INTERVIEW: Hartley reflects on Outlaws victory
Lancashire Cricket spinner Tom Hartley said there is “a lot of confidence” amongst the group after their first Vitality Blast win of the season on Monday.
Lightning overcame Nottinghamshire Outlaws at Emirates Old Trafford to get on the board in the competition, bouncing back well following opening night defeat to Surrey at the Kia Oval.
Keaton Jennings side put the Midlands outfit to the sword, with Hartley explaining that they want to turn Emirates Old Trafford into a fortress.
“We ideally want to win every game here. So, to get one on the board here, it just sets the template for how we want to play here. A few of the younger lads, it just shows them how to win here. So, there will be a lot of confidence going into Friday night.
“We know how to play here. I think that pitch is going to get a bit drier, it might spin a bit more, which will play into our advantage. So, fingers crossed we can do the same again.”
The left-armer, who took impressive match figures of 4-20 off 3.5 overs, was one of three spinners in Jennings’ attack on Monday evening. Chris Green (1-50) and Harry Singh (1-27) made up the rest of the trio. Hartley referenced the role he and his colleagues did to restrict Notts’ run scoring flow after a quick start in the powerplay.
“The pitch looked like it was starting to spin a little bit. I felt like I’d be able to bowl into the wicket with a slightly bigger boundary one side. We always knew that during the middle overs, myself, Greeny and Singhy as well, we could pull it [the fast start] back.
“With the weather and the heat, it was starting to spin a little bit, and it just allowed us to go into the wicket and use our strengths for the big boundaries here.”
The Red Rose spinner returned his second-best figures in his Vitality Blast career, and his best since 2021. Hartley was certainly pleased with how he performed at a sunny Emirates Old Trafford, especially given he had to finish off the injured Jack Blatherwick’s over after just one ball.
“They got off to a flier, I thought it was going to be a tough evening with all their lefties, but to bounce back and finish off Blath’s over there, gave me a lot of confidence and I think that showed towards the back end.
“It’s never nice seeing a teammate go down. So, to finish his over off was fantastic and showed the trust that Keats has in me to come in at the tough times and bowl the tough overs.”
Hartley and his Lightning teammates will be looking to make it two wins from as many games at Emirates Old Trafford on Friday night. They take on Leicestershire Foxes in the second game of a double header.
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