Sam Wood back and in the runs for Academy

v Warwickshire LV= 2012 Edgbaston 2012

Birmingham Draw

A fifth wicket partnership of 222 runs between Alex Hales (155 not out) and Chris Read (95) saved the match for Notts at Edgbaston today.

Both batsmen made relatively untroubled progress early doors and Hales sped to his a ton off 153 balls with three fours off an over from young Stourbridge seamer Tom Milnes. The first two fours were classic drives; the last one was a bottom edge to a pull shot. Rikki Clarke’s drop catch last night had proved very expensive.

Read looked certain to also to get to three figures but on 95 came down the pitch to Blackwell who fired the ball wider and Read was stumped despite a late dive for safety. Read’s innings was as invaluable as ever and came off 151 balls with eleven fours; a fantastic effort. Notts were now 291 for five with the game now virtually safe.

The General did not last long playing a loose shot off Rankin to be caught by Warwickshire skipper Troughton at mid on. Graeme White hung around 14 overs despite constantly being beaten for pace by Chris Wright, the second new ball having recently been taken. His departed with all stumps a kimbo as Wright got his deserved reward; 342 for seven. Adams with Wessels as a runner (not if Andre really deals in singles anyway) slogged a four but was out in predictable fashion skying the ball from Wright to Porterfield in the covers. Notts still needed seven runs to avoid the follow on but with the fourth batting point safely in the can, the heavyweight champion of Bulwell played an exquisite legside four off Barker, as Notts immediately declared on 356 for eight. Hales in fine form of late was left undefeated on 155 off 247 balls with 19 fours and one six off Blackwell. A timely nod to the selectors with Lord Brokett’s retirement this week. Mr Extras got on the honours board with a solid 49 with no balls contributing 30. Lumb’s 12 being the next highest score on a featherbed pitch.

Wright with 4 for 107 was the pick of the Bears arrack that puzzlingly underbowled Mr Spireite. Rankin bowled much better today.

 Warwick who were probably miffed about not picking up the third bowling point now had a two hour net. Chopra was leg before to the excellent Fletcher bowling from the City End.

White struck in his first over getting Porterfield leg before. There was a brief hold up as Troughton received treatment after suffering a blow from Andy Carter. The last ball of the match saw Voges take an excellent slip catch off White as Troughton departed for 35. Warwick immediately declared at 1650 on 88 for three with Westwood 17 not out.

Warwick are now firm favourites to win their first championship since 2004l as Notts received the good news that Hales and Lumb would be available for the first two days of the match against the Ovaltinies next week.

Graeme Smith and ECB temping

<<Breaking News >>

Dave Bracegirdle ‏@bracecricket

NOTTS NEWS - ECB will permit Alex Hales and Michael Lumb to play first 2 days of next week's match v Surrey before joining Eng t20 squad

Mick Newell admits county spoke to SA capt Graeme Smith about playing in final match of season but visa issues prevented it from happening.

Notts understand James Harris will make decision on future either later this eve or over weekend.

Bye Patto

Banjo Pattinson has flown home.

Nottinghamshire CCC ‏@TrentBridge

ROUND-UP: We're interested in signing James Harris but no deal agreed, Pattinson has flown home, Hales & Lumb to play 2 days of Surrey match







LV= Division 1 table as it stands at the end of August

v Warwickshire LV= 2012 Edgbaston

Hales, Read Rescue!

An unbroken fifth wicket partnership of 119 runs at least salvaged some pride for Notts on a bad day for the Green and Gold at Edgbaston.

Although the calendar read August 30, the performance was all too familiar to the September Shambles that seems to afflict Notts almost on an annual basis. Warwickshire added 206 runs for the loss of one wicket in 37 hapless overs. White struggled throughout with loanee Ian Blackwell depositing him for four sixes as he raced to 69 in 59 balls. White’s final figures of 25-1-135-1 were accurate reflection of his performance. He did have the satisfaction of picking up the only Notts wicket of the day, night watchman Chris Wright (53) being well caught at long off by leaping Andy Carter. The sixth wicket partnership had raised 97 in 23 overs.

Although Fletcher continued to bowl manfully with Franks only bowling six overs on the day, the support bowling proved easy pickings as Tiny Tim and Blackwell added 127 runs in 19 overs as The Bears got to maximum batting points. Ambrose got to his first ton in three seasons off 169 balls but his final 50 took only 54 balls as he reached his 150 with a huge six off White who had now switched to the City End, Warwickshire declared seven overs after lunch on 504 for six with Ambrose on 151 and Blackwell 69 not out with five sixes and four fours. Fletcher who went for 24 in his last three overs can be pleased with figures of 37-13-102-2 on the flat pitch.

Notts faced 16 balls and were nine for nought, when drizzle drove the players off. Soon after they returned 30 minutes later, Wessels (10) played a poor shot as he clipped Wright straight to Ian Westwood who caught the ball low down at square leg. With the score on 45 Lumb (12) edged a drive off Barker to be caught at slip. It got even worse three overs later when Taylor (1) trod on his stumps stepping back to a Wright delivery, 48 for three. Voges devoid of all form was never going to last long as he chased a wide one from 19-year old right arm seamer Tom Milnes first over and the Australian departed via a fine gully catch from Porterfield.

Credit Hales and Read though for stopping the rot on what was still an easy paced pitch. Hales was dropped on 38 by the normal reliable Rikki Clarke at slip and was still there on a patient 80 not out at the premature close due to bad light with 62 balls unused. A typical impish 54 not out from Read saw Notts through to 188 for four, still 167 runs short of avoiding the follow-on. However it should be a tall order for Warwickshire to take 16 wickets on a dead pitch on the final day.

Warwickshire had bowled adequately but their attack did not look as potent as during the equivalent fixture 12 months ago. Clarke is not bowling at the moment and Rankin looked less sharp than normal. Chris Wright bowled well and at a brisk pace which Read in particular was struggling with at times.

The recovery continued on Day Four, Chris Read falling just short of a deserved century but Alex Hales remained until the Notts declaration at 356/8.
Alex Hales 155*
Chris Read 95*
No Balls 30 in a total of 49 extras.

Draw-dom

A placid pitch and another lost day meant that the odds were always stacked against a positive result for this game.; and so it proved when  hands were shaken on Jim Troughton's dismissal on 86/3. 

Well played to Hales and Fletcher both of whom are getting back towards their best.

ESSEX RELEASE TWO

Essex Cricket ‏@EssexCricket

Essex can today announce that Billy Godleman and Michael Comber have been released by the Club

George Dobell ‏@GeorgeDobell1

Hope another county signs Michael Comber. Think he has the talent to play international cricket.

v Warwickshire LV= Edgbaston 2012 Day 1

 Troops Rally (from Farnsfield and Bulwell)as Andre Adams limps from the battlefield.

Warwickshire ended the day well on top; winning a key toss on a slow pitch likely to increasingly take spin.

Taylor came back in the line up as Mullaney made way from the Durham game. Adams returned for Phillips, but it was immediately apparent that he wasn’t match fit and later limped off with a recurrence of his calf injury. His season along with Notts championship hopes are now seemingly over.

Chopra and Westwood got off to an assured start as play commenced at noon. Carter bowling from the Pavilion End was being dealt with ease but Fletcher was bowling a good spell from the City End and was rewarded when he had the former Essex man caught at slip by his buddy Hales via a ricochet from Voges; 40 for one.

Left handers Westwood and Porterfield added 52 runs in untroubled fashion, until Franks surprised everyone when removing the Irishman’s middle stump for 26. Warwick went to lunch at 99 for two.

Adams was clearly struggling and despite bowling a few good balls off a shortened run up was going at five an over. White was introduced but could not get any turn and had insufficient control and proved disappointingly expensive. Ian Westwood was though badly dropped by the out of sorts Voges at second slip when on 62 off the limping Adams. Westwood and Troughton eventually added 83 runs in 22 overs when the Bears skipper edged the deserving Franks into the captain gloves for 40. In his next over, The General had Westwood palpably leg before for 81 an innings which lasted 164 balls and contained eleven fours; 178 for four.

However with Adams now off the field and White and Carter offering no threat, Notts bowling was being carried by Franks and Fletcher bowling from the City End. They both bowled very wholeheartedly and it was Fletcher bowling with the new ball that broke the fifth wicket partnership that had raised 102. Clarke lucky to survive a leg before shout the previous ball edged to Read for a well made 47 an innings which included seven fours and a massive six off White. Tiny Tim Ambrose played an excellent innings and was 64 not out at the close with Chris Wright unbeaten on six. Warwickshire closed on a day of only 88 scheduled overs on 298 for five which power to add with Blackwell and Barker still to come. Franks and Fletcher had excellent days with 17-4-52-3 and 25-11-49-2, the support bowling was unfortunately not there and incapacitated Adams finished his season on 18-0-82-0 as the gamble on playing him has clearly backfired.

Bears First Innings 298/5 88 ov
Ian Westwood 81
Tim Abrose 64*
Rikki Clarke 47

Paul Franks 3/52

Damp competition conclusion.

CB 40 and James Harris

With a band of rain currently approaching Nottingham from the South West a CB40 match looks doubtful for Trent Bridge against the Glamorgan Welsh Dragons later today.

But with the opposition's un-secret weapon in the armoury, Duckworth Lewis, a CB <30 looks possible from the radar pictures at this moment, 3 hours before the due start time as the band of rain looks to be fanning out and breaking-up as it reaches Birmingham.

No team has been released by Outlaws HQ as yet but the BBC have these two squads posted:

Premier Rain

West Indian Cavaliers v Cuckney

More is less on Finals Day

Will Ingleby Jefferson chose t20 Finals Day to announce his retirement; the competition he won for Leicestershire Foxes last year.

Lone Shark effort

Semi 1

Yorkshire Carnegie  172/6

Jonny Bairstow 68 man of the match
David Miller 47

Sussex Sharks 136/8

Chris Nash 80 not out (opening)
Murray Goodwin 15
Extras third top score, that tells the tale of lack of any help backing Nash's solo attempt) 8

Tykes won by 36 runs. 

Semi 2

Somerset 125/6

Craig Kieswetter 63 not out (opening)
Jos Buttler 16
Arul Suppiah 12 not out

Hampshire Royals 126/4

Sean Ervine 34 not out
Michael Carberry 33
Simon Katich 32 not out

Hampshire won by 6 wickets with 6 balls to spare.

Final

Hampshire Royals 150/6

Jimmy Adams 43

nearly won it
for the Tykes

James Vince 36
Simon Katich 25

Yorkshire Carnegie 140/8

David Miller 72 not out

Chris Wood 3/26

Hampshire won by 10 runs

So the only teams to beat Outlaws this year in the T20 met in the final. Tykes were without their match winning bowler, Mitchell Starc for the day but had bussed-in Bresnan from Lord's. Hampshire used their guile and experience, as they did against an inexperienced Outlaws in the Quarter finals, to just about edge the final. 

In all three games, the player of the match's highest score's team lost the game, interesting, highlighting that sometimes more really is less.

Another fine mess................................

Mick Newell's massive headache over Notts' final LV= match of the season against Warwickshire just got a bit bigger. The match that could still decide the championship will see an England squad trio of Trott, Bell and Woakes all potentially returning to swell the Bears' ranks  but conversely sees Notts losing to England; Broad, Swann, Patel, Lumb and Hales. On top of that problem it has been revealed today that Adam Voges will also miss that game, being called home by Western Australia for presumably pre-season training.

NottsCCC.co.uk suggests that the D of C looking for an overseas replacement; good luck with that sir, we only had Voges in the T20s and no one in April and for the most of May.


The comedy doesn't stop there; former Notts player, one half of the comic Laurel and Hardy opening partnership from a couple (or more) of years ago. Jefferson / Wood has retired, namely Will Jefferson, due a hip injury - probably due to his massive frame of 6 foot 10 ins. 
Check him out on Cricinfo, they exclude Leicestershire from the list of major teams that he has played for....................................... http://www.espncricinfo.com/county-cricket-2012/content/player/15490.html


Jefferson's Notts stats are c/o MAG

WILLIAM INGLEBY JEFFERSON Born 25.10.1979 Derby RHB RMF

YEAR	M	I	NO	RUNS	HS	AV’GE	CT	ST	100	50	30	0	I	OVERS	M	RUNS	W	AV’GE	ARPO	BPW	BB	5wI
2007	5	9	0	316	73	35.11	3	-	-	1	4	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
2008	13	21	1	442	98	22.10	19	-	-	2	2	3	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
2009	4	6	0	181	133	30.17	7	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
TOTAL	22	36	1	939	133	26.83	29	-	1	3	6	3	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Career Bests

COMPETITION	BATTING	BOWLING
FIRST CLASS	133 v Oxford UCCE (The Parks) 2009	-
CHAMPIONSHIP	80 v Sussex (Hove) 2008	-
NATIONAL LEAGUE	53 v Somerset (Taunton) 2008	-
TROPHY	93 v Hampshire (Rose Bowl) 2009	-