Nottinghamshire 150 for 6 beat Durham 132 by 18 runs
A game-defining over from Imad Wasim ensured that Notts Outlaws defeated Durham in their Vitality Blast meeting at Trent Bridge to finish at the top of the North Group, as the visitors’ group-stage exit was confirmed.
Imad took 2 for 24 but also executed a couple of run-outs as Durham fell short of a victory target of 151 to lose by 18 runs.
Notts scored 150 for 7 after being asked to bat first, with Ben Duckett top-scoring with 29. Paul Coughlin and Liam Trevaskis each took two wickets for the visitors as the normally free-scoring home side were kept in check.
The result means that Notts finish the qualifying matches as the number one seed and will play Leicestershire Foxes at home in the quarter-finals. Durham’s loss ended their slim hopes of advancing to the next stage and means their season is now over.
Durham had given themselves a shot at reaching the last eight by winning four matches in a row prior to arriving in Nottingham. Their prospects of extending that sequence were given a major boost when Alex Hales fell in the first over of the match, driving the spin of Trevaskis to Graham Clark at cover.
Chris Nash followed for 13 but Notts looked to be getting back on track as Joe Clarke picked off a succession of boundaries. The right-hander had scored a century in the reverse fixture at Chester-le-Street and also helped himself to a hundred in the recent Bob Willis Trophy match between the two sides.
REPLAY | Absolutely pinpoint from Imad Wasim.
Durham are 67 adrift and listing, with only two wickets remaining.
Watch live https://t.co/1Whx2hVOsJ pic.twitter.com/IqgB1ocCTZ
— Nottinghamshire CCC (@TrentBridge) September 20, 2020
Clarke hit Coughlin for four boundaries in the fifth over but then attempted another and drilled the ball straight at Clark.
Duckett and Tom Moores added 102 together at Leicester on Friday evening and began another rebuilding job in the middle order before being parted after a stand of 49 when Moores was caught behind.
His partner coughed up an easy catch off Trevaskis in the next over to leave the hosts on 92 for five. Durham felt they’d dismissed Dan Christian first ball, with Alex Lees claiming a catch that the umpires adjudged against.
Christian didn’t profit to a great extent, being bowled by Nathan Rimmington for 13. Imad and Steven Mullaney gave the score a boost in the final overs with an unbroken stand of 31, which featured two sixes from Imad in his 26 not out.
Durham’s pursuit of 151 began badly, with Clark picking out substitute fielder Peter Trego in the first over but the main damage was reserved for the fifth over.
The chase floundered as 36 for 1 became 37 for 4. Ben Raine hit Imad straight to Alex Hales at mid-off, Lees was smartly stumped by Moores for 28 and then an horrific mix-up led to the Pakistan international whipping off the bails to run David Bedingham out.
Brydon Carse made 24 before picking out Matt Carter, to give Mullaney his 100th wicket in this format.
Imad then connected with a direct throw to find Scott Steel short of his ground and but for some late hitting from Trevaskis that was effectively that.
Trevaskis twice cleared the ropes in making 31 not out from 21 balls but he was left at the wrong end as Ball clean-bowled Rimmington to seal the win with five deliveries remaining and Durham on 132 all out.
Vitality Blast quarter-finals:
Nottinghamshire v Leicestershire
Surrey v Kent
Gloucestershire v Northamptonshire
Sussex v Lancashire
All fixtures to be played on October 1
