David Hussey powers Nottinghamshire victory

Nottinghamshire 153 for 4 beat Derbyshire 152 for 7 by six wickets
Scorecard

David Hussey led the charge as the Nottinghamshire Outlaws moved further ahead at the top of the Friends Provident t20 North Division with a six-wicket win under the Derby floodlights.

The Australian demolished the Derbyshire Falcons attack, smashing four sixes and five fours in a 34-ball 65 to take his side to their target of 153 with two overs to spare.

He added 95 in 10 overs with Matthew Wood who hit the winning runs to finish unbeaten on 51 from 48 balls. The Falcons had been two for three before Garry Park revived them in his first Twenty20 innings of the season with 66 from 54 balls to take the home side to 152 for 7.

That total looked a long way off when Wes Durston, who smashed a century at Trent Bridge last week, was out to the second ball of the innings when Darren Pattinson bowled him with a full length ball.

The Falcons lost two more wickets in the first two overs as Chesney Hughes pulled Pattinson to deep mid-wicket and Loots Bosman chopped Dirk Nannes into his stumps. But Park and Greg Smith batted sensibly until Smith was deceived by a slower ball from Steven Mullaney who then removed Robin Peterson with an off-cutter.

When John Sadler drove to long on, the Falcons were 89 for six but the Outlaws lost their discipline in the last five overs with Nannes conceding 30 from his last two.

Steffan Jones faced only seven balls for his unbeaten 15 which took the Falcons past 150 and Charl Langeveldt celebrated his return to Derby by pinning Alistair Brown lbw with his first ball. Alex Hales pulled the South African for the first six of the night and Wood drove Jones over cover for another but Hales was bowled sweeping Peterson and after 10 overs, the Outlaws still had plenty to do on 62 for 2.

Hussey then pressed the accelerator, lofting Greg Smith straight for six and driving him over long off for another maximum as the Outlaws cruised towards their target.

Although Hussey was bowled swinging at Charl Langeveldt and Samit Patel chipped to mid on, it was too late to deny the Outlaws a fifth victory and the double over the Falcons who have now lost three of their six matches.