V Lancashire LV Championship at Trent Bridge D4

Forfeits result in a honourable draw




Contrivance was the order of the day as after fours overs of dross from Lumb and Taylor, and a double forfeiture Notts were left with 351 runs to win off 90 overs. The target seemed stiff given the slowness of the wicket and in the event Notts fell way short of the target requiring another 58 runs with only three wickets left  when stumps were drawn with two balls left unbowled. Put it another way the gamble resulted in a net loss of two points, but looking at another way provided much greater entertainment for the crowd and just importantly put the team under more pressure than a mundane chase for bonus points.

Chapple bowling from the Radcliffe Road got Hales to edge one into Cross’ gloves after four balls of the innings as Hales disappointing season continued as he went for a duck. Wessels who has been in good form of late hit three fours before perhaps harshly given out leg before for 15 by Jeff Evans, Hogg being the lucky bowler, 23 for two; any realistic chance of Notts victory had now disappeared. Shahzad proved expensive and with more than a little help from Mr Extras and a little luck with a lot of playing and missing, Patel and Lumb added 64 for the third wicket. On the stroke of lunch Kerrigan got Patel (24) to edge one to slip, 87 for three.

Straight after lunch Lumb was undone by an inswinger from Chapple as Gough raised his finger and the South African was leg before for a patient 35.  After their successful stand at the Rose Bowl, Voges and Taylor had a chance for a reprise and once again their running between their wickets was excellent as Notts went the rest of session without losing a wicket as they went to tea at 177 for four.

The required run rate was now 5.75 runs per over but on such a slow wicket, where occupation was now relatively easy but where it upping the tempo was fraught with danger, Notts opted to defy logic and went for a win.

The change of approach was apparent straight after the resumption with almost suicidal running between the wickets and both Taylor and Voges trying desperately to force the pace. It came as no surprise when Voges departed stumped by a country mile for 55 off Kerrigan, an innings which contained just five fours. The fifth wicket had added 99 runs but had taken 35 overs. Read put bat to ball but Taylor was struggling to up the ante. Eventually Taylor was leg before playing across the line to Shahzad. Taylor’s 67 came off 160 balls with six fours. The injured Adams came out with Hales as his runner but departed first ball in typical cavalier fashion being caught on the ropes at long off by the Lancashire captain. Notts belatedly decided to finally baton down the hatches as Lancashire took the new ball with 10 overs remaining. Read (56*) and Franks (13*) played out the final 84 balls as the match ended in an honourable draw. With three overs remaining Lancashire thought that had Read caught close in off Kerrigan’s slow left armers but umpire Evans disagreed, the visitors had let themselves down somewhat by constant and excessive appealing for most of the innings.

Chapple was the pick of Lancashire bowlers picking up two for 62 as Notts finished on 293 for seven. The Green and Gold now lead The Bears by a single point at the top of the table, but the Brummies do have a game in hand. The fitness of Darren Pattinson for the second half of the season is crucial to Notts chances of claiming the title, the bowling is still far too dependent on the magnificent Adams, a fit again Pattinson would give Notts much greater clout. MAG

In the process of surviving the new ball assault from Shahzad and Chapple, Paul Franks received a ball that hit him on the head; Franks typically "manned-up" and carried on, however................

paul franks ‏@thegeneral_8

@RikiWessels many thanks for ur concern the frozen peas have done the trick ! New lid required though ! #sconned

Academy Slip-up

Caythorpe secured a winning draw against Notts Academy at Lady Bay with professional County Old Boys Josh Mierkalns and Jimmy Hindson amongst the runs. 

Mierkalns (33) was one of three victims for Academy seamer Bobby Gamble (3-19) with Brett Hutton backing up bowling figures of 3-20 with an unbeaten 34.

The Academy finished 40 runs short of their victory target on 145-8 after a rare failure from opener Tom Rowe who went lbw second ball.

Day 4 Test Action resumed at Edgbaston on time. WI lost 

Rampaul for his overnight 2 but then Tino Best went into 

Andre Adams, Capt Caveman mode.

Saving the Best 'til last

Real Andre Adams mode and some to 

the tune of 95 runs.