Adam Voges and Bilal Shafayat shared an unbroken partnership of 128 to kick-start Notts Outlaws’ NatWest Pro40 campaign with a six wicket victory over defending champions Worcester.
Shafayat finished with a flourish and his winning four allowed him to top-score with 67. Opener Graeme Swann was the other significant contributor, scoring 28 before he was bowled by Gareth Andrew.
“We did well to restrict Worcester and Adam helped me to keep going,” said Shafayat, who was an assured performer on his return to the side.
“It’s very important to make a positive start in Pro40 and it was pleasing to be able to play a part in the win.
“Our plan was to see off Kabir Ali and knock the other guys around and fortunately it came off.”
Swann and fellow spinner Samit Patel were the most economical of the Notts bowlers but it was Andre Adams and Darren Pattinson who made early inroads to reduce Worcester to 40-3 with Vikram Solanki, Stephen Moore and Ben Smith dismissed inside nine overs.
Steven Davies (74) and Graeme Hick (39) added impetus for the home side but Patel’s haul of 3-33 helped to restrict them to a total of 184-9.
Matt Wood (4), Mark Wagh (9) and Patel (9) never got going but Voges and Shafayat reached their target with three overs to spare.