T20 Blast: Alex Hales’ unbeaten 101 helps Notts Outlaws beat Lancashire

Alex Hales hit a 64-ball century as Notts Outlaws edged Lancashire Lightning by seven runs.

But Yorkshire’s impressive 82-run win over Northants in the evening match took the Vikings above Notts at the top of the North group on net run-rate.

Ben Stokes had treatment for a hurt finger while batting in Durham’s 34-run win over Birmingham Bears.

The England all-rounder called on a physio after facing Tim Bresnan and fell to Carlos Brathwaite five balls later for 35, but went on to take 4-27.

Notts edge tight encounter thanks to Hales masterclass

Hales clattered four sixes and 12 fours to dominate the Outlaws innings at Trent Bridge, with Steven Mullaney (25) the only other batsman to make more than 10 in the holders’ total of 173-6.

Watching wickets fall at the other end, the former England opener brought up his third half-century of the campaign, matching his three ducks, off 33 balls.

Hales then accelerated, taking just 31 more balls to reach his second T20 century for Notts, bringing up three figures with a maximum off former team-mate Luke Wood.

Alex Davies briefly threatened to steal the headlines as he smashed five sixes in a 15-ball knock of 39 before he fell to Matt Carter (3-17), who helped reduce Lightning’s reply to 102-6.

Steven Croft (41) and Wood (33 not out) set up a tense finish, but Samit Patel, who dropped Croft on 20, clung on to a second chance to remove the Lancs top scorer in the penultimate over as Lightning fell short on 166-7.

The North group leaders extended their unbeaten run to seven matches with a fifth win of the season, while Lancashire are winless in five and sit fifth.

Stokes stars as Durham move into top three

Durham’s fifth win of the campaign followed back-to-back defeats and leapfrogged them into third above the Bears, who suffered their third straight defeat.

Stokes hit three sixes and two fours to help Durham recover from 9-2 in a 61-run stand with Cameron Bancroft (60), who made a 37-ball 50, his second T20 half-century of the week against the Bears.

Durham struggled for momentum at Edgbaston, but took Craig Miles for 20 off the final over to post 164-8 after Brathwaite finished with 3-32.

In reply, Stokes had dangerman Sam Hain caught behind for two, but Rhodes gave the Bears hope with a 27-ball 45.

Matt Lamb added 39, but when he fell to a spectacular boundary catch from Ben Raine, off Stokes, the hosts collapsed from 119-6 to 130 all out.

Thompson and Stoneman hammer Steelbacks

Yorkshire bounced back from defeat by Leicestershire to record a sixth win in nine matches and move level with Notts, while Northants stayed bottom as their mini-revival ended in a sixth defeat.

Former England Test batsman Mark Stoneman on debut for the Vikings, after agreeing a loan move from Surrey, hit 10 fours in a 30-ball 50 before being trapped lbw by Mohammad Nabi (1-23) the very next ball.

But he was upstaged by Jordan Thompson who reached his half-century two balls quicker and bashed seven sixes in a career-high T20 knock of 72, from 35 balls, following up his unbeaten 28-ball 66 on Wednesday.

Harry Brook also added an unbeaten 43 as he and Gary Ballance smashed 27 off the final over from Ben Sanderson to rack up an imposing 224-3 – the Vikings’ third 200-plus score against Northamptonshire.

Alex Rossington (24) gave the visitors a decent start to their chase, reaching 60-1 after six overs, but England spinner Dom Bess took 3-17 as the Steelbacks slid to 89-5.

Thompson added further gloss to his performance with a wicket and a catch as Northants lost their final nine wickets for 84 runs to finish 142 all out.