v Somerset CB40 at Trent Bridge

Notts have a Ball as the Cidermen are well beaten.

After the debacle up in Durham, Notts cruised to a comfortable victory over a disappointing Somerset side at Trent Bridge yesterday, the visitors clearly missing the inspirational Trescothick.

Newell dropped the expensive pair of Carter and Franks and they were replaced by Pattinson and Jake Ball. Once again, Notts won the toss and inserted the opposition on a wicket pitched on the Bridgford Road size of the square.

The prolific Compton was the first to go edging Pattinson to Read for seven. Kieswetter added 32 in eight overs with Trego as Somerset were finding brisk run scoring tough on what appeared to be a two paced wicket. Ball appears to have modified his run up slightly and added a yard of pace too compared to the ambling 2011 version. He got one to nip back and removed Kieswetter’s off stump as he departed for 24, 49 for two. In his next over Hildreth was comprehensively bowled for three by Bruce French’s nephew as Somerset stood on 58 for three in the 16^th over.

Trego hit Patel for six as Somerset brought their 100 up in the 23^rd over as he and the dangerous Buttler upped the scoring rate. Pattinson was forced to return and immediately had Trego plumb leg before for 47 made off just 53 balls, 113 for four.

Patel pushed one through which killed the advancing Buttler who departed clean bowled for 29, 122 for five in the 29^th over. Meschede immediately hit Mullaney for six and soon afterwards the Cidermen took the batting power play. Gurney whose earlier spell was very economical took some tap as the run rate increased once again.  A mix up with Malaysian Suppiah saw Meschede run out by Hales for 33.  Ball picked his third victim as Gregory (7) hit the ball into stratosphere as Read took a good running catch in front of the stumps. Suppiah who hit a brisk 39 fell to the last ball of the innings caught at long on by Mullaney off Pattinson for 39 as Somerset closed on 205 for eight. Pattinson slowly getting back to fitness claimed three for 37 and Ball an impressive three for 38, as Notts put in a much more inspired bowling effort compared to previous day up in the North East.

Left and right hand combination of Lumb and Hales added 56 in 10 overs, before Hales failed to push on once again this time holing out to Suppiah off Gregory for 22. The in-form pair of Lumb and Wessels added a brisk 79 off 11 overs as they made mincemeat of Somerset’s bowling. Lumb’s 50 came up in 47 balls. Wessels clubbed sixes off spinner Waller (surprising preferred to Dockrell) and Meschede. Lumb mistimed a pull and was caught in the covers by Max Waller off Meschede for 65; an innings which included seven fours and one six off 60 balls. Notts now needed 71 runs off 18 overs. The rest of the innings was anti-climatic as the scoring slowed and Somerset were bowling their overs at a funeral pace. Kirby proved as entertaining as ever with his grunting and posturing as he put in maximum effort despite an obvious lost cause. Wessels frustrated with Patel hogging the strike edged a short ball from captain Alfonso Thomas into the keeper’s gloves to depart for a 57-ball 55, another fine effort. Patel who scratched around for 16 fell to Trego followed shortly afterwards by Titch Taylor (12) who after creaming two balls through the covers fell leg before to Trego who picked up his second wicket. Voges and Read added an unbroken 24 as Notts got home with five wickets and 20 balls to spare. A good sized crowd went home happy as Notts now stand with two wins and two losses in a competition which now moth balled until July 15 when Notts travel down to the Woodbridge Road ground at Guildford. The DofC is probably now much closer is to knowing his preferred eleven as Notts step on to the baseball plate in a week’s time at Grace Road. MAG