Patel Heaps Misery on Royals

Hampshire lose a close CB40 match to Nottinghamshire by 12 runs.

Nottinghamshire Outlaws v Hampshire Royals
Clydesdale Bank 40 Group C
Sunday 16th May 2010, Trent Bridge

Summary
Nottinghamshire Outlaws win by 12 runs.
Nottinghamshire Outlaws: 265-8
Hampshire Royals: 253-7

An incredible century from Samit Patel proved to be decisive in this match, which saw Hampshire lose by the narrowest of margins. Having started the better of the two sides, the Royals lulled a little in the middle order, and despite a rousing comeback, led in no small part by captain Nic Pothas and Dominic Cork, the 256 target proved to be just too far.

An excellent performance from Sean Ervine, who scored 96 with the bat and took 3-43 with the ball will give Hampshire fans hope, but the unfortunate truth is that this is now the fourth successive CB40 loss for the Royals. It may well be the final game they play without Michael Lumb, and they'll be looking forward to his return.

For the Outlaws' part, Neil Carter and Paul Franks bowled well, taking two wickets each, but it was Patel, with his unbeaten 108 that really made the task hardest for Hants.

Notts won the toss and decided to bat first. And the home team started off comfortably enough. Despite a maiden opening over from David Griffiths, Edwards and particularly Hales hit the ground running with 4s and 6s to all areas of the outfield.

It wasn't long before the partnership brought up its 50 inside 7 overs, but then Edwards fell. A shot to long off always looked dangerous, and as Liam Dawson shuffled his feet, the left-hander knew he was walking for 17.

The 10th over was also particularly good to Hampshire as Ervine took the wickets of both Hales (46) and Wagh (3) - the first to a catch at deep square leg and the second trapped lbw.

Notts' confidence appeared to have taken a knock as the Royals felt the tide might be turning. Now 70-3 12 overs in, the Outlaws were relying on Samit Patel and Ali Brown to pick things up, with both still to get off the mark. The run rate dipped to just over 5, deceptively held up by the home side's impressive opening.

And for a while the home side struggled to pick up the runs, relying mainly on the odd boundary (on one occasion due to mis-fielding) to boost their score.

But then Brown picked up the pace, hitting Ervine for two fours and sending Herath to the boundary with a cheeky shot to straight fine leg. The Outlaws reached 100 inside 19 overs and the home crowd started to feel better.

Two overs later and Brown and Patel reached their partnership 50 from 58 balls; Notts on 122-3. Worryingly, Patel was also starting to warm up with consecutive 4s over cover point, before smashing Herath for 6 in the 24th over.

The 150 came up with the final delivery of the 25th over and the Brown-Patel partnership, which started slowly, had now reached 84.

But that would be all they'd reach. Michael Carberry came forward to stop the rot and with his second delivery saw off Brown, whose shot to long off was athletically caught by Herath. Minutes later, Brown's replacement, Chris Read, was also walking back to the pavillion, having swung at a Cork delivery only to guide it safely into the mitts of Nic Pothas waiting behind. Gone for 2, the Outlaws captain left his team on 155-5.

Sensing the need to step things up again, Patel started swinging a bit harder, hitting a 6 and a few 4s. The former England under 19 star grabbed his 50 with a routine drive to long on and three-quarters of the way through the innings Notts were on 183-5.

A huge 4 from Mullaney took Notts to within a run of the 200, before the very same man edged the very next Ervine delivery to Pothas. Out for 23, Mullaney was replaced by Franks as Notts paused on 199-6. Nevertheless, Patel continued to bat well. A big maximum took him to 75 and his team to 224-6 and with five overs to bowl, Hants could have done with dismissing him.

Instead they saw off Paul Franks. Wood, hit to long-on, was caught by Dawson with Notts having reached 234-7, and as the tail hit the crease, things got a little easier. Graeme White left with a duck and Carter (with a great deal of discomfort) scraped five. But it didnt stop the Outlaw's star man, Samit Patel reaching an unbeaten century. The landmark came with a 4 to point, having taken 89 balls to reach and including eight 4s and four 6s.

Hampshire started the better side but were under the kosh in the middle order

Notts finished with a score of 265 and Hampshire knew they would have their work cut out. But they started in the right way as Adams, Vince and Ervine seemed unable to hit anything less than a 4 in the first four overs. With 40 runs on the board and a run rate of 10.00 the only blemish on their opening was the dismissal of Adams for 9 as he was controversially trapped lbw by Carter.

Indeed, the big-hitting continued as Vince and Ervine raced towards the 50 partnership. But just as a Vince 4 through point took them to 49 the number 14 edged Franks behind only to be caught by a splendid diving catch from wicket-keeper, Read. It was disappointing for Vince, who has looked excellent on a number of occasions this season only to fall at around the 30 mark.

In came Carberry, and at last we saw the reason for holding him back. Carbs needed a runner in Jimmy Adams, and the Lions man looked a little off-colour as the run rate dipped to just below 7; Hampshire just begining to labour to 84 off 12 overs.

Over the next few overs things did pick up as Carberry and Ervine reached the team landmark of 100, followed by the partnership landmark of 50 in quick succession. But just as things were looking up, Carberry was bowled for 35 by Carter as he attempted to sweep to square leg. Neil McKenzie took to the crease with the Royals on 118-3 and just struggling a little to find consistency.

Hopes were high for a good knock from the South African, having performed well against Warwickshire on Friday (63*), and he started as he would have wished to go on with a boundary off his first ball. But it was Ervine who, having been our best bowler with 3-43, would once again steal the limelight as he reached his half-century off 41 balls. It had taken him just over an hour to raise and had included seven 4s. At the half-way stage, The Royals were on 138-3 with a run-rate slightly better than that required to win.

Alas, once again, the Royals took a knock just as things were going well. This time it was McKenzie out, bowled by Mullaney. Dawson came to the crease and shortly after Hampshire's run-rate fell below that required for the first time in the match. On 153 for 4, patience and calm heads were called for.

But the bowling of Mullaney and White had Hampshire under the kosh for long periods with a solitary Ervine boundary through mid-wicket proving a lonely highlight. With ten overs to go and 90 runs required to win, the maths were daunting. By the end of the 35th over, the gap had increased with a run-rate of 12 needed to win.

But that didn't mean there wasn't still time left for drama. There was a big let off for Ervine when, on 91 he slammed the ball high into the air and Ali Brown underneath it had all day to prepare. Perhaps the sun was in his eye, but whatever the excuse, he dropped the catch. No such let off 5 minutes later when, having just reached their 50 partnership, Ervine was caught right on the boundary at long off by Patel. He left the field four short of his century having hit ten 4s in the 2 hours he'd been out there.

Cork came to the crease and was in a hurry, hitting two 6s straight away and when Pothas hit a 6 through square leg it was actually starting to feel a little bit like squeeky bum time! An almighty 17 was needed off the last over though and in trying desperately to reach the boundary, Pothas hit it to deep mid on where he was caught by Shreck. The skipper left with 40 and his head held high. Hampshire had lost by 12 runs, but they'd given it a really good go.

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