Notts miss out on Blast knockout stages for first time in seven years

2018 champions Worcestershire finished bottom of the North Group

Worcester: Worcestershire 159-8, Nottinghamshire 165-5 - Nottinghamshire win by five wickets

Scorecard

Notts Outlaws missed out on a quarter-final spot in the Vitality Blast for the first time in seven years despite ending the North Group campaign with a five-wicket success over Worcestershire Rapids at New Road.

The Outlaws had been handed an unexpected lifeline in their hopes of reaching the last eight after Leicestershire had been deducted two points by the Cricket Discipline Commission.

But it would have needed an Outlaws win, a dramatic turnaround in run-rate and for Yorkshire Vikings to lose heavily to Leicestershire for them to claim fourth spot.

Instead they had to settle for completing 2022 with a fourth successive win eight balls to spare. Jake Ball bowled superbly, during the powerplay and at the conclusion of the innings, on a slowish pitch to take his wicket tally in the tournament to 18.

He was well supported by the spin trio of Sol Budinger, Samit Patel and Calvin Harrison who had combined figures of 3 for 57 from 10 overs.

Nottinghamshire lost early wickets in the madcap chase to try and achieve their target and in the end needed a half century from Ben Duckett to see them over the finishing line.

Worcestershire were reflect on a disappointing campaign in which they won only two matches and finished bottom of the North Group.

Matthew Wade's decision to pull out of a contract for the entire summer was a major blow, particularly in T20 cricket, and the unavailability of captain Moeen Ali and Dwayne Bravo for the opening four games, all away from home, left them with a mountain to climb.

^{Neither Notts nor Worcestershire have made it out of the North Group (Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)}

The Rapids were put into bat and former Nottinghamshire batter, Jake Libby, soon departed after nicking a delivery from Ball. Colin Munro, in the final innings of his third spell at New Road, looked in good touch and struck Lyndon James for four, six, four and also lofted Steven Mullaney over the long on boundary.

But Ball returned to strike twice with club captain Brett D'Oliveira holing out to mid-off and Munro, having made 27 off 14 balls, bowled behind his legs attempting a sweep. Ball had figures of 3 for 5 after his opening two overs as the Rapids reached 41 for 3 by the end of the powerplay.

Rapids captain Moeen, subject to reports linking him with a move to Warwickshire, has struggled to produce his accustomed form during his current spell at New Road.

He looked in decent touch in adding 49 in partnership with Kashif Ali but on 28 picked out long-on off Sol Budinger to end the Rapids campaign with 107 runs from seven knocks.

Kashif slapped the same bowler to cover and Gareth Roderick played back to Samit Patel and was bowled. It was left to Ed Barnard to provide some late momentum with 38 off 28 balls. He hit James for two fours and a six in the penultimate over from James before finding Duckett at long on and then Dwayne Bravo became Ball's fourth victim.

Nottinghamshire had to try and reach their target in the shortest time possible in a bid to improve their run rate but lost three early wickets.

^{Worcestershire's defeat came on the same day as reports around Moeen's return to Warwickshire (Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)}

Joe Clarke sliced the first delivery from Mitchell Stanley straight into the hands of third man and Budinger, after making 24 off 12 balls, lofted the young pace bowler straight to deep midwicket.

Alex Hales smashed successive sixes over the midwicket boundary off Dillon Pennington but then tried to steer him to third man and was caught behind. The Outlaws were 68 for 4 when Steven Mullaney was beaten in the flight and lbw to Bravo.

Duckett and James added 52 before the latter tried to hit D'Oliveira over long on and had to depart thanks to the combined efforts of Libby and Barnard on the boundary. But Duckett played sensibly to complete a 39 ball fifty and ended unbeaten on 62 to finish as the Outlaws leading scorer with 396 runs.

The Rapids players wore shirts in support of the Grace Kelly Childhood Cancer Trust, the Club’s Official Charity Partner for 2022.