On Saturday 2 September 2017, Notts Outlaws ended a long wait for a first T20 title.

We are looking back on that momentous day and how the drama unfolded. 

11:30am – With the first semi-final having just begun, the Outlaws arrive at a sunny Edgbaston to begin their preparations for the 2:30pm start against Hampshire.

Semi Final – Notts Outlaws v Hampshire

2pm – Dan Christian loses the toss as the Outlaws name an unchanged line up for the ninth game in a row.

2:28pm – One of the competition’s most explosive opening duos, Alex Hales and Riki Wessels, step out to face the Hampshire bowlers.

2:36pm – Hales starts the party, smashing the first six of the match.

2:53pm – End of the powerplay. Hales is gone, as is Tom Moores, but Wessels is unbeaten on 35 and Brendan Taylor is 5* with the Outlaws 56-2.

3:28pm – After a sedate second half of the innings, Christian ramps up the momentum, smashing three sixes in a row.

3:42pm – An Ish Sodhi maximum in a cameo of 11 and Billy Root’s 15 lift the Outlaws to 169-7.

3:56pm – Patel removes dangerman Shahid Afridi with the first ball of Hampshire’s reply. The Sky Sports pundits had been predicting that the Outlaws would choose to shelter their left-arm spinning all-rounder from bowling at the Pakistani marksman. Not a bit of it.

4:18pm – End of the powerplay, Jake Ball striking with a key wicket as Hampshire move to 56-2 after six overs.

4:39pm – The variations of Steven Mullaney pick him up the key wickets of George Bailey and Tom Alsop, the Outlaws are still in the game with Hampshire 105-4 after 12.2 overs.

4:46pm – Mullaney again! This time James Vince picks out Brendan Taylor at deep square leg after starting to look dangerous on 56.

4:49pm – Pinpoint throw by Patel, run out, Michael Carberry gone. Hampshire 120-6 from 14.4 overs.

5:03pm – Harry Gurney effectively finishes the game with three wickets in an over, removing Liam Dawson, Gareth Berg and Sean Abbott.

5:08pm – The Outlaws are through, Ball’s yorker cleaning up Wood’s stumps to seal victory by 23 runs.

Final – Notts Outlaws v Birmingham Bears

6:15pm – Another toss, another loss but an unchanged side. Christian’s Outlaws are ready to face off against the Bears in front of raucous home support.

6:42pm – Hales and Wessels make their way to the crease.

7:04pm – Not the start the Outlaws wanted. 30-3 as Patel joins Taylor. Commeth the hour, commeth the men.

7:23pm – Sedate progress to halfway, but both batsmen are still there, Patel on 20 and Taylor on 22.

7:41pm – 100 partnership. The duo are now laying a platform for a late assault.

7:52pm – Taylor falls for 65, caught on the boundary by Dom Sibley, his partnership with Patel ending on 132, the Outlaws’ highest ever T20 fourth-wicket stand.

7:59pm – Another Christian blitz, this time off Olly Stone, as the last over goes for 23 and the Outlaws post a formidable 190-4. Patel finishes with a classy, crucial 64 whilst Christian is unbeaten on 24 taking his Finals Day tally to 20 balls faced, 48 runs and five sixes.

8:20pm – A dipping slower ball, a Gurney special, has an early breakthrough for the Outlaws. The Bears 12-1 after two overs.

8:24pm – Jubilant celebrations are sparked as Patel has his second run out of the day; Ed Pollock short of his ground after a direct hit from the Outlaws all-rounder.

8:49pm – The wickets keep coming, Christian trapping Grant Eilliott LBW with a solwer ball for 9.

9:05pm – 12 overs gone; Bears 95-4, 96 required, all to play for.

9:13pm – Gurney does what he does best, claiming a crucial wicket just as the opposition look like they are going to get away; de Grandhomme dragging onto his own stumps.

9:32pm – Who else? Gurney takes two in his final over to finish with NatWest T20 Blast Final figures of 4-17 and taking his tally to 7-36 on the day.

9:37pm – Ball, defending 29 in the final over, starts well and gets even better with his third delivery as Patel drags on for 4.

9:38pm – NatWest T20 Blast winners! The Outlaws beat the Bears in front of their home support, winning by 22 runs and becoming the first side to do the white ball double since Hampshire in 2012.

10:11pm – Christian cops a shiner as he collects a clout from the trophy, but nothing can stop the celebrations.

Notts Outlaws, 2017 NatWest T20 Blast champions.

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