T20 Blast 2023

Watch: Zaman Khan leaves county batter clueless with unique, slingy action

by Wisden Staff June 11, 2023 - 8:26am 3 minute read

Watch: Bowling with a slinging action, Zaman Khan clean-bowled Notts Outlaws captain Steven Mullaney in a T20 Blast match in Derby.

Hosting Notts Outlaws for a North Group match in the 2023 T20 Blast, Derbyshire Falcons put up 142-6 7 after visiting captain Steven Mullaney opted to bowl,

Haider Ali (42 in 37 balls), Wayne Madsen (26 in 26), and wicketkeeper Brooke Guest (25 in 20) all took their time, but the innings never took off until Mattie Kiernan slammed 23 not out in 13 balls from No.7.

For Notts, Mullaney himself had figures of 4-0-15-1 and Jake Ball 4-0-23-2, while Shaheen Shah Afridi also claimed 2-37.

Joe Clarke (29 in 15 balls) and Alex Hales (35 in 30) added 41 in 4.2 overs in response, but Derbyshire hit back, and Notts were soon 49-3. They needed 40 in 33 balls when Mullaney walked out to join wicketkeeper Tom Moores.

Mullaney slammed Mattie McKiernan for a four and a six, while Moores hit Zaman Khan for four. With 20 needed in 20 balls, Zaman bowled a slow yorker on the leg-stump. Perhaps deceived by Zaman’s slinging action, Mullaney was into his shot too soon, and the ball hit him on the pad.

Having set up Mullaney, Zaman now bowled a straight, fast yorker to hit the stumps. Mullaney walked back for a 10-ball 14.

Not that it mattered. Derbyshire brought the target down to 17 in 14, but Afridi hit Mark Watt for six, retained the strike, and hit Zaman for six more off the first ball of the 19th over.

Zaman had his revenge three balls later, but Notts romped home with eight balls to spare to secure a two-point lead at the top of the table. With six points from eight matches, Derbyshire languish at seventh place, just above Northamptonshire and Lancashire.