MATCH PREVIEW: Notts Outlaws vs Lancashire
It all comes down to this!
Notts Outlaws v Lancashire
Metro Bank One-Day Cup, Group A
Tuesday August 22, 2023, 11am
Welbeck Cricket Club, The John Fretwell Centre
Lancashire face Nottinghamshire at Welbeck tomorrow knowing a win - what would be their third on the bounce - would secure knockout qualification for the second year running.
Group A leaders Leicestershire and second-placed Hampshire are already assured progression, so only one place remains up for grabs.
And three teams are vying for it; Lancashire and Kent with eight points and Notts with seven.
Lancashire are in pole position in third. You may see the odd table here and there listing Kent as third due to the fact they have won four games to Lancashire’s three added to two No Results. But they are wrong.
The first decider, as listed by the ECB’s pre-competition regulations, for teams finishing level on points is net run-rate - and Lancashire’s is significantly better.
“16.11.4 The tie-breakers for teams finishing on equal points will be:
a. The team with the higher net run rate in the Group Matches will be placed in the higher position (see below).”
That means a win will secure Lancashire’s passage.
A tie or a No Result at Welbeck would also be enough as long as Kent don’t beat Hampshire in their match on the Isle of Wight.
After winning their last two games away at Surrey and Middlesex, the Red Rose will be brimming with confidence.
One came by a 10-wicket landslide margin against Surrey at Guildford on Thursday, chasing 154, and the other in thrilling fashion by 10 runs against Middlesex at Lord’s yesterday as the hosts were bowled out for 293 in reply to 303-7.
George Lavelle top-scored with 72 and Tom Aspinwall claimed 4-52.
While Lancashire have so far won three, lost two and had two No Results, Notts have won three, lost three and had one No Result. They won last time out against Kent at Canterbury last Thursday - by one wicket chasing 260.
Opposition:
The Outlaws were One-Day Cup champions in 2017 and were beaten by Lancashire in last season’s quarter-final Eliminator at Blackpool. More of that later.
They are coached by Peter Moores and captained in this competition by another former Lancashire favourite, Haseeb Hameed - the fringe England Test opener.
They have been heavily affected by Hundred call-ups, like Lancashire have.
Matt Montgomery is their leading run-scorer with 283, while South African overseas seamer Dane Paterson has taken 11 wickets for them. Brett Hutton and Tom Loten both have 10.
Opposing player to watch:
Up and coming batter Matthew Montgomery is Nottinghamshire’s leading run-scorer in the One-Day Cup with 283 runs, including a pair of half-centuries.
The 23-year-old was born Johannesburg. He played four first-class and four List A matches for KwaZulu Natal before moving to England to study, impressing whilst on trial with Nottinghamshire’s second-team in 2021.
He also has a German passport and has played one T20 international for them.
Montgomery has scored three professional centuries - two in first-class cricket and one in List A cricket. He scored an unbeaten 92 batting at number five in Nottinghamshire’s last game - a win over Kent at Canterbury - last week.
He also bowls off-spin, though he is yet to take a wicket in this ongoing competition.
Montgomery is an adaptable right-hander, a clever player who knows when to attack and defend.
Previous meeting:
Blackpool native Steven Croft’s breathtaking century on his 600th all format career appearance led Lancashire to a thrilling One-Day Cup Eliminator win over Nottinghamshire as they chased down 339 at Stanley Park last August (26).
Croft’s unbeaten 115 off 105 balls was the key contribution in setting up a semi-final tie with Sussex at Hove, the 37-year-old steering his side to a three-wicket win with nine balls remaining to delight his home faithful.
Lancashire were in a spot of bother at 237-6 in the 38th over and needed 85 off the last 10. But Croft shared 94 with seventh-wicket partner Danny Lamb, who contributed a crucial 43 before falling with only eight runs needed.
Notts’ 338-8 was underpinned by an excellent 104 off 122 balls from opener Ben Slater.
Matthew Montgomery also contributed 78 to start an impressive all-round day which included two wickets with his part-time off-spinners. But it was not enough to stave off defeat.
What they said:
Lancashire have hit a sweet spot in terms of form, believes wicketkeeper-batter George Lavelle, top-scored amidst one of three fifty-makers against Middlesex yesterday.
Lavelle hit 72 at Lord’s, backed up by Matty Hurst’s 66 and George Balderson’s 62.
The Red Rose have won their last two games - against London sides Surrey and Middlesex.
“Since we lost to Hampshire, it was always going to be knockout cricket for us,” said the Ormskirk-man.
“I suppose it just frees that mentality. You know what you’ve got to do - you just have to execute it on the pitch.
“To take the momentum from the Surrey game down to Middlesex gives us real belief going into the back end of the tournament.”
Lavelle went on: “I think we’ve had good spells throughout, but we’re peaking at the right moment. In tournament cricket, that’s so important.
“It’s a really good run, and we’re determined to keep riding the wave.
“You don’t want to be relying on other teams. You want to know that if you go and play your best cricket, that will be enough to get you a knockout spot.”
Lavelle didn’t take the gloves at Lord’s yesterday, with Hurst doing so. The latter is expected to do so again tomorrow.
“We’re rotating - two games on and two games off. We’re both more than happy fielding and contributing to the team anyway we can,” Lavelle added.
How’s Stat!
New Zealander Will Williams was overshadowed at Lord’s with the ball, with fellow seamer Tom Aspinwall starring with an early career best four-for.
But, the one wicket Williams did get - Luke Hollman bowled - was the 100th of his career in all limited overs cricket combined.
The 30-year-old's wickets are split between 70 in List A cricket and 30 in T20s.