Essex MBC Group A at Welbeck CC Win 4 pts Report

 

05/08

MOORES THE MERRIER

after Porter profits early doors

A heavily depleted Notts won their opening 50 over game by 51 runs on the DLS method. Tom Moores took top honours setting up the victory after Notts stumbled to 74-5 in helpful bowling conditions. With the ball Lord and Pocklington, on his debut, impressed.

Essex won the toss and elected to bowl on a day with very brisk north westerly winds accompanied by squally showers. About 500 hardy souls were in attendance.

Joe Pocklington, the Bradford/Leeds Graduate, born in Sussex and schooled at Eastbourne College made his Notts debut. Pocklington, a left hand bat and slow left armer plays his cricket for Farsley CC and has been a regular for Lincolnshire in the National Counties for the last couple of seasons along with being a key component in Notts becoming runners-up on the Second Eleven T20 competition. Making their List A debuts for Notts were Daniel Sams and Sam Seecharan.

Porter (Spion Kop) and Snater (Charlie French End) opened the bowling in inhospitable conditions. Rain stopped play at 11:09 with Notts 5 for 0 off 2.2 overs with Hameed on 2 and Slater on 2.

Play restarted at 11:16. Porter proved a real handful in the helpful conditions and bowled his 10 overs straight through. In the 7th over, Hameed (7) chipped Porter straight to Westley at mid-on, 22 for 1. Notts were 31 for 1 after 10 overs. In the 11th over, Slater (15) was bowled off stump by Porter, 32 for 2. Right arm seamer Charlie Bennett, 19 years old on his List A debut, came on for the 12th over and conceded seven including a boundary for Haynes. Seecharan (1) was bowled by a bail trimer from Porter, 40 for 3 in the 13th over. Snater came straight back on for the 14th over. In the 15th over, Haynes (15) was caught behind by Fernandes off Porter;  41 for 4 in the 15th over. Essex well and truly in the box seat. Moores, Notts leading scorer in the 2025 T20 Blast was to totally change the complexion of the match hitting his maiden List A century. He hit Porter for consecutive boundaries in the 17th over as Notts passed 50. Bennett returned for the 18th over and bowled a maiden, Porter (10 2 29 4) completed his superb spell with a maiden. James hit successive boundaries off Bennett. Notts 65 for 4 off 20 overs.

Critchley came on for the 21st over and had James (13) caught at cover, 74 for 5. Sams joined Moores and added 137 for the 6^th wicket in 15 overs tucking into the inexperienced second string Essex support bowling. Thain came on and had Moores dropped on 21 by Snater on the square leg ropes who threw the ball for four. Three boundaries for Moores was followed by a six over mid-wicket, 19 off the 22nd over. Moores got to his 50 off 35 balls with a six off Critchley over long off.

Westley (2-0-21-0) came on for the 26th over, Sams hitting his first ball for a straight six. His fifth ball was dispatched over the long off boundary by the Australian, 14 off the over. Moores hit Critchley for consecutive legside sixes and for a straight four; 17 off the 27th over. Rain stopped play at 13:20 with Notts 167 for 5 off 30 overs with Moores on 80 and Sams on 26.

Play resumed nine minutes later with Benkenstein introduced for the 31st over. Sams hit Bennett for four through backward point and then for six over extra cover, 12 off the 32nd over. Benkenstein conceded 12 off the 35th over, boundaries for Moores and Sams. Sams (45 off 42 balls; 3x4, 3x6) skied Bennett and was caught on the run by Allison at deep mid-wicket, 211 for 6 in the 36th over. A single off Benkenstein took Moores to his ton off 69 balls in the 37th over. Moores had another life on 100 when Westley at mid-off failed to judge a catch in the swirling wind off the expensive Thain (4-0-53-0). To rub salt in the wounds later that over Moores hit him for six over square leg; 16 off the 38th over. Rain stopped play at 14:10 with Notts 244 for 6 off 39.3 overs with Moores on 126 and Pocklington on 5.

Play resumed 11 minutes later the match then a 48 over contest. Rain stopped play for a fourth time at 14:23 with Notts 248 for 6 off 40 overs with Moores on 129 and Pocklington on 6. Another 15 minutes were lost and the game was now a 46 over contest. 

Benkenstein conceded 11 off the 41st over. Pocklington (7) attempting a quick two off Bennett at long on was sent back three quarters of the way up the pitch and he slipped in true Samit fashion and was run out by a combination of Snater and keeper Fernandes, 260 for 7 in the 42nd over. Notts disappointedly only scored a further 23 runs off the last 29 balls of their innings.

Snater (9-0-38-0) returned and Moores cover drove his first ball for four. Moores (148 off 93 balls, 18x4, 5x6) holed out to Snater at long on off Bennett (9-1-45-2), 274 for 8,  four off the 44th over. It was the seventh highest individual score for Notts in List A cricket – today’s match being the 1,000 that Notts have played in the format. His innings virtually won the game single handedly for Notts. His previous List A best was his 76 made against Leicestershire at Grace Road in 2018.

Lord (4) was caught at wide long off by Thain off Benkenstein (7-0-50-1),  276 for 9. Seven off the 45th over. Notts took a single off the last over bowled by Critchley 5-0-43-1), Hayes playing out for four dot balls and then running a single. Hutton failed to hit the last ball. Notts 283 for 9 off 46 overs with Hutton on 5 and Hayes on 2.

Essex required a DLS adjusted target of 286 off 46 overs. Hayes (Spion Kop) and Hutton opened the bowling. Hayes (3-0-19-0) conceded 10 off the third over including boundaries for Das and Critchley. In the 6th over, Critchley (11) skied Hutton (6-0-29-1) to Lord at wide long off who took a well-judged catch in the gusty wind, 36 for 1. Sams came on for the 7th over and conceded 15 in his second over two boundaries to Das and one to Westley. Essex 67 for 1 off 10 overs.

In the 13th over, Das hit Sams for six over mid-wicket. Lord conceded four off his opening over. The following over (the 15th) was bowled by Pocklington. He had Das dropped on 42 by Haynes at long on. Das (46) fell the next over caught by Hameed at mid-on off Lord, 101 for 2 in the 16th over. Westley (43) was caught low down at mid-wicket by Haynes off Lord, 121 for 3 in the 20th over. Lord bowling with more pace than first meets the eye and was constantly pitching the ball on a right length. 

Pocklington picked up his first wicket, Benkenstein (19) making room to cut was bowled; 149 for 4 in the 25th over. Pocklington’s first five overs cost 0-30, his second five went for 3-23. His maiden wicket calming down his nerves. Allison (18) was caught and bowled by Pocklington; 152 for 5 in the 27th over. After a very impressive seven over spell of two for 26 Lord made way for James who claimed a wicket with his fifth delivery Thain (3) skying him to Haynes at mid-wicket, 156 for 6 in the 28th over. Browne attempting a reverse sweep off Pocklington (10-0-53-3) top edged him to Moores, 180 for 7 in the 33rd over. Snater (0) was caught behind by Moores off James off his third ball; 181 for 8 in the 34th over. Bennett got a five to open his account courtesy of four overthrows. Bennett was dropped on 5 by Hameed off the first delivery of Sams second spell. Bennett (9) was caught at mid-wicket by Haynes off James, 193 for 9 in the 36^th over. Fernandes (46 not out) and Porter shared a last wicket stand of 41 in 6 overs.  Fernandes pulled James for 6 over long leg, 10 off the 36th over. Fernandes and Porter hit boundaries with James conceding 10 off the 38th over. Lord replaced James (6-0-37-3)  for the 40th over and  conceded four.  Fernandes hit the expensive Sams (8-0-57-0) for six over square leg, 11 off the 41st over. At 18:34, Fernandes was the last man to fall caught at deep point by Pocklington off Lord (8.1-0-30-3), Notts best bowler of the day. Essex 234 all out off 41.1 overs. A well deserved victory for Notts who revisit this venue on Thursday against Worcestershire, much better weather is expected. MAG

04/08

Notts squad:

Ben Slater

Lyndon James
Ben Martindale
Haseeb Hameed

Jack Haynes

Sammy King

Sam Seecharan

Tom Moores

Daniel Sams

Joe Pocklington

Brett Hutton

Rob Lord

Tom Giles

James Hayes

Just to quash any positivity for Notts supporters, Farhan Ahmed has been signed by the Manchester franchise for a replacement for fast bowler Merchant de Lange. No wonder Sammy King was has being coached on bowling spin last week, he could get him gig in the H*ndred if word got out that Notts had yet another spinner.

Essex Squad:

Tom Westley

Charlie Allison

Luc Benkenstein

Charlie Bennett

Nick Browne

Matt Critchley

Rob Das

Simon Fernandes

Jamie Porter

Jamal Richards

Shane Snater

Noah Thain

As anticipated, Notts have looked to strengthen their spin bowling options with the signing of second eleven regular Joe Pocklington.

He's cool, he bowls in his shades!

Also added to the extended squad was the highly rated young all rounder Byron Hatton-Lowe

03/08

The General takes charge for this competition and if he excels, where does he go for the next three years, after Myopic Mick threw money at the Silver Fox situation?

Have we been told who will be captain, or do we assume it's Club captain Hameed again?

After the H*ndred casualties we still have a number of a professionals on the books, so can The General forge a balanced side from those?

Haseeb Hameed

Jack Haynes

Brett Hutton

Lyndon James

Tom Moores

Ben Slater

Farhan Ahmed

Sammy King

Rob Lord

Ben Martindale

Dane Schadendorf

Sam Seecharan

Tom Giles

Byron Hatton-Lowe

James Hayes

Travis Holland* (broken finger 23/06)

Francis Moore

Conor McKerr* 

Joe Pocklington

and not forgetting Mick Newell's promised overseas signing, be it Daniel Sams or someone else wishing to be in the H*ndred shop window. What's Dane Paterson doing this month or Wiaan Mulder?

Obviously it will be difficult to secure anyone (in the Newell Pravda world) as Peter Moores isn't involved with Notts for this competition, he being the great attraction for anyone aspiring to do better for themself. 

As you can see, we're light on first team bowling experience and after the Welbeck games, should Brett Hutton be looked after a bit?

How many of those listed above are injured already, is a State Secret*, so news of such won't be found on Pravda.