Day Four Middlesex stroll to the easiest of victories
Notts long barren run in the championship continues as Middlesex strolled to the easiest of victories by 10 wickets at 1240 today. It’s now been 10 matches without a championship win for Mick Newell’s outfit.
Adams edged the first ball of the ball from Roland-Jones to Ollie Rayner at second slip. Not a good start!
With the sun shining, Middlesex needed 108 to win a target they got to in just 25 overs as both openers hit undefeated fifties. Notts thought they had both openers caught behind, Robson in particular seemed to edge Fletcher behind, both decisions being turned down by the umpires.
So what's wrong? Media outlets suggest Notts were under-cooked, that was certainly the case for bowling lynch-pin Adams but hte rest of the team have had plenty of pre-match practice, so to me this is clearly balderdash. In reality, Notts made a big mistake playing Shahzad and Carter in the same line-up not only did it weaken the bowling line-up, it is also upsetting the balance of the side. Notts should have played a more accurate bowler probably Phillips or gone for Franks who would have solidified the batting much more. The General would have knuckled down rather than throwing his wicket away in cavalier fashion. With rain hitting in the East Midlands by mid afternoon all Notts had to do was bat for 80 overs in their second innings against an attack shorn of James Harris. Dexter will never get figures like that again.
The major worry is whether Adams can return to his form of recent seasons. Let’s hope he can but if he doesn’t, I cannot see this Notts line up being able to get 20 wickets to win matches. One hopes that in the couple of games we get Broad and Swann we cash in with victories. Once again, the Director of Cricket has failed to find the overseas bowler we desperately needed. Cowan is undoubtedly better than the overrated Voges but he appears to be an expensive luxury. MAG
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It could hardly have been any worse today for Nottinghamshire followers, Andre Adams caught first ball of the morning then the Aussie pair of openers for Middlesex rattle off the runs without loss in double quick time - Notts very poor again in the field. Only Fletcher can hold his head high, he bowled well in both innings.Some genuine edges went unrewarded by the umpires this morning but Middlesex were the better team through-out the four days - perhaps preparation in a tent on grass in England is better preparation than swanning off to the Barbados sun.
Notts now 10 consecutive win-less matches in the LV= now.
Day Three Dexter goes nap as Notts collapse
A ninth wicket partnership of 89 between Luke Fletcher and Andre Adams saved Notts from total humiliation after a disastrous mid-innings collapse which saw 6 wickets fall for 40 runs including five to Neil Dexter, who took a scarcely believable career bests five wickets for 27 runs.
Play was delayed for 45 minutes due to light drizzle, Shahzad and Cowan having received their county caps prior to the start.
Middlesex with a lead of 19 resumed and it did not take long for the extras count to further rise as the Notts bowling attack was struggling for line and length. In the 97th over, Rayner edged Shahzad to first slip. Simpson was then badly dropped by Patel at second slip off Adams whilst on 92. The injured James Harris came at nine and edged the erratic Carter to Read. Roland-Jones edged Carter to Patel who this time took the catch, as Notts grabbed the final bowling point with two overs spare. Last man Murtagh fell to catch behind off Adams as Middlesex closed with a lead of 75 runs on 353 all out. Wicket-keeper John Simpson was left stranded three short of his ton, his 97 not out came off 205 balls with nine fours and two sixes.
With the floodlights still on, Notts lost two early wickets. Cowan was unlucky to receive an unplayable ball from lively Murtagh the ball keeping low and shattering his stumps. Cowan out for one. Lumb departed for a pair this time lasting three balls before falling leg before to Toby Roland-Jones; 6 for two. Hales and Taylor steadied the ship and added 47 in 15 overs before the collapse started. Hales (32) had just started to open up but then edged Berg’s medium pacers to Simpson behind the stumps, 53 for three. Patel played a quite dreadful shot pulling Dexter’s dibbly dobblers to mid-wicket where substitute Harry Podmore (on for the indisposed James Harris) took the catch; 60 for 4. Dexter who would not normally run through a club side never mind a county line-up could not believe his luck when Taylor (22) wafted outside off stump and bottom edged to Simpson; 67 for four. Wessels came in at seven with Hales as a runner. Play was held up as the ground staff painted the crease lines for the runner. It was all a waste of time as Dexter picked his third wicket as Wessels edged him to Rayner at second slip, 67 for five. But it got even worst Read (1) fell two balls later leg before. Four overs later, Shahzad became Dexter’s fifth victim edging him to first slip; it was now 93 for eight. A three day defeat looked odds on.
Adams as ever did not hang around and blasted a 50 off 37 balls and had good support from Fletcher who is a far better bat than his career figures indicate. After mid-afternoon sunshine the light started to fade and just before the umpires took the players off for bad light. Fletcher was bowled by Muztagh for a gallant 47, Adams remained undefeated on 50, as Notts lead by 107 with last man Cater at the crease. The ninth wicket stand of 89 lasted just 18 overs as Adams and Fletcher basted four sixes and 10 fours between them.
Not a good day or match for Notts, of the eleven only Fletcher has performed to the potential. The bowling was far too wayward and in both innings the batting has been poor. Credit Middlesex who have batted, bowled and fielded well, but my guess is the Director of Cricket will have a sleepless night pondering over the events of the last three days. Worrying times.....
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Day Two Notts cold and off colour
With the floodlights on all day and with a top temperature of six degrees, this was definitely a day for diehards, as Middlesex closed the day in a very commanding position.
Chris Rogers and Sam Robson added 106 for the first wicket until much to everyone’s surprise Shahzad produced a straight one to trap Rogers leg before for 50. The Aussie left-hander had batted 82 balls and hit seven fours and one six.
Next over Fletcher (bowling from the Radcliffe Road End) by far the best bowler of the day had Denly plumb leg before a duck.
Robson and Malan (6) added 41 in 13 overs, before Malan became Shahzad’s second leg before victim, 148 for three.
Adams who looked somewhat rusty produced the ball of the day to bowl Dexter neck and crop for seven. The South African had scored seven which included one six off Carter. The Lincolnshire paceman was decidedly third rate all day and his figures off 16-3-69-0 were a true reflection of his efforts.
Shahzad meanwhile had no consistent line all day and tested his captain’s diving abilities all day as Mr Extras stood at 38 at the close.
Robson’s valuable innings came to end in the 55th over as he edged one off the deserving Bulwell Metronome to depart for 76, 175 for five.
At this stage Notts were still in the game, but a poor bowling effort after tea swung the game into visitors favour. Simpson who had struggled early doors against Adams advanced to 77 not out and added 116 for the sixth wicket with Gareth Berg (43). Just before the close Fletcher dismissed Berg with the new ball to finish with three for 69.
Rayner who hit a big ton coming as night-watchman in last year’s corresponding fixture, faced three balls before umpires Cook and Mallender decided that the light had deteriorated to a point where facing a red ball would be dangerous. Nine overs remained unused as Middlesex closed on 297 for six; a lead of 19 with 4 wickets left which unfortunately contains no rabbits. Umpire Cook was heard muttering “it was bloody cold out there”; one could not argue on that way or to the fact that Notts Fletcher apart had bowled well below expectations. Better days wait in 2013.
Day One Roland-Jones bags a six-fer in opener
After weeks of Arctic temperatures, indeed huge piles of snow are still in-situ up last night at Field Mill, Notts got their 2013 season underway on a crisp day with plenty of sunshine.
Middlesex skipper Chris Rogers won the toss and inserted the Green and Gold who had Ed Cowan and Ajmal Shahzad making their debuts.
The openers Hales and Cowan got off to a confident start as 51 were added in 14 overs, the Aussie left-hander who batted solidly with plenty of patience hit his first three balls he faced for boundaries off Tim Murtagh.
Toby Roland-Jones who bowled impressively all day off a longish run-up had Hales caught at first slip by Dawid Malan for 20, an innings which contained two fours off 43 balls. Michael Lumb fell first ball adjudged leg before by umpire Mallender although it appeared that Lumb was extremely unlucky as he had appeared to get an inside edge before the ball struck his pad.
Cowan and Taylor got Notts to lunch without any further mishaps at 95 for two, but on the resumption Cowan chipped a ball off his pads from ToRoJo to square leg where Gareth Berg took a good diving catch. Cowan had made 61 off 90 balls with ten fours, a very commendable first effort.
The pitch was pitched on the Bridgford Road side of the ground and played pretty well although lacked a slight bit of pace. Patel and Taylor batted circumspectly and added 60 in 26 overs. Patel for the umpteenth time was strangled down the legside as ToRoJo picked up his fourth wicket. Patel after indifferent time in Port Elizabeth with the Warriors had made 36 off 78 balls; 158 for four. Titch Taylor and Wessels batting at six added 46 in 15 overs, before Taylor received a ball from medium pacer Dexter which jumped on him slightly and which he edged to Robson in the gulley. Taylor out for 55 off 163 balls an innings which included only four boundaries.
Wessels who looked in good touch despite nearly running out Taylor in a terrible mix up then got himself in terrible tangle with Read going for a third run and was run out by yards for 30, 219 for six. Notts last chance of a dominant first innings score had therefore been squandered. Read was left with the tail to accompany him. Shahzad faced Roland-Jones with the new ball in his hands and with no foot movement fell to a regulation catch by behind the wicket. Adams batted in his own idiosyncratic style as he blasted 14 off eight balls before holing out to Murtagh at long on. Fletcher (14) hit two fours before edging Murtagh to first slip. Carter came in as Jack and Read went for broke only to fall to a catch at deep square leg of the deserving Roland-Jones for a typical impish 34. Notts all out for 278 with Roland-Jones picking up a career best 6 for 63. Given that Notts were inserted, this can be viewed as a reasonable effort. However the pitch appeared to have no hidden terrors and with a short Bridgford Road boundary it will be interesting to see how many Middlesex rack up tomorrow. With temperatures due to increase in next few days the one positive Notts have, is the increased likelihood of the ball swinging more as the match wears on. Adams as ever holds the key.
Middlesex batted for two overs with Fletcher not quite getting his line. Shahzad on his maiden voyage bowled a mediocre first over with Robson helping himself to three boundaries albeit one off the edge. MAG
More photos posted on Harry Butler Daft Facebook
XIs
The D of C has weighed-up his options, as laid out on the Notts website and in the NP and has announced the following eleven to face Middlesex, starting Wednesday in the LV Championship.
Alex Hales
Ed Cowan
Michael Lumb
James Taylor
Samit Patel
Riki Wessels
Chris Read c
Ajmal Shahzad
Luke Fletcher
Andre Adams
Andy Carter
Two debutants, so PWT will be busy with his book.
4 Specialist bowlers plus Samit, 8 of the 11 have Full International experience of one kind or another.
Chris Rogers (captain)
Gareth Berg
Joe Denly
Neil Dexter
James Harris
Dawid Malan
Tim Murtagh
Ollie Rayner
Sam Robson
Toby Roland-Jones
Gurjit Sandhu
John Simpson (wk)
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