Chris Read’s preparation for Monday’s NatWest T20 Blast Quarter-Final will include getting his eye in against former Nottinghamshire teammate Graeme Swann, in a charity fixture on Friday.
The Club Captain is leading his own XI, featuring Michael Lumb, Luke Fletcher, Luke Wood and Jake Libby, into a T20 battle against a team led by Swann at Radcliffe On Trent Cricket Club on Friday, with proceeds split between Bowel Cancer UK and the NSPCC.
The charity match, starting at 5pm, will provide a welcome opportunity to play in a pressure-off environment, before the serious business returns with the knockout fixture against Essex on Monday.
“Graeme got out first ball for nought last year and he bowled an over, which was still with pretty decent off-spin. It’ll be interesting to see how he’s getting on.
“I’m sure he’s been practicing in the nets with Wilf, his eldest, and trying to get him out. I think we lost last year so a little bit of revenge needs to be taken.
“I’m a patron of the charity (Bowel Cancer UK). When we first set up this game, it was very much with bowel cancer in mind. But, as more and more people have got involved, with both sponsors and people coming to watch the game, it’s grown and we’ve managed to add another charity to that list as well.
“It should be a very entertaining few hours of cricket, and there’s lot of other activities happening on and off the pitch as well.”
The Outlaws have limbered up for the quarter-final with eight successive victories in the NatWest T20 Blast, culminating in the eight wicket thumping of Leicestershire last Friday.
Wins in 20-over cricket proved to be more elusive as three successive defeats – against Yorkshire, Leicestershire and Worcestershire – caused the Outlaws to be eliminated from the Royal London One-Day Cup, something Read is keen for the team to put behind them on Monday.
“We’ve got to get over the performances over the last week in white ball cricket, in the 50-over competition, because our Twenty20 form has been absolutely fantastic.
“The the way the boys played on Friday night against Leicestershire showed there’s some serious ability knocking around.
“It’s that crunch time in the season when the white ball season really culminates in either silverware or the end of your competition. So it’s very important that we perform well on Monday, and we will be raring to go.”
Notts Outlaws will face the Essex Eagles in the quarter-final of the NatWest T20 Blast, with a 6.30pm start on Monday 8 August at Trent Bridge, and tickets are on sale now.