v Sussex Sharks YB40 at Hove

Joyce ton destroys Outlaws

Notts lost their third 40 over game out of four as they failed to defend a total of 290 on a Hove surface ideal for fast scoring.

Read won the toss and elected to bat on a wicket that was previously used two days before against the Netherlands. Notts were unchanged from their indifferent display against Worcester.

After bowling a wide, Hatchett struck with his first legitimate ball having Lumb leg before a duck. In retrospect a crucial dismissal having removed Notts quickest scorer on a plumb surface. The quality of the surface was apparent very early on as Taylor ominous hit two fours; not something any Notts fan is used too. He departed for nine falling to a superb slip catch by Jordan who caught the ball after it had seemingly gone past him. Notts 11 for two and left armer Hatchett had picked up another wicket. Patel badly dropped by keeper Callum Jackson added 102 in 16 overs with Hales who was in fine form. Patel though fell to his trademark dismissal a flick to long leg as former Leicester man Liddle picked up the wicket. Hales reached his 50 off 43 balls and needed a further 44 to reach his fourth List A hundred a milestone that he reached to good applause from their fair sized ground enjoying the early evening sunshine. The power play was taken after 31 overs but immediately Hales departed mistiming Yardy’s non spinning darts for a 89 ball 101 an innings which included 11 fours and one six. Hussey who had earlier struggled somewhat against Beer’s leg spinners accelerated to good effect with Riki Wessels finding some welcome form. Eighty one runs were added for the fifth wicket until Wessels (34) holed out as Hatchett picked his third wicket of the innings. Hussey finished on 82 not out off 64 balls with seven fours and one six as he enjoyed his return to Sussex, having previously played club cricket for Horsham. Notts total seemed about 10 runs above par having cashed in on poor bowling from Jordan (8-0-76-0) and Yardy (6-0-49-1). Hatchett was also expensive with figures of 7-0-65-3, Liddle’s eight overs went for just 37 and Beer could be well pleased with seven overs for 38.

Sussex’s target seemed though eminently possible particular as they given an early kick start as Shahzad donated then five wides in his first over. Apart from an isolated ball from Gurney, the Sussex openers Ed Joyce and Luke Wright destroyed the Notts attack hitting them to all parts as the trampoline bounce of the pitch proved impossible to defend. Read shuffled his bowlers around but it was akin to rearranging the chairs on the Titanic as Sussex reached 100 in the 11^th over. Finally Wright who made 114 against the Dutch two days previously finally fell falling to a boundary catch by Wessels off Shahzad for a 42 ball 62, an innings which contained four sixes; Sussex 112 for one after 12.5 overs and the match was already over as a contest. Machan joined Joyce and carried on Wright’s good work as another 96 runs were added in 11 overs of carnage. Machan tried one shot too many and top edged Hussey as Ball took the catch, his 51 came off only 28 balls, 208 for two in the 24^th over. Joyce as ever enjoyed himself immensely against a Notts attack he probably wished he could face every week; he reached his ton off 78 balls. Notts though can take credit for not giving up the fight as Sussex had slight mid innings wobble. Chris Nash (12) fell to fine sliding catch by Wessels in front of the members; Yardy became the first Martlet not to contribute to his own downfall when he edged Shahzad behind. Hamilton-Brown clearly not a popular man down in these parts fell to catch by Mullaney as Shahzad picked his third wicket. It should have been a four wicket haul but Patel dropped the easiest of catches spilling centurion Joyce low down at cover as the home crowd could not contain their laughter. Jordan fell bowled to Mullaney but it was all too late as Beer hit a quick fire 20 not out. Joyce finished the match with a huge six over extra cover off Jake Ball as they triumphed with nine balls unused. Shahzad finished with 8-0-49-3 and Ball had evening to forget with figures of 7.3-0-68-0. Joyce finished with 123 not out from 109 balls an innings which included 16 fours.

Notts display was not as bad as Tuesday’s throw away against Worcester, the pitch was a batsman dream as for the for the second successive Notts List A game produced nearly 600 runs much to the delight of the home crowd who have been starved of success over the last couple of months.

Notts now face a crucial game at Canterbury on Bank Holiday Monday, a venue which historically has proved somewhat of a graveyard for the Green and Gold in limited overs cricket. MAG