Tom Moores says Notts Outlaws are concentrating on their final Vitality T20 Blast fixture against Durham as the Green and Gold's look to secure a home quarter final with victory at Trent Bridge tonight.
The Outlaws have guaranteed themselves a quarter-final berth for the ninth time in 10 years but now need to finish off their group matches with a win that will ensure home advantage in the knock-out stages.
Wednesday’s wash-out away at Worcestershire lifted Notts back into second place in the North Group, meaning that Friday evening’s home match against Durham is all about one thing.
“Our focus is simple,” said Moores. “All we have to think about is winning our final match against Durham.”
The 22-year old was a member of the Outlaws’ side that won the Blast competition in style in 2017 and he remembers clearly how the team improved from match to match and peaked at exactly the right time.
“It’s something that DC (captain Dan Christian) reminded us of early on,” he said. “We’ve looked back at when we went on to win the competition two years ago and how our form picked up throughout the competition.
“If you play your best cricket early on then sometimes good things come to an end. We’ve not always been at our best but we’ve found ways to win matches.
“We haven’t yet put in a complete performance with bat and ball but we’re getting closer and if we can do it once the knock-out matches start, then that’s the best thing.
“We know our best is still to come but we’re looking no further right now than beating Durham.”
Moores admits that he has team-mates who have been studying the South Group closely trying to work out who Notts might play in the quarter-finals but the young wicketkeeper-batsman emphasises that he’s not one of them.
“No, not me,” he said. “I’m happy to take what is thrown at us but there are some players that have had one eye on the other group.
“From what I’ve heard it’s very tight and anything can happen but we’re just focusing on what we can do and to make things go in our favour as much as possible, that means ensuring we get that home quarter-final by beating Durham.”
The youngster refused to shed any light on the strategy that Notts have employed when choosing their batting order. Moores himself, has arrived at the crease everywhere between three and seven in the order.
“There is method in the madness,” he laughed. “But I’m not going to give that away to other teams. It’s a tactical move by DC and the coach to see when it best fits for me to go out there.
“We’re very lucky, we’ve got some very different types of players who can do different roles. We’ve got attacking batters and players who can also hit the gaps with minimal risk.
“My brand of cricket is quite explosive and I look to take the game to the opposition. It’s just about doing it right and doing it when it suits the game and will have the most impact.”
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There is just one further opportunity to catch the Outlaws in T20 group stage action at Trent Bridge this summer, with Durham the visitors under the Friday night lights on 30 August.