Close to Victory

Notts will be hoping for clear skies today in order to wrap-up a deserved victory against the wilting Red Rose.

Unlike the first two days, the cloudy dank conditions returned along with the woolly hats and scarves. After much overnight deliberation it was decided that Anderson could bowl after all with a 35 minute delay.

Procter was much more accurate than on Thursday and with Chapple his normal frugal self the run rate was still stuck up at little more than two an over. Lumb and Patel added a further 42 runs until in the 16^th over of the morning, Patel chased one from Procter (Statham End) and edged to Cross, Patel gone for a valuable 39. Lumb’s equally patient innings ended three overs later when he edged the impressive Anderson into the hands of Horton at slip. Taylor and Read were finding the gaps and scampering the singles and Notts went to lunch well-placed on 195 for four.

Conditions got even bleaker after lunch, but despite raindrops in the air for most of the session play continued until 1540. Taylor and Read accelerated the scoring rate and both batted well as exactly 100 runs were added in 28 overs, although both survived dropped catches by the juggling Horton, putting down Read on 29 and Taylor on 38. Taylor edged Kerrigan into the keeper's gloves four short of his half-century, 265 for six. Franks then edged Anderson behind to depart for 4, 276 for 6. Read then fell to great catch by the keeper Gareth Cross once again off Anderson, his 54 came off 108 balls with four fours, another invaluable effort from the captain. Shortly afterwards the umpires took the players off for rain which had not appear to have increased in speed.

After a period of defrosting the players reappeared at 1620 but the break had clearly benefited the home side, as Notts tail was swept away. Broad (12) chipped Kerrigan to mid on, next over, Swann lost his off stump to Anderson (12) and the next ball Adams swung and missed to depart for the games fourth golden duck. Anderson showing no signs of previous day’s virus had bowled superbly with 5 for 82, but Notts eventual total of 304 seemed about 50 runs over par on the still tricky pitch.

Broad bowling much better than the first innings had Horton caught at slip by Swann off the second ball of the innings. Bowling from the Statham end, Broad then removed Brown leg before in the seventh over of the innings, 24 for two. The accurate Phillips was replaced by Adams, who true to form bowled a peach to demolish Moore’s stumps, 36 for three, much to the delight of the away support and in particular the man from Collingham who could not contain his glee. Swann replaced his England teammate and in the sixth ball of his first over, removed Prince via a sharp slip catch by Hales,

 Prince gone for 14. Adams is getting more Hadleesque with each passing day, and he was too good for Croft he edged to Read as Lancashire stood in disarray on 38 for five. One ball later the umpires took the players off for bad light at 1747 with 124 balls of the days ration left unbowled. Despite having floodlights it appears due to the building work they are in operational much to the frustration of the visiting contingent. With Lancashire having Anderson and Kerrigan at ten and jack and Smith struggling with hamstring surely only bad weather can prevent a Notts victory as Lancs on 39 for five require a further 289.