da supremo： An unbroken 97-run partnership between Steven Croft and Tom Smith helpedimpressive Lancashire crush Nottinghamshire by nine wickets in their FriendsLife t20 match at Old Trafford
10-Jul-2011
ScorecardAn unbroken 97-run partnership between Steven Croft and Tom Smith helpedimpressive Lancashire crush Nottinghamshire by nine wickets in their FriendsLife t20 match at Old Trafford.In a match reduced to 15 overs per side because of early afternoon rain,Lancashire opted to field first and restricted the Outlaws to 105 for five. Theyoverhauled this total with nine balls balls to spare, Croft finishing 53 not outand Smith unbeaten on 45.The win moves Lancashire into fourth place in the North Group and the OldTrafford side have a game in hand on all their rivals in the quest for a placein the quarter-finals. Nottinghamshire’s defeat was only their second in the2011 competition.Lancashire’s pursuit began badly when they lost Stephen Moore to a Ben Phillipsslower ball in the second over, but Croft and Smith then dominated proceedings,putting on 50 runs in only 40 balls.Both Outlaws spinners, Samit Patel and Graeme White, came in for roughtreatment, the England international being reverse swept for four by Smith, andWhite being hoisted over midwicket for six by Croft.Lancashire’s skipper then handed out similar treatment to Patel and reached hishalf-century off 33 balls. Smith was not far behind his partner in demolishing the Nottinghamshire attack, hitting three fours and a six off former colleague Steven Mullaney in his38-ball innings. Darren Pattinson conceded only 16 from his three overs and wasthe pick of the visitors’ attackIn the first innings Nottinghamshire openers Tamim Iqbal and Alex Hales scored41 runs in the five-over powerplay before both batsman fell to left-arm spinnersin their first overs.Tamim was caught behind off Gary Keedy, while Hales lofted Stephen Parrystraight to long-on Sajid Mahmood. The slow bowlers maintained their grip on theOutlaws batsmen, Keedy removing Patel for 10 and returning fine figures of twofor 14 from his three overs.Parry finished with one for 16 from his allocation and Nottinghamshire’sbatsmen relied mainly on singles to reach an indifferent 77 for three after 12overs.Riki Wessels supplied some much needed acceleration, taking three boundariesoff Junaid Khan’s second over, which cost 16 runs in all. That spurt helped theformer Northamptonshire batsman add 32 in exactly four overs with his skipperAdam Voges.But an outstanding diving catch at mid-off by Farveez Maharoof removed theSouth African for 19 and Khan castled top scorer Voges for a boundary-free 29 inthe last over as the Outlaws finished on a moderate 105 for 5.