Foxes beat Notts to reach One-Day Cup final

One-Day Cup, men's semi-final, Uptonsteel Grace Road

Leicestershire 303-7 (50 overs): Shaikh 104, Kelly 53; Pennington 3-65

Nott Outlaws 280 all out (49 overs): McCann 64, Hameed 54; A Green 4-40

Leicestershire beat Notts Outlaws by 23 runs

Scorecard

Leicestershire reached their second One-Day Cup final in four years, overcoming Notts Outlaws by 23 runs in their semi-final at Grace Road.

Hamza Shaikh set the 2023 competition winners on their way to the decider against Middlesex, scoring a match-defining 104 off 109 balls as the Foxes set a challenging 303-7 to chase.

The 20-year-old, who joined Leicestershire from Warwickshire just a month ago, combined with Nick Kelly (53) for a 117-run fourth-wicket partnership to give Notts plenty to do.

Shaikh eventually fell to Liam Patterson-White, while Dillon Pennington went on to claim 3-65 for the Outlaws.

Notts, aiming to reach their first home final since the List A decider was moved to Trent Bridge from Lord's in 2021, started well with openers Ben Martindale and Freddie McCann putting on 63 in 11 overs.

But, with his first delivery, England all-rounder Rehan Ahmed trapped Martindale leg before for 43.

The Outlaws' chase slowed after that, and while the 69-run partnership between McCann and captain Haseeb Hameed helped to steady the visitors, a mix-up cost the opener his wicket on 63 as he was run out.

When 19-year-old Alex Green, who would finish with 4-40, dismissed the ever-dangerous Kyle Verreynne (43) and Farhan Ahmed in the space of four balls in the 48th over, Leicestershire's victory was all but assured.

The Foxes' showdown with Middlesex will be the sixth One-Day Cup final to be played at Trent Bridge since English cricket's only remaining List A competition left Lord's in 2019.

The first planned Nottingham final in 2020 was wiped out by the Covid pandemic, but there have been five since, all won by counties some would consider unfashionable: Glamorgan (twice), Kent, Leicestershire and Worcestershire.

2021: GLAMORGAN beat Durham by 58 runs

2022: KENT beat Lancashire by 21 runs

2023: LEICESTERSHIRE beat Hampshire by two runs

2024: GLAMORGAN beat Somerset by 15 runs

2025: WORCESTERSHIRE beat Hampshire by three wickets

Leicestershire's Hamza Shaikh:

"I think to go out there and show the kind of character the boys showed in the field towards the end, it was brilliant. Everyone's chipped in throughout the tournament. Where we needed people, they've stepped up and that's what you need in a team.

"The kind of character that people showed to put performances together and to get us in the final in this competition, hopefully we can take that energy and character forward in the red ball games and end in a good position in the Championship

"It was tough to leave Warwickshire after being with them for so many years but I just wanted to play cricket.

"I just felt like I'm at an age now where I just need to be playing and I'm really grateful for Leicestershire for giving me those opportunities and hopefully I can keep repaying them and putting performances together."

Notts Outlaws One-Day Cup head coach Paul Franks:

"We probably weren't at our best, if I'm honest. There were passages of play where the game got away from us a little bit, particularly the last 10 overs or so of their innings. Ultimately I didn't think it was a 300-pitch.

"With the bat, we just needed one big partnership. I think we established lots of 20s and 30s and we just wanted to keep one of them going.

"The run-out of Freddie McCann was obviously a big moment and, in isolation, both players are mortified. Whenever you have a run out off a free hit, it feels a little bit like you've sold yourself short.

"Playing on Friday and then playing again today was always going to be a physical challenge, but equally a mental challenge. We had a couple of opportunities, and if you don't manage to seize those moments, then the game can get away from you."