Cameos from Matt Montgomery and Joe Clarke were not enough to propel Notts Outlaws to a record T20 chase as they fell to a 49-run defeat away to Durham.
On a run-stuffed evening in the North East, the home side made 231-5 before the Outlaws replied with 182 all out, as Montgomery and Clarke both hit 41.
Calvin Harrison and Matt Montgomery both claimed two wickets apiece, while Olly Stone, making his return to the Outlaws fold for the first time in 2025, picked up a scalp of his own.
The home openers, Alex Lees and Graham Clark, began in uncompromising fashion, by putting on 70 runs in six overs.
Joe Clarke’s decision to use the spinners, Farhan Ahmed and Calvin Harrison, in tandem slowed the run rate.
However, it was Montgomery who took the first wicket on 83, when he had Clark caught on the cover boundary by Daniel Sams for a 27-ball 40.
Nevertheless, Durham’s hundred came up in the eleventh over and Lees reached a 34-ball fifty a few deliveries later.
Stone then found joy in his second spell when he had Lees caught by Harrison on the deep backward square leg boundary for 77.
Notts seized the initiative when Jimmy Neesham was bowled by Harrison and Ben McKinney was caught on the long-on boundary, by Harrison off Montgomery, both for three.
Despite the loss of three wickets for ten runs, Durham fought back through Colin Ackermann, who made 83 before being caught by Sams off Harrison as his side finished strongly.
The Outlaws’ pursuit of their distant target began in difficult circumstances as Freddie McCann was caught by Will Rhodes off Callum Parkinson for five.
However, the visitors were going well on 37-1, until Jack Haynes was caught by Lees off Kasey Aldridge for 14, though the pair of wickets made no difference to the Outlaws’ approach.
Lyndon James hit his first two balls for four and Jimmy Neesham’s first over cost 19 runs as Nottinghamshire scored 76 runs in their powerplay, six more than their hosts.
Despite the strong start, James was dismissed by Sowter, and Clarke was then next to go, caught at short third man by Sowter for a 25-ball 41.
Notts reached the midpoint of their innings on 112 for four, still needing 120 to win, and that task seemed tougher still when Aldridge struck twice in four balls.
He bowled Tom Moores for five, before having Liam Patterson-White caught at long off by Rhodes for eight.
Parkinson conceded 19 runs off his next over as the Outlaws dispensed with any scrap of caution, but Sams was bowled by Sowter for nine.
With seven overs remaining, 76 runs were still required and that was reduced to 61 off six thanks to Montgomery taking 14 off three deliveries from Parkinson.
However, the late intervention of Kasey Aldridge, who claimed new career-best figures of 5/29, saw the Outlaws fall to defeat in the 16th over.
Montgomery and Harrison, having partnered for 39 in 19 balls, were both dismissed, and the end of the former’s 18-ball knock brought about the formal end to proceedings.
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