Scorecard

Samit Patel scored his second half century in as many games as Notts Outlaws defeated Worcestershire Royals by 6 wickets at Trent Bridge.

Patel top-scored for the Outlaws with a fluid 63 from 38 balls, including 5 fours and 2 sixes, to ease past the Royals with 3.5 overs to spare.

It was left to t20 captain, David Hussey (34* from 25 balls), and club captain, Chris Read (3* from 8 balls), to guide the Outlaws home to their third consecutive win in this season’s Friends Provident t20 competition and take them to the top of the Northern section.

“We have got momentum at the moment but there are some big games to come, starting on Tuesday against Lancashire,” said Notts bowler Dirk Nannes.

“We are very happy with how things are going at the moment but know that we have to keep improving and we will be working hard to make sure that happens this week.”

The Royals won the toss and elected to bat first against a potent Outlaws’ bowling attack which included World Twenty20 Champions Ryan Sidebottom and Stuart Broad.

Left arm seamers Sidebottom and Nannes claimed an opening batsmen apiece to put the Royals on the back foot at 23 for 2.

Broad, who was making his t20 debut for the Outlaws, replaced Sidebottom from the Pavilion End and quickly got in on the act as Kervezee scooped the ball to Sidebottom at mid off with the score on 44.

Moeen Ali steadied the Royals innings and was the pick of the Worcestershire batsmen, top scoring with 67 from 48 deliveries before being caught by Sidebottom off the bowling of Graeme White.

Nannes bowled superbly at the death conceding just two from the final over of the innings. Even managing to uproot the middle stump at either end in consecutive deliveries to claim the wickets of James Cameron, bowled and Gareth Andrew, run out.

Alex Hales and Alistair Brown, both timing the ball superbly, got off to another flying start as the Outlaws scored 53 from their six power play overs before Patel and Hussey dominated the middle part of the innings.

Notts Outlaws face a Lancashire Lightning side featuring England bowler James Anderson at Trent Bridge on Tuesday evening (play starts 6.10pm).