Phenomenal striking from the Aussie (30 off 13), who should have been heading back home to see his family today, left Liam Livingstone and Lancashire helpless. Notts won with 2.4 overs remaining.
The only blip on an otherwise scintillating semi-final win was the injury sustained in the field by Chris Nash, he was not required to bat, but then again neither was Steven Mullaney.
Both teams were unchanged from the quarterfinals. Dane Vilas won the toss and chose to bat, but Dan Christian was happy to chase anyway.
It must be said Livingstone and Alex Davies looked a class above their Gloucestershire counterparts of the first semi-final. 18-0 after an over each from Jake Ball and Imad Wasim; not bowlers lacking international pedigree.
Samit Patel, again on the biggest stage, struck in his first over, Davies caught by Steven Mullaney for 15 off 11.
Lancs were 43-1 after five when skipper Christian brought himself into the attack and was instantly lap swept for four by Steven Croft, then smoked down the ground for four by Livingstone. 10 off the over put them just above par in this positive Lancs innings.
Matt Carter was slog-swept for six, but then had Livingstone caught at deep square for 22. Skipper Vilas trotted out with his side in a healthy position at 61-2 off 6.5.
Deep square leg (and all the Notts deep men) were stationed five yards inside the rope, meaning a slog sweep went for six, but if the fielder was on the boundary it would have been a simple head high catch. This schoolboy error comes from the Outlaws desperately trying to stop twos, but it ended up costing them far more.
Dane Vilas fell lbw on the reverse sweep to Matt Carter before Croft pulled Ball to deep cow corner for 33. Keaton Jennings and Rob Jones scored no boundaries in the final three overs, but the Red Rose still got from 74-2 after 8.1 overs to 94-4 after 11.
Ben Duckett opened with Alex Hales instead of Chris Nash. Hales slog swept early, but it plugged, Duckett running well to earn his far taller partner three. Then himself deposited Dylan Hartley over long on for six. It was another top start for the opening batsmen in this SF.
Saqib Mahmood was slashed over deep third man’s head for six by Hales, and then his extra pace rushed Duckett, a short ball fetched from outside off, a long way into the evening sky. It was well held by Croft at deep square for 13 off 7.
The most stunning cricketing shot of the day came from the first ball Joe Clarke faced. He stood tall and slapped Mahmood for 6 over long off off the back foot. It was sensational.
32-1 played the earlier 41-1 after the 3.2 over powerplay.
Livingstone took some tat in the over breaching powerplay and middle overs. Skipper Vilas then brought his trump card Matthew Parkinson into the attack. Parkinson swiftly delivered, bowling key man Hales for 29.
Notts were 50-2 after 4.3 – still way ahead of the required rate.
The sixth over from Dylan Hartley appeared to be the game changer. The first ball was slog swept by Joe Clarke for the biggest hit of the night. But Moores played an unnecessary slog to be caught at long on before last ball Clarke was bowled for 17. Lancs were back in it.
Samit Patel and Dan Christian were both new to the crease at 61-4, but they have both been in this situation so many times before.
Christian took the game by the scruff of the neck, massively trumping Hartley’s earlier game-twisting over by taking Livingstone for four consecutive slog-swept sixes into the Eric Hollies stand. 29 off four overs became four needed off three and the game was done, even with Christian’s stumping first ball of the next over.
Matt Parkinson’s 2-12 was the best bowling of this match, but it was not backed up by his teammates. Lancashire were outplayed by the white ball experts.
