Bears falter in chase as Billy takes root to set up Outlaws
BILLY Root’s maiden limited-overs century lifted Notts Outlaws to a precious ten-run Royal London Cup victory over Warwickshire at Edgbaston.
The Outlaws made a meaty 303 for six from 50 overs thanks to Root’s unbeaten 107 (93 balls, ten fours, two sixes), supported by Steven Mullaney’s 89 (84 balls, 11 fours). Their stand of 159 was a List A fifthwicket record for Notts.
Jonathan Trott then continued his prolific 50-over form with his 21st limited-overs century (104, 108 balls, 14 fours) but the chase proved beyond his colleagues as the Bears fell short on 293 for nine.
After Notts chose to bat, the innings began with two maidens but Michael Lumb was soon batting in typically forthright fashion, smashing three sixes in 16 balls.
He received little top-order support though as Rikki Wessels was bowled, trying to sweep Keith Barker, Samit Patel hoisted Olly Hannon-Dalby to long-leg and Brendan Taylor fell lbw to Josh Poysden. When Lumb (56, 92 balls, two fours, four sixes) also perished lbw to Poysden, the Outlaws were 92 for four but Mullaney, back after injury for the first time this season, and Root, brother of Joe, counter-attacked. Mullaney’s in-nings ended when he made room to carve Barker over the off-side and was bowl-ed. But Root kept the runs flowing. He reached his ton in the final over which, delivered by Olly HannonDalby, went for 19 and left Warwickshire chasing 300-plus for the third time in five days. They were solidly launched by a stand of 104 in 18.1 overs by Trott and Sam Hain (37, 42 balls) before the latter was trapped lbw by James Pattinson. Trott reached his ton with a single off Stuart Broad but the applause had barely died away before he lifted Mullaney tamely to mid-on. Mullaney’s fine match continued when he dismissed Ian Bell (51, 61 balls, five fours) and Tim Ambrose, who missed sweeps to fatal effect, and the Bears’ wobble continued when Matt Lamb, on his List A debut, was bowled by Pattinson.
Warwickshire needed 49 from the last five overs and as the pressure mounted Rikki Clarke and Keith Barker sent up skiers. Sixteen from the final over proved too much despite the perky efforts of Aaron Thomason (27 not out, 21 balls).
Trott said: “We lost our way a little bit with the bat and lost too many wickets at crucial times, including myself who shouldn’t have got out when I did. If I had got a few more runs, 120 or 130, it would have been a lot easier for the guys coming in.
“Mullaney and Root batted well to get them up to a defendable total but the disappointing thing is that we had chances in the game to close it out and win it and unfortunately we couldn’t do it.
“Hopefully we will get it right against Lancashire on Sunday.
“We were going nicely with the bat but credit to Nottinghamshire, they bowled well and they had batted well to get themselves into that position.”
Nottinghamshire batsman Root said: “Now that we have finished the game and have won, there is a lot of relief but at the time [I scored my century] I didn’t really have time to think about it because it all happened so quickly. But now that we have won there is huge relief after the lads bowled so well to close it out.
“The century just snuck up on me really. I wasn’t thinking about it, it was just a question of trying to score as many runs as possible. Luckily it paid off today and got us to a total which the guys defended with some really good death-bowling.
“There were a lot of high-fives in the dressing-room which was nice. I haven’t checked my messages yet but I am sure there will be one from Joe.”
If I had got a few more runs, 120 or 130, it would have been a lot easier for the rest of the guys coming in.