More Wednesday night woes!

NOTTS ALL IN A SPIN Notts were defeated by Surrey by four wickets with 23 balls unused on a slow-turning pitch at TB last night. With Carter rested, Fletcher clearly some way short of match fitness seemed a strange choice over Scott Elstone and Jake Ball never bowled a ball all night. Despite Hamilton-Brown’s return from "self-imposed exile", Surrey were captained by Gareth Batty and inserted Notts on winning the toss. Spriegel opened up from the Radcliffe Road with his off spinners and his opening partner was Murali Kartik with slow left-arm. With the pitch taking a lot of turn the prolific Lumb was bowled through the gate for seven; 16 for one in the 5th over. The rest of the top order gave their wickets away. Wessels (13) having hitting a six (off Dernbach) and a four hit Spriegel straight to short mid-wicket where Roy took the catch. Worse followed three overs later when Patel’s weakness to getting out to short leg-side balls was showed up again as he top edged Dernbach to Ansari at long leg, 44 for three. Hales (25) who hit three fours was next to go hitting an airy fairy shot from Dernbach to backward point where De Bruyn took the catch, 52 for four off 12 overs. With Taylor up at Headingley awaiting his England Test debut, Voges and Read were Notts last hope as they added 67 in 18 overs. Boundaries were a very rare commodity as Voges (35) and Read (35) only hit one between them, as they dealt mainly in singles. Voges edged Kartik to Wilson at slip, as Notts were now 119 for five with 10 overs left. The game was all but over as next over Read hit Ansari to Spriegel at long on. Mullaney was clueless against the spinners and after running out White he was eventually stumped off Batty for a 20-ball 8. Ball hit only the eighth boundary of the innings as he was bowled three balls later. Next over the rotund Fletcher was bowled by Dernbach’s slower ball as Notts finished at least 30 runs below par on a 149 all out with two overs unused. Dernbach the sole seamer used finished with three for 39 as the wickets were shared around by the spineers, as Meaker was not required to bowl.

Gurney took wickets with successive balls in the second over of the reply. Hamilton-Brown edged to Read and Jason Roy was caught off his glove by White at backward point, three for two. Davies and Wilson steadied the ship as they added 60 in 14 overs. Davies (35) hit Mullaney into orbit and Voges took the catch at cover.  Five overs later Gary Wilson (29) was stumped off White, 77 for four.

The sparse crowd cheered every dot ball as Surrey slowed up, Mullaney going for only 11 in his first five overs. But the pressure was extinguished as in over 27; Man of the Match Spriegel hit Mullaney for four and a six off successive balls. Mullaney though in his last over got de Bruyn caught at mid-wicket as Surrey now needed 46 off 58 balls. But the visitors had the batting power play up their sleeve. White let the pressure get to him and bowled a poor over that went for 16 from the Radcliffe Road end that included an inexplicable no ball the free hit going for four, but he did remove Spriegel who holed out to Wessels at deep square leg. Spriegel had won the game with his 47 going with figures of 8-1-21-2.  Patel who had a mediocre game went for a four and six Batty being the striker and then next over Ansari hit White for six as Surrey got home with 23 balls unused at 2047. Gurney was the pick of the attack with 7-1-23-2 and was well supported by Mullaney with 8-2-24-2. The spinners though should have bowled better on a wicket which was giving them assistance. With Notts now having lost three games they are all but out this year’s competition. Just like the previous Wednesday their top order batting was below par.  

Yesterday it was announced that Nottinghamshire have informed the 17 other counties that with one year left on his current contract, Paul Franks is being allowed to move elsewhere.