Peter Moores expects his players to rally together ahead of the final two group stage games of the Metro Bank One Day Cup, as wins in both will be essential to keep the Outlaws in the hunt for quarter-final qualification.

Notts Outlaws currently reside one place and one point shy of the qualification spots, having also played a game more than their opponents directly around them.

Moores names an unchanged 14-man squad ahead of the Outlaws' trip to Canterbury, as Kent Spitfires host Notts' penultimate group game (Thursday 17 August, 11am).

"[Middlesex] was one of those games where you can have no complaints," he said after the Outlaws were defeated at Radlett.

"We were well beaten; we didn't bowl well enough, missed some crucial chances and then lost early wickets.

"We needed runs and partnerships early on, but we didn't get them."

Moores did, however, highlight why the competition remains one of great benefit to Nottinghamshire and the wider county game.

"It gives people opportunities and sometimes exposes them to things they need to get better at - it's why I love the competition," he said.

"It can reveal things about a player's talent and gives [the more junior players] good roles in the team which they may not get in the T20 when other players are around.

"We saw Lyndon James bowling at the end today, and close the innings out well. And we've seen players like Ben Martindale take their chance opening the batting too.

"And I thought Tom Loten bowled well at Radlett too. We've been looking for him to really run in and make a difference and I thought he did that.

Despite recent disappointments, qualification for the knockout stages remains a possibility - a challenge which, Moores said, the Outlaws squad is more than fired up for.

"It's a credit to the lads, really, that they're really up for it," he said.

"A lot of these players have waited a long time for the opportunity, and they're just as disappointed as the supporters will be.

"But they'll be coming back against Kent, and it's another opportunity for the players to show what they've got."

The Outlaws' Metro Bank One Day Cup fixture at the Spitfire Ground commences at 11am on Thursday, before they welcome Lancashire to the John Fretwell Centre on Tuesday 22 August for a potential qualification decider.