Scoring more big runs in Notts Outlaws’ Royal London One-Day Cup semi-final against Essex Eagles can help Brendan Taylor propel himself back into contention for the Club’s Specsavers County Championship team, says Peter Moores.
The Head Coach described the Zimbabwean’s innings of 154 in the Royal London Cup quarter-final victory at Somerset – the third best List A score by a Trent Bridge batsman – as ‘a knock of real quality’.
He has challenged the Zimbabwean-born right-hander, who also scored a century for Nottinghamshire’s seconds against Lancashire last week prior to his one-day recall, to continue his form at Chelmsford tomorrow (Friday, 1.30pm start).
“We have lost a batsman in Cheteshwar Pujara from our Championship line-up after the end of his stay, a gap which he (Taylor) will definitely have an eye on,” said Moores.
“We know Brendan’s a dangerous, free-scoring batsman from the ICC World Cup in 2015, when he was in the best XI of the tournament. It was quite a tough year for him last year, so it’s great to see him coming back into form.
“He’s deserved it, too, because he’s worked hard over the winter, particularly on his technique in English conditions. Now we hope he can push on and keep things going against Essex.”
Taylor has featured in seven out of nine Royal London One-Day Cup games this season, but has yet to feature in the Specsavers County Championship, having scored 759 runs at 34.50 in 2016.
Moores added: “Some of the lads in the dressing room were saying the innings at Somerset was one of the best they have ever seen in one-day cricket.
“What was impressive for me was that he scored at a high rate, but also without slogging, placing the ball and picking the gaps.”
Nottinghamshire face a team at the Cloudfm County Ground who finished top of the South Group and lost just once in those round-robin matches.
In fact, Essex have been in fine form all summer, also sitting proudly at the summit of the Specsavers County Division One table as the only unbeaten team in the top flight.
"When you get this far, the prospect of a Lord’s final is a huge carrot. It should be a cracker.” Notts Outlaws' Head Coach Peter Moores
“I’m sure Cooky (former England captain Alastair Cook) will be in their team and they have Ravi Bopara and Tom Westley, who is a cricketer improving all the time. The way they are playing this season they are going to be very confident," said Moores.
“What is going to help us is that we could not have had a harder game to prepare us than the one we had at Somerset. Essex will have practiced hard, but there’s nothing like matches, especially when adjusting from white to red ball cricket.
“That will give us an advantage, but they will have the advantage of a home crowd and knowing the home conditions. When you get this far, the prospect of a Lord’s final is a huge carrot. It should be a cracker.”
Notts have made two changes to their squad to face Essex, with England players Alex Hales and Jake Ball returning to replace Brett Hutton and Luke Wood.
Batsman Hales and seamer Ball have been released by the ECB following England's ICC Champions Trophy exit at the hands of Pakistan.
Notts Outlaws squad to face Essex Eagles (from): Brendan Taylor, James Pattinson, Steven Mullaney, Chris Read, Stuart Broad, Riki Wessels, Alex Hales, Harry Gurney, Luke Fletcher, Samit Patel, Greg Smith, Jake Ball, Michael Lumb and Billy Root.
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Following an exclusive Members’ pre-sale, there is now a limited number of tickets available for the match at the Cloudfm County Ground tomorrow. These tickets will be available on a first-come-first-served basis through the Essex CCC Ticket Office, by calling 01245 254010 and quoting ‘RLSFNOT’.
Tickets cost £15 (adults 26+), £10 (young adults 18-25) and £1 (17 and under).
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