Nottinghamshire maintain unbeaten start as Alex Hales fires in small chase

An explosive start by Alex Hales enabled Notts Outlaws to maintain their unbeaten start to the Vitality Blast. Hales made 44 from only 16 balls to help Notts towards a five-wicket victory over Leicestershire Foxes in their North Group clash at Trent Bridge.

The opener smashed four fours and four sixes in his brief stay as the hosts made short work of a victory target of 124. Although the Foxes removed Joe Clarke and Tom Moores in quick succession, captain Dan Christian plundered an unbeaten 33 from only 26 balls to guarantee the points.

Leicestershire had struggled to find any momentum during their innings and were restricted to 123 for 8 in their allotted 20 overs. Gareth Delaney top-scored with 25, whilst Jake Ball nabbed 2 for 17 from four impressive overs for Notts.

Hales went on the offensive, despite the loss of partner Chris Nash in the first over of the chase, before falling to a boundary catch off Delany. Clarke was dropped twice in making 19 but despite his eventual dismissal the home side weren't overly stretched as they cantered towards the finishing line.

Ben Duckett, playing his 100 T20 match, chopped o nto his stumps to give Delany a second wicket but by then Christian was into his stride and he clubbed the same bowler for his second maximum to tie the scores before stroking the winning run with 30 deliveries still remaining.

Earlier, the Foxes struggled on a sluggish wicket after winning the toss and choosing to bat first. Only eight runs were on the board when Harry Dearden fell to Ball in the third over.

Irish international Delany muscled Samit Patel over the ropes at long-on but fell in the same over to a catch by Steven Mullaney, who then bagged an even better one off his own bowling to remove Foxes' skipper Colin Ackermann. George Rhodes was then the unlucky victim of a mix-up with Lewis Hill and was run out as the innings began to unravel quickly.

Imad Wasim, back for a second season with the Outlaws after recent international duty with Pakistan, bagged figures of 2 for 24. He was indebted to a juggling catch from Nash to dismiss Arron Lilley and then hung on to a return offering from Tom Taylor himself, as the Foxes limped towards the end of their allocation.

Notts Outlaws recaptured the top spot in the North Group with their victory, although they remain level on eight points with Lancashire Lightning. Their first defeat of the competition leaves Leicestershire Foxes on five points at the halfway stage of the qualifying round.