Durston, Hughes blast Notts away

Derbyshire kept themselves in contention for a place in the quarter-finals of the Friends Life t20 after pulling off a 16-run victory over Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge.

Openers Chesney Hughes and Wes Durston set up the win by putting on 98 together as the visitors totalled 108 for 1, after being put in, after thunderstorms had reduced the contest to just nine overs per side. Notts, who went into the match knowing that victory would be enough to see them through to the last eight, lost wickets at regular intervals before ending on 92 for 7.

Hughes' was the only wicket to fall in the Derbyshire innings but he had plundered a hard-hitting 46 from just 25 deliveries by that stage. He hit two sixes, both pulled over the leg side fence off Samit Patel, and six powerful fours, before top-edging Ian Butler to short fine leg in the penultimate over.

Durston, whose only T20 century came on the same ground in 2010, also cleared the ropes on two occasions as he ended the innings with an unbeaten 50 to his name, having also faced 25 balls.

Alex Hales was bowled by the first ball that he faced, from Tim Groenewald, as Notts began their pursuit but whilst his opening partner, Michael Lumb, was at the crease the home side remained optimistic. Lumb scored the first 43 runs of Nottinghamshire's innings, with five fours and three sixes in a 15-ball knock but once he had been caught in the deep by a diving Mark Turner the remaining wickets fell steadily in pursuit of quick runs.

Patel also failed to score and David Hussey was caught at long on, having been sent on his way by the umpires after believing the delivery from Dan Redfern had been bowled above waist height. Although Ian Butler and Chris Read both hit sixes in the closing stages, the target proved to be beyond reach as Derbyshire celebrated only their second victory in the last 15 matches against their local rivals.

Notts still head the North Group with two matches remaining and have it within their own destiny to finish as group leaders and earn a home quarter-final tie.