Alex Hales produced a mature unbeaten fifty to help Notts Outlaws win by one run on DLS at Visit Worcestershire New Road.

The opener shepherded his side through a game of cat and mouse as dark clouds and rain circled with the visitors chasing 142, after Ben Lister and Calvin Harrison each took two wickets.

In the end, both sides parted the field with the Outlaws 100/3 after 15 overs with 99 the required score at that point. 

Having been inserted, the Rapids lost three wickets for 27 runs in the powerplay as the Outlaws saw the back of Brett D’Oliveira, caught at short third off Ben Lister’s bowling, Josh Cobb, lbw to Matt Montgomery, and Matt Waite, clubbing Stone to deep mid-wicket, all for single figure scores. 

That bright start for the visitors extended when Ethan Brookes was bowled by Calvin Harrison for nine, and by the halfway point in the first innings, the Rapids had managed just two boundaries.

A sixth wicket partnership heaved the hosts into the contest, though, as Nathan Smith bludgeoned Worcestershire’s first six of the innings over Lyndon James’ head before Adam Hose scooped the same bowler for four. 

The pair had added 59 by the time Smith - who made 27 from 23 deliveries - holed out to compatriot Will Young on the deep midwicket boundary to give Harrison his second wicket in the 16th over. 

Ed Pollock then looked to target the smaller boundary towards the Graeme Hick pavilion, and, despite being initially outfoxed by Lister’s wide yorkers, found his stride at the death, striking 16 off eight balls in the final two overs while Hose fell to Lister in the penultimate over for 43. 

Joe Clarke and Alex Hales got off to an equally steady start with seven runs from the opening three overs, before the former struck consecutive fours off Adam Finch, then back-to-back sixes off Tom Taylor. 

With clouds closing in, Taylor’s comeback had Clarke’s off stump pegged back, leaving Will Young to join Hales and manage proceedings with the score mirroring that of DLS. 

The pair carried the Outlaws to 75/1 before Young was bowled by Hayden Walsh for 12, with Haynes falling lbw to the West Indian in his next over.

Hales smashed two sixes off the 14th to push the score to 95, with the Outlaws ahead of DLS by one at the conclusion of the next over when the rain arrived.