Carter can’t save Notts at the death
NOTTS Outlaws somehow contrived to throw away their chances of defending their Vitality Blast title in an agonising two-run defeat to Hampshire Hawks in their quarterfinal at Trent Bridge last night.
Cruising at 66-1 after a brilliant bowling effort kept Hampshire to 125-9, they slumped to 123 all out.
Even then, Matt Carter was almost the late hero as he hit three sixes in 23 not out from 13 balls to carry his side to the brink of victory.
But he did not have the strike for the final over, from which Notts needed only three runs, and Dane Paterson could not handle Brad Wheal, edging him to wicketkeeper Lewis Mcmanus from the fourth ball after three dots.
It was an awful way for the Outlaws’ excellent campaign to end but Hampshire’s determination to defend a small total was just too much.
Paterson had earlier set the ball rolling on what seemed to be a good night for Notts by taking the first wicket, that of D’arcy Short, for nine from 14 balls with the score on 15.
James Vince followed four runs later for only six, caught by Carter off Samit Patel, then the same pair, with Carter the bowler, accounted for Joe Weatherley for six.
Lewis Mcmanus was bowled by Calvin Harrison, who then caught and bowled Liam Dawson to have Hampshire deep in trouble at 40-5.
Tom Prest, who had come in at three, and James Fuller, repaired the damage to an extent in a stand of 49, before Carter had Fuller caught by Ben Duckett for 30 from 24 balls with two sixes and a four.
Prest went for what was to prove a valuable 44, from 34 balls, caught by Harrison off Patterson, but the Hawks’ tail managed not to be bowled out and to use up their overs, edging to 125-9.
Carter had an exemplary 2-18 from his four overs, Paterson 3-22 from three and Harrison 2-27 from four.
Surely, Notts would cruise to victory?
Alex Hales lofted Liam Dawson disdainfully for six over extra cover as the Outlaws began their chase but though the left-arm spinner gained revenge as the home side’s most prolific run-getter holed out to longoff for 19, it was the Hawks’ sole success in a Powerplay that cost 53 runs.
Yet the Outlaws from that point suffered one calamity after another as Duckett was run-out by Fuller’s direct hit, Tom Moores fell lbw to leg-spinner Mason Crane, Clarke lofted straight to extra cover, Patel, dropped on four, fell victim to a sharp stumping off a leg-side wide and Ben Slater slashed to backward point.
Harrison and Mullaney holed out to deep square leg in consecutive balls off Scott Currie and though Carter raised home hopes again by clubbing two sixes in three balls off Chris Wood after Luke Fletcher had been ninth man out to leave the Outlaws needing three of the last six balls, Paterson could not give him the strike and his desperate flail gave Mcmanus the catch that sends Hampshire to the finals day at Edgbaston on September 18 looking to win their third T20 title, having scraped into the last eight only on net run rate, finishing fourth in the South Group.