Riki Wessels produced a devastating display of hitting to power Notts Outlaws to a nine-wicket win over Worcestershire Rapids in their NatWest T20 Blast game at Trent Bridge.
Wessels scored an unbeaten 80, making his runs from only 35 balls, with six fours and seven sixes, as Notts chased down a victory target of 125 in only 12.2 overs.
For the second day in a row the Notts attack responded magnificently after Dan Christian had won the toss and asked them to exert pressure on the opposition’s top order. On Friday evening Northants were bowled out for 122, this time the Rapids were restricted to 124 for eight.
‘Keeper Ben Cox made 37 not out but only three other players made double figures, with Steven Mullaney’s two for 26 being the pick of the hosts’ bowling.
Joe Leach had threatened to dominate the early stages after blazing his way to 18 from 11 balls, hitting Harry Gurney for the Rapids’ only maximum.
Once the opener had hit Jake Ball to Mullaney on the long on fence, it became a procession.
Joe Clarke (7) tried to go early against Christian and was caught by Wessels in the sixth over. Imran Tahir brilliantly ran out Brett D’Oliveira (9) off his own bowling and was on hand to inflict the same fate to Dary Mitchell (0) when Ball fired one in from the deep.
The South African leg spinner was, perhaps surprisingly, the only bowler not to get a wicket but they continued to fall quickly at the other end.
Mullaney picked up his 65th and 66th T20 wicket for Notts, taking him past Darren Pattinson into second place in the Notts list of wicket-takers (behind Patel); Tom Kohler-Cadmore (22) and George Rhodes (7) were his victims.
Patel removed the dangerous Ross Whiteley for 10 and Harry Gurney saw off New Zealand’s Matt Henry for 0.
Wessels started to tee off early in the run chase. He hit Leach for 4646 in the second over but lost his partner in the next as Michael Lumb picked out mid off for 14.
From then on it was all about Wessels, although Greg Smith rotated the strike nicely in making 32 not out from 27 balls, which included a six off Henry.
Wessels blazed his way to 50 – getting there with six sixes and three fours. He reached the landmark from only 17 deliveries, the quickest in the competition this season – and only one delivery behind Alex Hales’ county record.
With a comfortable win in sight Wessels and Smith made sure there were no errors as they romped to the finishing line, ending with an unbroken stand of 91 from exactly 9 overs.
The victory lifts Notts up to second in the North Group table, ahead of Tuesday evening’s trip to Grace Road, where they face Leicestershire Foxes.
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.