Foxes roll-over, roll-on the Royals

Foxes roll-over, roll-on the Royals Notts had an easy passage to home quarter final against Hampshire Royals at Trent Bridge today. Missing Hales and Patel, Voges lost the toss and Hoggard inserted the Green and Gold with one eye on the expected heavy showers. The game was all over in the first eight overs as Notts raced to 94 before losing their first wicket. Leicestershire bowling was mediocre and Man of the Match Michael Lumb in particular took advantage of the short Bridgford Road boundary smashing six sixes and five fours in a 26-ball 62. The left hander eventually holed out off Wayne White. James Taylor his fellow opener was slow by comparison with 45 off 30 balls an innings which included three sixes. Wessels and Voges added 48 in six overs before Wessels (32) became the third player to hole out as young spinner Sykes picked up his second wicket. Read (21*) and Voges (26*) added 35 in the last four overs as Notts closed on a formidable 196 for 3 off their 20 over allocation. Young slow left armer James Sykes retained his dignity with 4-0-24-2, the rest of the Foxes bowling proved to be cannon fodder. Cobb after hitting the first ball for four fell to fourth ball of the innings caught by White off former teammate Gurney. Razzaq and Smith put bat to ball and added 45 in four overs as Pattinson proved expensive. Carter sporting a Mohican to satisfy the Twittersphere bowled Greg Smith for 14. The overseas duo of Sarwan and Razzaq got bogged down as White and Carter turned the screw, after adding 31 in five overs, Sarwan was bowled by White for a 12-ball eight. Boyce fell two balls later caught by Elstone off the captain’s twirlers. The game was well and truly up as the game was interrupted for 25 minutes by a heavy shower with Leicester 105 for four with 34 balls left to bowl. Razzaq was caught behind off White two balls into the resumption for 69 off 50 balls, very much a lone hand. Eckersley (3) fell to Patto’s slower ball. Taylor was comprehensively bowled by Carter, who then picked up his third wicket as White fell in identikit fashion. Gurney then bowled Hoggard as Leicestershire closed on 127 for nine, as Notts triumphed by 69 runs. Carter with aerodynamic Mohican in place had figures of 4-0-12-3 and White had pleasing figures of 4-0-19-2, as Patel was not missed. As like most of the previous games, the match was unfortunately once again hopelessly one-sided and lacked any real excitement, but to put it bluntly Notts were too good for the opposition in all their victories apart from farcical match against Lancashire. So after a month of rain and banal baseball, roll on Wednesday as part 2 of the real cricket season commences at Uxbridge; don’t forget your brolly. mag