A seam-bowling masterclass from Dane Paterson and Brett Hutton secured a commanding victory for Notts Outlaws in their first Metro Bank One Day Cup outing of the season.

Hutton, the leading wicket-taker in the competition last season, claimed figures of 3/17, but was upstaged by South Africa international Paterson’s 4/30.

Chasing 238 to win, Essex were bundled out for 69 inside 26 overs – a 168-run margin of defeat.

Earlier, the Outlaws’ left-handed opening duo of Bens Martindale and Slater made hay under cloudy Chelmsford skies, piercing the tight powerplay field to pass 50 inside ten overs.

Academy graduate Martindale was the early aggressor, a straight drive off Jamie Porter the highlight of the early exchanges, before his half-century arrived from 52 deliveries.

Slater, meanwhile, was driving and cutting with the aplomb which has seen him chalk up one of the most formidable List A records in world cricket, and his own fifty arrived from 67 balls once Martindale had departed for 55.

The Chesterfield-born opener reached 79 before he too was dismissed, with Lyndon James’ 32 from 40 deliveries the next significant contribution.

Matthew Montgomery made 12, Liam Patterson-White hit 16 and Brett Hutton amassed 14 in an enterprising cameo featuring one four and a six, before the Outlaws were dismissed in the 46th over for 237.

The visitors quickly took a firm hold of the contest however, as Paterson pinned Josh Rymell in his first over, and Hutton bowled Robin Das in his second.

Right-armer Paterson snared the next three as the procession of departures continued – Tom Westley (6) well caught by Dane Schedendorf, Noah Thain (2) acrobatically pouched at full stretch by second slip Calvin Harrison, and Beau Webster perishing in the cordon for 16.

Tom Loten secured his maiden victim in first-team cricket for Notts when Charlie Allison played on for 13, before the returning Hutton accounted for Ben Allison and Aaron Beard.

There was time for skipper Hameed to enjoy a moment in the spotlight, his pinpoint throw running out Aron Nijjar for 8, before Calvin Harrison saw off Porter (2) with his first delivery to complete the rout.

******