Match times, streaming information, tickets and travel, team news, weather forecast, form, prediction and everything else you need to know ahead of the latest round of the Vitality Blast...
Fixture: Derbyshire Falcons v Notts Outlaws
Venue: Incora County Ground, Derby
Date: Friday, June 25, 2021
Start time: 7pm
What’s the lowdown?
Notts Outlaws are unbeaten in their last five matches and bounced back from their tie against Lancashire Lightning - astonishingly, their second tied match of the season - with a 10-wicket thrashing of Worcestershire Rapids. The Rapids scored just 86 runs from their 20 overs, a target which Alex Hales and Joe Clarke required just 38 balls to chase down.
Derbyshire remain in the race for a top-four berth but they require a run of victories during the second half of the competition if they're to reach the quarter-finals. Their form has gradually improved, winning last time out against Birmingham Bears by a comfortable five-wicket margin.
They ran Notts close the last time the two sides met in a reduced 15-overs-a-side match, falling just short of their 153 target.
Who’s in form?
There can be no questioning the form of opening duo Hales and Clarke, who have scored a combined 474 runs in seven matches. Hales has posted two half-centuries, is scoring at a strike rate of 184.25 and has crunched a huge 31 fours - second only to Leicestershire's Josh Inglis. Clarke, meanwhile, has a century to his name, 16 sixes and a strike rate of 195.12.
With the ball, Jake Ball is top of Notts' wicket-taking charts with 10, but Samit Patel isn't far behind with eight wickets and an economy of just 6.2. Against Worcestershire, he bowled the most economical four-over figures in English T20 cricket history, taking three wickets for just four runs.
Falcons have two of the outstanding performers of the competition so far. Leus du Plooy is the leading run-scorer at the time of writing, while no bowler has more wickets than George Scrimshaw's 13. A change of captain, with Matt Critchley coming in for Billy Godleman, has started well but we await the long-term benefits.
What’s the team news?
Derbyshire Falcons: The Falcons have named a 14-man squad for the visit of the defending champions.
Derbyshire squad: Luis Reece, Tom Wood, Leus du Plooy, Matt Critchley, Harry Came, Brooke Guest, Fynn Hudson-Prentice, Alex Thomson, Michael Cohen, Anuj Dal, Mattie McKiernan, Logan van Beek, George Scrimshaw, Conor McKerr
Notts Outlaws: Head coach Peter Moores has added seamer Zak Chappell and allrounder Joey Evison to his squad as his side prepare to play two matches in two days.
Notts squad: Jake Ball, Sol Budinger, Matt Carter, Zak Chappell, Joe Clarke, Ben Duckett, Joey Evison, Luke Fletcher, Alex Hales, Calvin Harrison, Tom Moores, Steven Mullaney, Dane Paterson, Samit Patel, Peter Trego
Last five T20 results (most recent first)
Derbyshire Falcons: WLLLW
Notts Outlaws: WTWWW
Head-to-head T20 record
Total matches: 31
Derbyshire Falcons wins: 7
Notts Outlaws wins: 24
Tied: 0
Abandoned: 6
No result: 0
Latest Derbyshire Falcons news
What’s the weather forecast?
Rain is set to hit Derby in the early evening which could lead to a late start. Temperatures should hit around 12 degrees Celsius when it clears.
Keep up to date with the MetOffice’s rolling forecast for Derby: Click here
Going to the game?
Tickets
This match is sold out.
Click here to visit the Derbyshire Falcons box office.
Travel
Address: Derbyshire County Cricket Club, The Incora County Ground, Nottingham Road, Derby DE21 6DA
By car
From M1 south
Take exit 25 for the A52 Derby. After six miles you will arrive at Pentagon Island. The ground is the fourth exit off this roundabout, signposted with Derbyshire County Cricket Club.
From M1 north
Take exit 28 for the A38 towards Derby. After approximately 13 miles, you will arrive at a roundabout, take the first exit towards the A61, signposted with a brown cricket sign. Follow over two more roundabouts, staying on the A61. At Pentagon Island, take the first exit off the roundabout into the ground, signposted with Derbyshire County Cricket Club.
From Birmingham
Travel up the A38 to the A61 Little Eaton roundabout. Take the third exit towards A61 Derby signposted with a brown cricket sign. Follow over two more roundabouts. At Pentagon Island, take the first exit signposted with Derbyshire County Cricket Club.
From M6
Exit on J15 (from south), J16 (from north), follow signs to A50 (Uttoxeter). Follow the A50 approximately 20 miles to A516 to Derby. Take the A516 until it joins the A38 then follow the directions (from Birmingham) above.
Spectator parking will be available in the Pavilion car park and adjacent overflow area as well as by the entrance from Sir Frank Whittle Road. Disabled parking spaces are available in The Incora Pavilion car park. While the club will always try to accommodate all vehicles visiting the ground, admittance will be on a first-come, first-served basis.
By bus: Derbyshire County Cricket Club is well-connected by a number of bus routes, with a bus stop located just a minute’s walk from the main entrance.
By train: Derby is on the East Midlands Trains mainline with direct trains from London St. Pancras via Leicester from the South, and Sheffield and Chesterfield from the North.
It is also on the Cross-Country line with trains from Scotland, Newcastle, Durham and Yorkshire, as well as The West Country, Bristol and Birmingham. Derby is also served by local trains from Burton, Cardiff, Crewe, Matlock, Nottingham and the East Midlands.
It is approximately a 20-minute walk to the ground from Derby train station.
How do I follow the match?
Derbyshire will offer live coverage of the match via their website: Click here
All T20 Blast matches are also available via the ECB's central hub: Click here
The matches can also be viewed on mobile via the ECB app.
Radio: All Vitality Blast fixtures will be available on BBC Local Radio stations with extensive coverage also on 5 Live Sports Extra.
Digital: The Cricketer will carry live scorecards and updates from every Vitality Blast match in 2021, as well as the latest breaking news from around the counties and exclusive features. Visit our County Hub for more.
Prediction?
Notts have recaptured their title-winning form from last season and should have too much for the ever-improving Falcons. Away win.
OTHER T20 BLAST FIXTURES: FRIDAY, JUNE 25
North Group
Worcestershire Rapids v Durham
Northants Steelbacks v Lancashire Lightning
Leicestershire Foxes v Yorkshire Vikings
South Group
Sussex Sharks v Gloucestershire
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