A thumping 78 run win against Durham on Sunday at Trent Bridge ensures that defending champions Notts Outlaws will face Hampshire Hawks at home in the Quarter Finals of the Vitality Blast on Wednesday 25^th August ahead of a potential finals’ day date of September 18^th.

Notts topped the North Group by six points above second placed Yorkshire after a 14 game round robin campaign saw 9 wins 2 defeats and 3 ties with a net run rate impressive at 1.503 – almost a run higher than every other team in the competition across all 18 teams.

Against Durham, the Outlaws went to work in the sun as Joe Clarke and Alex Hales raced the home side score to 60 without loss after just 5 overs before three quick wickets dented Notts progress.

Clarke first to go for 27 off the bowling of van Meekeren before Hales went the same way for 35 and as Tom Moores suffered a first ball duck, things looked to be swaying back towards Durham’s advantage.

Ben Duckett however rescued the show with able backing from Samit Patel and Steven Mullaney, Duckett who was called up recently by England, raced to 74 not out from 41 balls as Patel quickly scored 34 prior to Mullaney who smashed 43 from 17 to end the score on 221/4.

In reply, Durham were 1/1 and 2/3 before a slight improvement by Bedingham & Bancroft but when both wickets were taken at 37/4 it was never looking likely that Durham would get near the Notts total.

In the end the Outlaws attack ripping through in just 16 overs, Durham all out for 143 with 4 wickets for Calvin Harrison and a couple each for Dane Paterson and Matt Carter who became the counties second highest wicket taking spinner in T20 matches behind Samit Patel.

On the same day, Joe Clarke received his County Capo for outstanding recent achievements, but the day was all about Ben Duckett who’s 74 not out ensured that Durham would not get close, Notts will take on Hampshire who finished fourth behind Kent, Somerset & Sussex in the South Group.

The Quarter Finals are as follows: Yorkshire v Sussex (24^th Aug), Notts v Hampshire (25^th Aug), Somerset v Lancashire (26^th Aug), Kent v Birmingham (27^th Aug).

*Main image @TrentBridge the Notts players taking to the field against Durham.