On Friday 26 May, Derbyshire Falcons will take a short jaunt down the A52 to Trent Bridge to face local rivals Notts Outlaws.
The Vitality Blast clash will be the Outlaws’ first of the season in the competition, with the hosts seeking to extend an enviable record in the format - they have qualified for the knockout stages 11 times in the last 13 years - in front of home support.
A positive start will not only count for points on the table but also bragging rights for one of the two East Midlands counties.
Here, we take a look at some of the numbers behind this storied rivalry.
Undefeated Run: 13
Derbyshire Falcons have won seven of the 33 T20 games played to a conclusion against Notts Outlaws, but you’d have to go back to 2015 to find the last time it happened.
On that occasion, Riki Wessels, who made a habit of saving some of his best performance for the Outlaws’ local rivals, made 66 from 33 balls, but it wasn’t enough to chase the 201 set by the hosts batting first.
Since then, however, the Outlaws have won 12 games and tied once in dramatic fashion at the Incora County Ground in 2021.
Outlaws’ Top Score: 247
Derbyshire Falcons were well and truly put to the sword by Dan Christian’s men in the 2022 Vitality Blast as the home side racked up their biggest total in the history of the competition
Responding to three losses in a row, the home side battered 86 in the powerplay at Trent Bridge. Leading the charge was home faithful favourite, Alex Hales, who plundered 21 off the second over before finishing with a 22-ball 55.
Ben Duckett, meanwhile, mustered 63, while Steven Mullany hit 45 and Tom Moores 20 off just six deliveries to give the Outlaws a total of 247 batting first.
In response, the Falcons managed 153-9, handing the hosts victory by 94 runs.
T20 Tons: 1
Wessels conjured Notts Outlaws’ first hundred in the T20 format in heroic fashion at Trent Bridge against the Falcons in 2017.
Opening in place of the retired Micheal Lumb, the right-hander made 110 from 54 balls in a stand of 153 for the third wicket with Brendan Taylor.
It helped his side to a then best T20 score of 227/3, but the result was only settled with the penultimate ball of the visitors’ response, as the Falcons finished on 222/5.
Samit Patel Scalps: 33
Nicknamed the Natural Born Thriller, Samit Patel loves little more than a duel with Derbyshire Falcons under the friday night lights.
His record attests to the fact, having taken 33 wickets in his 32 games against the Outlaws’ local rivals, more than anyone else on either side in the history of the T20 fixture.
The tally includes his best bowling figures of 3-11, and an overall economy of just 7.01 against a side whose average run rate against Notts is 8.07.