Root's half-century in vain as Ben Duckett powers Nottinghamshire to victory; Leicestershire and Gloucestershire also win
Tuesday 1 September 2020 08:03, UK
Joe Root hit his second straight T20 half-century for Yorkshire on the same day he was left out of England’s T20 squad to face Australia.
Root had struck 64 from 40 balls in Yorkshire's Vitality Blast win over Derbyshire on Sunday but that was not enough to earn him England selection for the three T20Is against Australia.
The 29-year-old reacted to his international omission by hitting 65 from 43 deliveries for his county in a six-wicket defeat against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge on Bank Holiday Monday. Notts vs Yorks scorecard
Root's innings featured nine fours and propelled the Vikings up to 190 all out - Adam Lyth smashing a 29-ball 53 and Harry Brook contributing 39.
However, Yorkshire lost seven wickets for 22 runs at the death to fall from 168-3 in the 18th over as Luke Fletcher finished with figures of 5-43.
Nottinghamshire lost Alex Hales (4) and Joe Clarke (6) early but triumphed with four balls to spare as Ben Duckett hammered an unbeaten 86 from 53 deliveries, sealing his team's win with back-to-back fours off Mat Pillans.
Chris Nash (51) had hit a half-century up top, while Notts captain Dan Christian (21 off 11) and Tom Moores (21no off 14) supported Duckett towards the end of an impressive run chase.
Notts made it two wins from three - their other game having been rained off - and inflicted a first defeat on Yorkshire.
Elsewhere in the North Group, Leicestershire Foxes picked up their first win and condemned Durham to a third straight defeat with a 30-run victory at Emerald Headingley. Leics vs Durham scorecard
Gareth Delany (68 off 45) and Arron Lilley (69 off 45) profited from dropped catches as they thumped half-centuries after the Foxes - whose first two matches fell victim to the weather - elected to bat in Leeds.
Durham could only muster 147-8 in reply, with Leicestershire spinner Callum Parkinson (3-21) striking three times in his four overs, including a superb caught-and-bowled to remove Brydon Carse.
In the Central Group, Gloucestershire claimed their first victory and left Worcestershire winless with a 22-run triumph at Blackfinch New Road. Worcs vs Gloucs scorecard
Gloucestershire's 197-3 was underpinned by Chris Dent's 60 from 33 balls but Miles Hammond (48 from 38), Ian Cockbain (28 from 17), Ryan Higgins (30no from 17) and Jack Taylor (27no from 17) all chipped in.
Worcestershire seamer Pat Brown - released from England's white-ball bubble - was smashed for 57 runs from his four overs by a rampant Gloucestershire line-up.
Plenty of Worcestershire batsmen got starts, chiefly openers Hamish Rutherford (30 off 14) and Riki Wessels (30 off 22), but Gloucestershire's spinners, plus seamer David Payne, proved key as Worcestershire ended on 175-8.
Tom Smith took 2-17 from his four overs, while fellow slow left-armer Graeme van Buuren claimed 1-26 and paceman Payne bagged 3-32 to move past 100 T20 wickets.
