Weather Hampers Notts Before Tough Defeat
Nottinghamshire’s hopes of progress in the Vitality Blast were handed a blow in the most recent round of fixtures, as a combination of the weather and an inspired showing from the Birmingham Bears left the Outlaws staring at a group stage exit.
The Vertu Motors-backed side looked to be on course for a solid total against Leicestershire when the visitors won the toss and elected to field at Trent Bridge.
Although Ben Martindale fell for just one with the score on 36, fellow opener Joe Clarke was on fine form as he smashed 79 from 41 balls – including four sixes – as his side reached 175-5 off 17 overs before the arrival of rain.
Hopes had been high that Leicestershire would be able to head out to the field to chase a target of 181 from 16 overs but the weather had other ideas and the umpires would be left with no option but to call the game off with no result possible.
From there, Nottinghamshire welcomed group leaders the Birmingham Bears to Trent Bridge – with the visitors chasing a sixth straight win after a run that included a victory against fellow Vertu Motors-backed side Yorkshire in the previous game.
Birmingham won the toss and elected to bowl first, which proved to be an inspired call after an impressive display with the ball ripped through the Nottinghamshire batting line-up.
George Garton removed Ben Martindale and Ben Slater in the third over to leave Notts on 9-2, with Clarke then caught off the bowling of Dan Mousley in the next to make it 9-3.
Matthew Montgomery then fell LBW to Zak Foulkes, meaning that five overs completed, the home side had managed to reach only 15-4.
Runs continued to be in short supply with eight from the next three overs before Tom Moores was caught off the bowling of Danny Briggs for six, with Jack Haynes next to fall with the score on 36-6.
Haynes had at least reached double figures and Lyndon James was the only person to beat his score of 13, hitting 15 and picking up one of only two boundaries before his side were all out for just 57.
Whilst Nottinghamshire had struggled to get into any kind of rhythm with the bat, Birmingham knocked off the runs required for the loss of just a single wicket after just 5.2 overs to take a comfortable win by nine wickets.
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