Warwickshire’s hopes in the Metro Bank One Day Cup took a hit as they dropped to third place in the group standings after a disappointing loss to Nottinghamshire. Despite the defeat, Warwickshire will still host the semi-final against Worcestershire, thanks to scheduling conflicts.
In a rain-affected match at Rugby School, Nottinghamshire chased down a revised target of 173 runs in 38 overs to secure a five-wicket win over Warwickshire. Jack Haynes and Tom Moores batted sensibly to guide Nottinghamshire to victory after a shaky start.
Warwickshire’s batting lineup struggled against Nottinghamshire’s bowlers, with only Ed Barnard managing to reach 30 runs. Robert Lord and Liam Patterson-White led the charge with three wickets each, as Warwickshire were bowled out for 182 runs in 46.3 overs.
Nottinghamshire skipper James Hayes chose to bowl first, taking advantage of Warwickshire missing key players such as Rob Yates and Hamza Shaikh due to England Lions duty. The absence of these batsmen proved costly for Warwickshire as they failed to build partnerships and set a challenging target for Nottinghamshire.
The match saw some standout performances, with debutant Zen Malik falling early to Hayes, and Barnard and Will Rhodes trying to stabilize the innings before a collapse ensued. Chris Benjamin and Kai Smith contributed with a crucial partnership, but quick wickets in the middle overs put Warwickshire on the back foot.
Despite the loss, Warwickshire still have a chance to redeem themselves in the semi-final against Worcestershire. The scheduling clash with an England Lions match at New Road means that Warwickshire will have home advantage in the knockout stage.
Reflecting on the defeat, Warwickshire coach commented, “We need to regroup quickly and come back stronger in the semi-final. Nottinghamshire played well and took advantage of our depleted batting lineup. We have to learn from this experience and put up a better performance in the next game.”
With a place in the final at stake, Warwickshire will be looking to bounce back and make a statement against Worcestershire in the upcoming semi-final clash.
