v Northamptonshire (Pre-season)

Game Re-boot

Day 2 v Northants has seen the game re-booted with changes to the sides. 

7 changes to the Northants XI, Fletch in for Notts.

Notts bowling and took an early wicket, Spriegel going for a duck today.

The weather hasn't changed however, a light snow flurry earlier now replaced by bright sunshine with a biting icy wind blowing over from the direction of Lincolnshire, originating from the Baltic.

Lunch 99/2 Fifty for Sales and wicket a piece for Gurney and Carter.

Tea close of the Northants score 195/5 Sales 109* Andy Carter 3/14

Notts opened with Lumb and Read in their 30 over innings.

At 49/0 Notts had passed the Northamptonshire 2 innings aggregate total but batted on.

Chris Read fell on the score of 49 for 30, LBW off Hall's bowling.

Michael Lumb batted through the session for 56*, including one huge six - Notts closing on  117/3.

Next "warm-up" game tomorrow at Grace Road.

What no James?

Have England overlooked James Taylor in announcing their performance squad without his name among the 30?

Swann, Broad, Hales, Patel and Lumb are included.

Good News

The Warkworth wicket machine is in the air on his way to these shores from NZ via LA.

Superman is using assistance in matters of flying on this occasion.

Baltic Start

Notts batted in the first of the day's 30 over sessions in cool overcast conditions.

The Notts XI: Hales, Wood, Lumb, Taylor, Wessels, Read, Franks, Shahzad, Ball, Carter Gurney

Sam Wood was first out, back to the warm pavilion at 4/1

Notts closed the first session 77/2 (Taylor 30* and Hales 25*), Alex Hales batting through-out for just 25 runs.

Notts finished their first bat on 250/4 after 60 overs had been completed. James Taylor scored a ton whilst Alex Hales fell 4 short of a ton.

With just a few shouts Northants openers Peters and Spriegel moved to the close 98/0

Woody

The opening friendly for Notts in England 2013 will be a 2 day (6x30 over sessions) against Northants. The avoidance of the words warm and up in their hyphenated form is no coincidence, with snow still lying on the ground outside my window, ten miles from Trent Bridge, and the occasional light flurries this morning - Monday is going to be a testing to see how many jumpers can be worn at once for the players.

The Notts website has stated Sam Wood will open with Alex Hales and Ajmal Shahzad will play too. Each team will bat 3 sessions of 30 overs spread over the two days.

Nottinghamshire team (from): Alex Hales, Sam Wood, Michael Lumb, James Taylor, Riki Wessels, Chris Read, Paul Franks, Ajmal Shahzad, Jake Ball, Andy Carter, Harry Gurney, Sam Kelsall

http://www.nottsccc.co.uk/news/2013/march/wood-hales-to-open-in-northants-friendly.html

2013 Icebreaker

Almost 12 months ago the 2012 season started with an Ian Blackwell century for the MCC v Champions Lancashire; Blackwell ultimately fell out of favour at his county Durham and went on loan to Warwickshire, whereas this season has started in Abu Dhabi with two Warwickshire centurions against the MCC.

Day 1 close Bears 370/3 Chopra 163, Porterfield 162 Extras 22

2 wickets in the post dinner session clawing the MCC back a little.

Stumps on day 2 sees Bears 561/6 dec and MCC 73/7

http://www.espncricinfo.com/county-cricket-2013/engine/current/match/593313.html

Malan, Benkenstein and Trego....................... 3 little ducks, all victims of Chris Wright

Day 3

Chris Wright walked away with the 2013 season's first 5-fer but Joe Denly showed a hint of what was to come when MCC followed on when MCC were all out 130 in their first innings.

At the close MCC second innings 308/4 Joe Denly 119*

Day 4

MCC resistance was only as good as Joe Denly, so once he was out for 146, the dominoes tumbled......................... 402 all out, Bears winning by an innings.

Barbados Tour

In the last of the Barbadian warm-up games for 2013, Notts are taking on Yorkshire, again in a 2 day bowl and bat.

Day One saw Yorkshire reach 223 for the loss of 11 wickets. Graeme White 5-fer

Day Two saw Notts score 313 for the loss of more than 10 wickets, Sam Kelsall and Sam Wood having a couple of goes at he spirited bowling of Yorkshire with Plunkett, Brook and Sidebottom all having points to make. Michael Lumb, struck on the thumb, made 82 whilst Riki Wessels scored 75 as everyone got a bat for little return over a hot day at Windward CC.

The players return on Monday to a sub-zero degrees England and will need a week to acclimatise before another friendly against Derbaashire at snowy Trent Bridge.


http://www.nottsccc.co.uk/news/2013/march/lumb-wessels-tune-up-on-final-day.html

2013 Fixtures

The match against Durham University has been switched from Durham to Trent Bridge - a 3 day match starting Wednesday 17/04/13.

http://www.nottsccc.co.uk/news/2013/april/durham-mccu-fixture-to-be-hosted-at-trent-bridge.html

A Postcard from NSW 3

Another Antipodean message from Andy M, Magpie and Outlaw living down-under with his wife Carolyn.

Sheffield Shield Day 2 - NSW v. South Australia

My day started with the lovely train journey down the Central Coast into Sydney Central Station then a bus on Elizabeth Street to Anzac Parade and a short walk to the SCG. It was already floodlit . It was a cool, drizzly grey morning more reminiscent of many at TB. Smiling gatemen greeted me and as I reached for some money from my pocket I was told : ''It's free mate...''. Due in part to the extensive redevelopment and the expected paltry 'crowd' I wandered in towards the only stand available - the Ladies Pavilion next to the Members' Pavilion. This was cricket heaven - proper cricket , a small but seemingly knowledgeable and friendly group of watchers and none of those butterflies in your stomach you often get when watching Notts batting

It was Day 2 , Day 1 had seen the hosts dismiss ladder topping South Australia for 181 and struggled to 1-24 overnight. Now NSW proceeded to lose wickets with regularity in bowler friendly conditions. Sayers was performing particularly well for South Australia whose caps and numbers/letters on shirts were in bright red. The ball was seaming and curving around so the notion that the SCG is just a spinner's wicket should be reviewed. NSW captain Rohrer added to the LBW count of 4 when triggered on 1. The Blues lunched 6 wickets down still trailing South Australia by over 80. 

Having gorged on a meat pie I meandered around the SCG museum [again free] . There were some lovely large black and white photos of SCG from bygone years. These drew my eye as did the baggy green caps, balls and gear from the 20s and 30s. A large wooden sign DOUG WALTERS STAND hung on the back wall. Photos from the Bodyline series and modern stuff to make a visit a must.

The post lunch session saw the tall Trent Copeland and O'Keefe play enterprisingly for 40 and 46 respectively. Also Sandhu drove and cut well for his 45. He is another Aussie pace prospect and recently dismissed Alex Hales in the recent Australia A v. England Lions. NSW ended their innings on 219 all out-a commendable recovery. South Australia had a moderate session after tea and finished on 4-93. NSW will look to take early wickets on Day 3 [Saturday morning] to press home their present advantage

I had a good discussion with Peter Bannigan , a sports photographer, working with NSW cricket media. He hopes to send on some pics which I will forward. He told me of the story of the statues and busts behind the pavilion at the SCG . Richie Benaud's statue is pictured. Peter said that Richie had mentioned to him that he used to park his car in the space now occupied by his statue. Richie's car? A 1960s Sunbeam Alpine in blue. Richie has had it re-sprayed beige.The car is still used by Richie and lovingly cared for and garaged at his home in Coogee [pronounce Cudjie] .He has it serviced by the same bloke he purchased it from.

Another side story to my cricketing times here in Australia concerns the Central Coast Over 60s and indeed 70s!  Their captain a very amiable Gordon Ives has been selected as Australia's Over 70s captain for their [English] summer tour including 3 Tests and numerous other fixtures. I will try to obtain their itinerary.

Finally Carolyn and I  are off to Canberra tomorrow and whilst on the road aim to visit Bowral and the Bradman museum there

Cheers Andy 

Some photos from Peter Bannigan.

Thanks Peter.

Englishmen Abroad grit it out

Day 5 England thanks to Matt Prior (110*) batted the day out losing only 5 of their 6 remaining wickets. Some dogged dot ball batting from Stuart Broad and Joe Root helped eat up the overs and the time - Broad made 6 from 77 balls in 137 minutes. 

With all the professionalism supposedly surrounding the England team, why again did they enter a series under-cooked - arrogance, complacency, laziness, you choose but they certainly under-estimated their opposition and perhaps sold a few more tickets for this summer against the same foe at home in the process.

Day 4 NZ 241/6 England 90/4

Day 3 England all out for 204, NZ 35/3

Day 2 saw centurion Peter Fulton get bogged down by more spirited bowling and Steve Finn finish with 6/125 - NZ 443 all out, England 50/2

http://www.espncricinfo.com/new-zealand-v-england-2013/engine/current/match/569245.html?CMP=chrome

Australian Squad 2013

Dumped

03/04/2013 - Australia have announced their centrally contracted players for 2013/14.

The list doesn't include several expected for Ashes 2013 contention and / including David Hussey.

Talk of these being the weakest Australia squad since.................., ever must be total nonsense if they can afford to ditch the talents of Huss.

Cricket Australia contracted players 2013-14: Michael Clarke (Test & ODI captain), George Bailey (Twenty20 captain), Ed Cowan, Patrick Cummins, Xavier Doherty, James Faulkner, Brad Haddin, Ryan Harris, Ben Hilfenhaus, Phillip Hughes, Mitchell Johnson, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, Clint McKay, James Pattinson, Peter Siddle, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Shane Watson.

Dumped include: Jackson Bird, Moises Henriques, Usman Khawaja and Steve Smith


In a short term solution for the coming Ashes series, Chris Rogers and Adam Voges are being tipped in some quarters as squad contenders.

Taking the Mickey

Four Australians have been dropped from contention for the next Test by coach, South African, Mickey Arthur, not because of the abyssal showing the second test against India but for not preparing a presentation as requested by the coach.  The rest of the squad, it would seem, each are sufficiently IT savvy and knocked up, presumably, a quick power-point presentation but Mitchell Johnson, Usman Khawaja, James Pattinson and vice Captain Shane Watson all failed in their assigned task.

Shane Watson was said to be off back to the home country to support his expectant wife but is now reviewing his options.

No CLAIT off Arthur

......................................................................................................................

Mickey Arthur claimed in an interview days before the 4th test on 5Live that he would do it all again if necessary.

India won the 4 game series 4-0.

Steve's Finn-ale

Steven Finn, new nightwatchman, took to his role like a thespian to a Stratford upon Avon stage. Finn lasted a match saving 286 minutes, scoring 56 in 203 balls. England closed on 421/6

Camping it up

Loads more pictures on the Notts Facebook pages but here's a selection from the South African Bowling Training Camp in Pretoria.

Harry Gurney - Notts stats

Luke Gurney pointed out on Twitter that Harry has played in each of the Notts' wins this season and without Harry in the eleven, they have lost games.

Harry's Notts stats which started just last year, supplied as always by MAG.

HARRY FREDERICK GURNEY Born 25.10.1986 Nottingham RHB LFM

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
2012 2013	10 3	9 4	1 1	10 16	6 9*	1.25 5.33	-	-	-	-	-	6 1	15 6	234.3 85.1	52 19	713 287	21 16	33.95 17.93	3.04 3.36	67.00 31.9	4-40	-

Career Bests

COMPETITION	BATTING	BOWLING
FIRST CLASS	6 v Somerset (Trent Bridge) 2012	4-40 v Worcestershire (Trent Bridge) 2012
CLYDESDALE BANK 40	13* v Durham (Riverside) 2012	4-22 v Surrey (Guildford) 2012
TWENTY/20	-	2-26 v Leicestershire (Trent Bridge) 2012