A destructive innings from Ross Whiteley inspired Derbyshire Falcons to a crushing 127 run victory over Notts Outlaws in the Metro Bank Group A One-Day Cup match at Derby.
Whiteley hit eight fours and four sixes in a 52 ball 80 to propel the Falcons to 341 for 8 at the Central Co-op County Ground, their highest List A score against the visitors.
After Caleb Jewell’s 60 established a platform, Amrit Basra scored 72 from 54 balls, his maiden List A 50, which helped lead a recovery from 161 for 5 before Whiteley and Zak Chappell launched a savage onslaught.
Chappell smashed a 26 ball 47 as the seventh wicket pair plundered 100 from 46 deliveries with 72 coming off the last six overs.
Only Brett Hutton with 1 for 40 from his 10 overs escaped relatively unscathed and despite 58 from former Derbyshire opener Ben Slater, the Outlaws came up well short on 214 with Ben Aitchison taking 4 for 34.
Jewell gave a taste of what was to come by driving James Hayes for three fours in his second over.
Hutton again showed his nous and experience in a typically tight opening spell that brought the wicket of Harry Came who sliced a big drive to deep backward point in the ninth over.
Jewell and Yousaf Bin Naeem added 56 before over-ambition proved their downfall in the space of four overs.
Bin Naeem pulled Lyndon James for six but when he tried to repeat the shot was caught behind and Jewell got a bottom edge trying to pull a ball that was too close to him.
A stunning one-handed diving catch by Tom Moores removed Brooke Guest and when Martin Andersson missed a slog sweep at Joe Pocklington, the Falcons were wobbling.
But the promise of Basra combined with the proven one-day quality of Whiteley to revive their fortunes.
Basra impressed in the opening match at Cheltenham and he played with confidence from the start, pulling Hayes for six and driving James for another maximum.
The pair added 72 from 54 balls before Basra sliced Rob Lord to third man but Whiteley and Chappell demolished the bowling in a display of brutal hitting.
Lord’s last six balls went for 31, the most scored by Derbyshire from a single over in a List A game, with the Outlaws helpless to stem the tide of runs until Whiteley skied Daniel Sams to cover.
By then, the damage was done and the Outlaws pursuit of a distant target became even tougher when Haseeb Hameed edged Aitchison to first slip in the fourth over.
Slater and Jack Haynes found the ropes with regularity until Haynes edged a pull at Chappell and with the asking rate steadily climbing, Sam Seecharan skied Andersson to long off.
James sliced to third man and when Slater and Moores went in the space of four overs, the game was up for the Outlaws.
One-Day Cricket returns this August!
The Metro Bank One-Day Cup returns for the school holidays, with four huge Falcons home games coming up.
From a local derby against Notts Outlaws, to the Tap Takeover for the visit of Surrey, plus the return to Repton School to face Worcestershire Rapids and our Community Fixture against Essex, there’s so much action to enjoy this August!
