v Derbyshire Falcons FLT20 at Trent Bridge

After a torrential teatime downpour, this game got underway at 2030 as a nine over lottery. Notts won the toss and bowled, but they were hampered by the wet ball as conditions got drier as the night wore on.

The shorter the game the more it would suit the visitors. Derbyshire slogged to great effect never giving a chance as Notts bowled poorly with too many balls either short or wide. The three overs of spin went for a colossal 49 runs. Durston (50 not out) and Hughes (46) eventually added 98 in 47 balls until Hughes skied to Ball as Butler picked up the sole wicket of the innings. Derbyshire closed on 108 for one after nine overs.

Lumb should have been out of the second ball of the innings but Godleman misjudged the catch on the square leg boundary. Off the fifth ball of the opening over Hales lost his off stump to Groenewald and was out for a duck. Turner bowled the second over of the innings which went for 21 runs. Patel chipped the ball to deep mid wicket as Notts got their second duck of the innings. Lumb was still in fantastic form and scored all the opening 43 runs of the innings but he fell to diving catch by Turner at long off off Burgoyne’s off spin, 44 for three after 20 balls. Lumb’s 43 came off 15 balls with five fours and three sixes. Unlike Notts, the Derby spinners were much more effective. Hussey though was unlucky to be given out to a catch at long off by a ball bowled by Redfern, the delivery clearly above waist height; Cook being the offending umpire. Notts now needed 50 off four overs; near impossible stuff. Butler hit a six into the Fridge; umpire Cook once again getting confused signalling only a four to another ball that appeared to be above waist height. Butler was unlucky to find Turner on the ropes as he departed for 11. Read hit the final six of the game as Notts eventually finished on 92 for seven as they lost by 16 runs. The match had been as appetizing as a stale pork pie, but at least the viewers on Murdoch TV had another “entertaining” night sitting on their sofa. Notts have now lost the return match to all three of their group opponents.MAG

There is talk that James Taylor is being set-up to play for a Sussex XI over the weekend against an Australian XI, a weekend when Notts have two lucrative T20 matches crucial to Quarter final qualification............................... barking mad! ......................................

Alex Hales will take part in the lucrative but much maligned (following Aussie Test flops) Big Bash 3 - this time for Adelaide Strikers. I would have thought a spell in perhaps NZ batting in their first class competition would have served him better, if he could get a berth with a team - much lower profile but valuable batting opportunities for the young man.