v Durham CB40 Riverside 2012

The less said about this the better....A truly awful bowling performance got its just desserts as Notts crashed to humiliating 91-run defeat at a cool Riverside yesterday.

With Pattinson “rested” and without Adams, Fletcher, Phillips, Notts seam attack looked extremely threadbare; Read won the toss and elected to bowl on a slowish surface that was expected to seam given the damp conditions over the previous few days. What in fact happened with Notts opening with pair of novices and backed up by a bowler trying to bowl too fast, was the home side was served an endless diet of all you can eat buffet bowling.

Left-handers Mustard and Stoneman opened up with 183 off 23 overs. Carter comically missed an easy run out early doors, but for most of the time a wicket looked a remote prospect as the Notts bowlers either bowled too short or over pitched. Patel and Mullaney tried their best to stem the gush of runs but the damage had already been done. The spinner should have had Stoneman leg before but our old friend Bailey refused to move his hands out of his pockets. Shortly afterwards Patel got his revenge by removing Stoneman for a 72-ball 83, the Newcastle native holing out to long on. The Colonel fell next over bowled leg stump to the undeserving Carter, his 100 was off just 67 balls with 12 fours and two sixes. Durham slowed slightly as they added only 56 runs in 10 overs until the Red Shoed Stokes fell to another boundary catch off Patel.

 Patel finishing with 8-0-49-2. Gordon Muchall (34) fell two overs later to another boundary catch, this time off left armer Gurney. The experienced pair of Collingwood and Benkenstein added unbroken 60 off the last five overs, to put salts in the wounds as Durham closed on 310 for four, a score 60 runs over par. The lowlights for Notts were Carter’s 8-0-68-1 and Franks’ 5-0-49-0.

What happened next was utterly predictable as Notts had to chance their arm in the power play. Chris Rushworth had the day of his life as he picked up five wickets as the batsman had to go “over the top”. Lumb hit the ball into orbit and when the ball eventually dropped Benkenstein took the catch as the South African departed one. Next in the hutch was Hales who is having a very disappointing season, he inside edged one on to his stumps to depart for a 6-ball duck. Wessels was next to fall to Rushworth being bowled through the gate for a 21-ball 20, 23 for three. Taylor went from hero to zero as he was next on the conveyor belt, being leg before to his fourth ball. Patel’s became Rushworth’s fifth scalp, a victim of a family affair caught by Cousin Phil for eight. The sides “dual captains” Read and Voges added 47 in 10 overs as Notts were now just playing for pride. Read fell to a good catch at mid-wicket by Benkenstein as Notts were now 90 for six in the 20^th wicket. 

Despite the man from Collingham witty asides, the home crowd were clearly bored with away sides attempt and started leaving in the droves somewhat ironically as the small way contingent was happy to sit through and watch the inevitable outcome as the sun made an appearance. Mullaney did not last long and was bowled by the wayward Plunkett for seven. The away fans loyalty was rewarded when Voges and Franks added 99 for the eighth wicket in 13 overs which included the four over batting power play which was taken far too late. 

The General’s half century was brought up with huge six of leg spinner Borthwick who went for more than 10 an over. Voges drove Ben Stokes to Will Smith in the deep to depart for a face saving run a ball 74. Franks departed two balls later bowled by the same bowler for 57 an innings that included five fours and three sixes. There was still time for Gurney to hit two sixes off Borthwick, but Carter was stumped off the same bowler as Notts were all out 219 with 13 balls unused.

Mustard was named man of the match by Sky as Rushworth only playing due to Onion’s England call up finished with 8-1-31-5.

Notts make their seasonal Trent Bridge limited-overs debut today against the Wurzels they can now only afford one more loss to have any chance of qualification in a competition which once again appears way bottom of the list of priorities for the DofC.