AFTER a great start for Derbyshire, James Taylor found the perfect response for Nottinghamshire in their Royal London One-Day Cup quarter-final at Trent Bridge.
The Outlaws, who won the toss, made 313-5 in their 50 overs, with Taylor hitting a career-best 146 not out after he and Samit Patel (55) put on 136 in 30 overs for the third wicket.
It was a superb innings from Taylor, who faced 154 balls and hit eight fours and five sixes for his 11th one-day century.
That came after two wickets in three balls saw the end of both Notts openers at 31-2 with four overs gone.
Michael Lumb hit Mark Footitt for four fours in the previous over but was out of his ground at the non-striker's end as bowler Ben Cotton deflected a Steven Mullaney drive on to the stumps. Lumb made 19 and that was 27-1.
Two balls later, Mullaney edged Cotton through to first slip, where Wayne Madsen took the catch, and he went for nine.
The third-wicket pair batted cautiously but positively against tight Derbyshire bowling and fielding to tip the contest in the Outlaws' favour. The stand finally ended in the second power play, the 35th over, as Patel pulled Footitt to Billy Godleman at deep square leg.
He faced 74 balls and hit five fours.
Riki Wessels put on a swift 28 before pulling David Wainwright to Scott Elstone at midwicket at 215-4 in the 41st. That was the spinner's final over and he finished with 1-35.
James Franklin (27) helped pile on late problems for the Falcons before he was run out with three balls to go but it was Taylor who led the way as Notts put on 58 in the last four overs to leave Derbyshire with a huge task.
