Matt Critchley benefits from last-ball drop as Nottinghamshire tie again
Derbyshire slide from 68 for 0 chasing small target before Sol Budinger mistake leaves scores level
ECB Reporters' Network
25-Jun-2021
Luis Reece struck 51 but Derbyshire couldn't capitalise • Getty Images
Derbyshire 137 for 9 (Reece 51, Harrison 2-9) tied with Nottinghamshire 137 for 9 (McKiernan 3-9)
Sol Budinger let the chance of a dramatic victory slip through his hands as Notts Outlaws tied with Derbyshire Falcons in a pulsating Vitality Blast game at Derby.
Derbyshire needed five off the last ball from Calvin Harrison which skipper Matt Critchley drove to long-on but Budinger dropped the catch and the ball squirted behind him for four to leave the teams level on 137 for 9.
The Falcons were cruising at 68 for 0 but collapsed to 129 for 9 and Harrison's nerveless last over looked to have won it until Budinger's fumble.
They had restricted Notts to 137 for 9 on a slow pitch with legspinner Mattie McKiernan taking 3 for 9 and Logan van Beek recovering from conceding 21 in his first over to claim 2 for 36.
Notts had set off like a train with Joe Clarke taking five fours from van Beek's opening over but Derbyshire held their nerve. Alex Hales was bowled first ball by Conor McKerr and van Beek returned to have Clarke caught at deep square leg.
Ben Duckett mistimed a pull to mid off as the Outlaws ended the Powerplay on 58 for 3 and wickets continued to fall to a combination of good bowling and ill-judged shots.
Budinger sliced a pull to point the next ball after he was dropped on the midwicket boundary and Samit Patel was lbw to Critchley. McKiernan struck twice in his first over as Tom Moores pulled to deep midwicket and Harrison was bowled to leave the Outlaws on 86 for 7.
Luke Fletcher skied McKiernan to point and although Steven Mullaney pulled van Beek for six, he sliced the next ball to cover.
Jake Ball and Matt Carter took 25 from the last three overs but Luis Reece threatened to win it at a canter by racing to 51 off 30 balls. But his dismissal reverse-sweeping Patel was the first of four wickets to fall for seven runs, before Critchley and Fynn Hudson-Prentice took Derbyshire to within 10 runs of victory.
Harrison and Fletcher both struck twice to leave Derbyshire needing eight off the last over and the Outlaws appeared to have stolen it until Budinger's mistake consigned them to a third tie in the North Group.