Joe Clarke, Matthew Montgomery fifties steer Notts previous Derbyshire
Nottinghamshire 182 for six (Clarke 68, Montgomery 51) beat Derbyshire 178 for six (Madsen 61, Reece 53) by 4 wickets
Joe Clarke blasted 68 from 29 balls on his twenty seventh birthday earlier than Matthew Montgomery revealed extra proof of why Nottinghamshire charge him so extremely with a high-quality 51 because the Outlaws launched their Vitality Blast season with a four-wicket victory over neighbours Derbyshire Falcons.
South Africa-born Montgomery, who made 177 in opposition to Essex within the LV= Insurance County Championship final week, was making his county debut within the 20-over format and took to it impressively because the Outlaws eased residence with 18 balls to spare regardless of Zak Chappell’s 2 for 29 in opposition to his former workforce and George Scrimshaw taking three late wickets in 5 balls.
Half-centuries by Wayne Madsen and Luis Reece in a second-wicket stand value 112 in below 10 overs had appeared to arrange the Falcons for a bumper complete as they sought to win at Trent Bridge for the primary time in 10 years however the Outlaws fought again nicely to limit them to 178 for six.
There had been debut wickets for quicks Shaheen Shah Afridi and Conor McKerr – on mortgage from Surrey with three senior Outlaws bowlers out injured – whereas skipper Steven Mullaney took 2 for 37.
The Falcons misplaced Pakistan batter Haider Ali to ex-Derbyshire fast McKerr’s first professional ball in an Outlaws shirt when a unfastened drive noticed him caught at third however with Madsen smashing 36 from his first 18 balls it changed into an honest powerplay for the guests, who had been 56 for 1 after six having elected to bat first.
Madsen appeared in excellent contact from the beginning, following three consecutive fours in opposition to the off-spin of Matt Carter – additionally celebrating his twenty seventh birthday – with a pair off Samit Patel’s left-arm spin earlier than bringing McKerr again right down to earth with a simple pick-up for the evening’s first six.
Reece caught the temper, despatching Patel and Mullaney over the ropes with the Outlaws unable to discover a approach to stem the runs as Madsen’s ninth 4 took him to a 26-ball half-century and the Falcons reached midway at 102 for 1.
The two took a six every off Mullaney however when Madsen slapped the final ball of the identical over into the arms of additional cowl it sparked an Outlaws fightback that noticed Reece gap out to long-off – a wicket on Blast debut for Montgomery – and Luis du Plooy bowled behind his legs as 118 for 1 turned 134 for 4.
Tom Moores, in his first motion for six weeks after breaking a finger, pulled off a pointy stumping to take away Anuj Dal and Afridi claimed his first Outlaws scalp as Aneurin Donald missed an tried ramp, the second half of the innings getting in favour of the house aspect, with 76 runs added for 5 wickets misplaced.
Needing 9 per over, the Outlaws raced to 78 for 1 from the powerplay, 26 off them in a single over of Mark Watt’s left-arm spin as Clarke smashed 5 fours and a six, finishing a 23-ball half-century alongside the best way, Alex Hales – carrying quantity three on his again after Afridi claimed his common 10 – the solitary casualty as he skied Chappell to backward level.
The residence aspect’s progress was checked when Clarke was pinned leg earlier than by a Chappell yorker that avenged an enormous hit over long-off earlier within the over, however Montgomery joined one other debutant – the New Zealand worldwide Colin Munro – in including 60 in 34 balls for the third wicket to convey the requirement right down to 32 in 45 balls.
Munro fell when he scooped Zaman Khan to lengthy leg, Montgomery departing in related style after hitting six fours and a six in his 29-ball innings as Scrimshaw gained some comfort for an in any other case costly night by taking three wickets in the identical over as Mullaney and Moores had been dismissed earlier than Samit Patel scrambled the successful runs.