With only five fixtures, the 2004 T20 campaign was certainly not as high-profile as it is today. There were some who bemoaned the emergence of the twenty over game, dubbing it the end of test cricket all around the globe.
This new format of cricket was still in its infancy, having only been launched a year earlier and inconsistency was, perhaps, to be expected. Ranging from 210 to 110, the Outlaws' scores clearly reflected that the art of pacing a T20 innings was yet to be grasped.
When this range of scores with the bat is coupled with a lack of planning on part of the bowlers, it is no surprise that 2 wins and 3 losses were to represent a season of both positives and negatives. Even so, some glimpses of the wonders of this new 'baseball-style' game were beginning to shine through in spectacular fashion, and a large number of the previously sceptical crowd had come round.
Despite this aforementioned inconsistency, the Outlaws' victory over Yorkshire at Trent Bridge on July 7th would undoubtedly have made a very good early impression on the Nottinghamshire faithful. After conceding what many felt was an out-of-reach target in the first innings, a scintillating chase saw the men from Trent Bridge chase down 209 to win; the highest successful run chase in the brief history of the T20 cup. When Kevin Pietersen was caught behind off the bowling of Chris Silverwood without troubling the scorers, such a daunting target looked an incredibly long way off, but brisk cameos from both David Hussey and Chris Read then heralded something special from Mark Ealham.
The seasoned professional shone in the youngsters' game, dispatching the Yorkshire bowlers for 9 sixes, scoring 91 from just 35 balls. While he was unable to see the game out, he almost single-handedly took the Outlaws to a quite remarkable victory, as Samit Patel and Richard Logan saw the game home with just one ball to spare.
The only other taste of victory for the Outlaws side this year was inspired by Kevin Pietersen, and came at the expense of Durham. After Graham Onions had removed both Paul Franks and Jason Gallian for first ball ducks, Pietersen not only steadied the ship, but broke the back of Durham's 120 first innings total. After two stands of near 50, both involving the man from South Africa, the Outlaws' chase never really looked in doubt.
Unfortunately, the success of the first two games was not carried through for the remaining three matches of the season. The loss at the hands of Derbyshire just underlined the importance of having a significant contribution from one player. As the victories over Durham and Yorkshire both saw men pass fifty comfortably, the highest score in the Derbyshire loss was just 32. Whilst Pietersen's contribution was a fair enough score for a T20 game, the Outlaws' innings just needed someone to go on and get a bigger score.
In truth, the Leicester run chase never got going. In many ways, the problems of the Derbyshire game were just exemplified once again, as only four batsmen reached double figures, with a highest score of 26. In neither case were the bowling performances the issue, as Ryan Sidebottom was economical in both matches, and the fielding was tight.
Many who followed the Outlaws in 2004 will correctly write off the loss at Old Trafford. Any game reduced to eight overs instantly becomes a game of chance, and the Outlaws were on the wrong end of a difficult result to take. A Dominic Cork hat-trick finished the men from Trent Bridge off, and when they took to the field defending just 79 momentum was firmly against them.
Speaking of momentum, 31 from 11 balls from the bat of Andrew Flintoff finished the Outlaws off, and a season that had promised much ended somewhat prematurely.
Despite its ending in slightly anti-climatic fashion, the 2004 season undoubtedly taught some invaluable lessons to the Outlaws players, as well as their fans. The world of cricket was learning all about the T20 game, and the Nottinghamshire side of 2004 was no different.
The lessons learnt in the cup's second season would stay with the men of Trent Bridge, and the impression the season made on the Nottinghamshire faithful would, just as importantly stay with them too.
Notts Outlaws v Lancashire Lightning Friday 16 May - 6.30pm
Adults £10* / Under 21s £7* / Over 65s 7* / Under 16s £5*
Worcestershire Rapids Friday 23 May - 6pm
Durham Jets Friday 30 May - 6pm
Birmingham Bears Friday 13 June - 6pm
Derbyshire Falcons Friday 20 June - 6pm
Yorkshire Vikings Saturday 28 June - 2.30pm
Leicestershire Foxes Sunday 20 July - 2pm
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