In a stunning display of Cricket prowess, Gloucestershire managed to chase down a mammoth 333-run target set by Nottinghamshire, with Miles Hammond’s brilliant 157 stealing the show at Trent Bridge. The victory, by seven wickets, keeps Gloucestershire in the running for a spot in the quarter-finals of the Metro Bank One-Day Cup, elevating them to third place in the group standings.
The match saw Outlaws’ skipper Haseeb Hameed notching his second century of the competition, with partnerships of 129 with Lyndon James and 80 with Tom Moores, before Nottinghamshire were bowled out for 332 in 49.3 overs. Gloucestershire’s bowlers shared the spoils, with Graeme van Buuren impressing with figures of 3 for 40.
Gloucestershire’s successful run chase was anchored by a magnificent 151-run opening stand between Hammond and Cameron Bancroft, with Ollie Price’s unbeaten 61 providing the finishing touches as they crossed the finish line with 20 balls to spare.
With one game left in the group stages, Gloucestershire find themselves unable to catch up to Group B leaders Glamorgan and Warwickshire. However, this win catapults them ahead of defending champions Leicestershire, setting up an exciting clash in their final group game against Leicestershire at Bristol.
Unfortunately, Gloucestershire will have to make changes for their upcoming matches as Price, Zaman Akhter, and Ajeet Singh are set to represent England Lions against Sri Lanka, ruling them out of contention for the quarter-finals should Gloucestershire qualify.
Nottinghamshire, although not yet out of the race for the knock-out stages, face an uphill battle and must win both their remaining matches to stand a chance of progressing.
Hammond’s innings was not without luck, surviving an early scare on 14 when Hameed put down a chance off Brett Hutton. However, Hammond capitalized on this opportunity, smashing sixes all over the ground and reaching his century from just 81 balls.
The match also witnessed impressive performances from Lyndon James, who notched up a half-century, and Hameed, who reached his century in style before falling to a sharp delivery from Smith. The contest was a rollercoaster of emotions, with both teams fighting tooth and nail for a crucial victory in the competition.
