of Mullaney.

Ackermann saw the Running Foxes’ ton up with his first boundary of the evening, sweeping Harrison away through square leg.

Harrison responded with the wicket of Lilley (42, 23b) as the batsman left Moores room for the stumping after missing his drive.

Overs of five and six then followed before Carter claimed the wicket of Swindells for 5 (9b) as Moores caught the nick behind.

Ackermann’s wicket fell two overs later after slicing a Mullaney delivery away to Carter stood at third man, to be caught for 22(17b).

Four byes from the sixteenth over, alongside six further runs saw the Running Foxes record 10 from it, leaving the Foxes on 149 for five, requiring 25 from the final four overs.

Leicestershire entered the final three overs requiring 19 off it, but lost the wicket of Hill (14, 14b) from 18.2. The Foxes man looked to ramp Mullaney away but failed to clear Patel at short fine leg who took the catch.

Ben Mike joined Louis Kimber (14*) in the middle with the Foxes requiring 18 runs from 16 balls.

Kimber then lost his wicket, two balls later, for 14 (15b) after chipping Mullaney to midwicket into the hands of Trego running in from the boundary.

Callum Parkinson joined Mike (1*) in the middle with County requiring 17 from 13 balls.

Mike’s first boundary of the evening relieved the increasing pressure slightly, as he pulled Paterson away in an over that yielded 11 for the Running Foxes.

County entered the final over requiring six and lost the wicket of Parkinson (4, 4b) as he clipped Chappell’s delivery high into the air towards extra cover and was caught by Mullaney.

Naveen joined Mike (6*) in the middle for the remaining five deliveries with County requiring five.

The first delivery faced by the Afghani was sent for four as he somehow clipped the bowler down to third man and away for four and managed to lose his bat in the process.

The Foxes’ pace bowler found his bat for the next ball, though, as he whipped Chappell away for four through midwicket, as the Running Foxes brought an end to Notts Outlaws’ winning away streak in the Vitality Blast with a two wicket victory.

FIGURES | Parkinson 4-0-36-1, Naveen 4-0-33-3, Ackermann 4-0-35-3, Griffiths 2.2-0-33-2, Mike 1-0-15-0, Lilley 4-0-20-1

Patel 4-0-32-0, Carter 4-0-39-1, Paterson 2-0-23-1, Chappell 1.4-0-23-1, Harrison 4-0-21-2, Mullaney 4-0-33-3

FOXES | Ackermann (C), Griffiths, Hill, Inglis (wk), Kimber, Lilley, Mike, Naveen, Patel, Parkinson, Swindells

OUTLAWS | Clarke, Hales, Duckett (wk), Moores, Patel, Mullaney (C), Trego, Harrison, Carter, Chappell, Paterson

IMAGES | Thanks to John Mallett of Outside Off for supplying images throughout the game.

MATCH SPONSOR | We would like to thank The Melton Building Society for sponsoring our Vitality Blast fixture against Notts Outlaws.