v Durham LV Championship at Trent Bridge

Day 4


Match Drawn after abandonment due to persistent rain on the final day.

Day 3

Notts frozen out by Muchall heroics

In cold and bleak conditions Durham pushed on strongly in the 58 overs available today. They closed the day on 335 for 4 wickets with Gordon Muchall on an outstanding 158 not out.

Play commenced at 1330 after morning rain and Durham were on the attack from the off. With the score on 131, Jennings gutsy but scratchy innings came to an end when was caught behind by Read off Adams for 40. Muchall was hitting many boundaries through the covers taking advantage of the short Bridgford Road boundary. He was joined by big hitting Ben Stokes and the Notts attack not having the best of days in the inhospitable freezing conditions was put to the sword. Muchall had a life when he badly dropped by Wessels at slip off Siddle when 86, but reached his 100 off just 102 balls with 17 fours and one six. The fourth wicket partnership reached 133 runs off just 29 overs when Ben Stokes went for one big shot too many and holed at long on off Samit Patel, Michael Lumb taking a well judged catch. Stokes in his comeback game had scored 61 off 81 balls with 10 fours. The run scoring did not stop despite Muchall surviving a stump chance off Patel. With the new ball about to be taken the players were taken off for two overs for bad light. Another three overs were bowled before umpires Bainton and Mallender took the players off for the last time at 1730 due to light deteriorating once more. Muchall not a first team regular was unbeaten with 158 off 189 balls with 22 fours and one six. The outstanding innings of the match Collingwood, 38 yesterday hit two sixes in his unbeaten 36 with Durham 335 for 4 scored at 4.03 RPO. Siddle was the pick of the Notts bowlers today but remains wicket less. Broad had the unremarkable figures of 16-0-68-0 as he attempted to blow off the cobwebs despite suffering no doubt from frostbite. Today’s forecast is replicated for tomorrow, but the current output from the Met Office is about as accurate as Simon Cox one on one with only the keeper to beat. If the rain stays away expect Durham to press on until lunch and then declare hoping that Notts roll over and die Steelback fashion. An unlikely occurrence on the evidence so far which suggests a pitch made for fast scoring and holding little terror.

In other news Mick Newell maybe interested signing Protea all rounder Farhaan Behardien for the Friday night baseball skirmishes. Thirty year old Behardien currently playing for Heywood in the Central Lancashire league is a right hand bat and right arm seamer and has played 11 ODI’s and 13 T20 matches for South African and played for The General’s second team at Trent College last week. MAG

Congratulations to Luke Fletcher, bagging a hat trick against Worcestershire 2nds - a top order collapse including 2 players from the Blast game last weekend (Oliver and D'Oliveira).


Day 2

Spilled chances before rain ruins the day.

Only 25 overs play were possible at Trent Bridge as persistent light rain set in at lunchtime and never ceased.

Broad (Pavilion) and Siddle (Radcliffe Road) opened the bowling but were without luck as despite a lot of playing and missing the openers Stoneman and Jennings stayed together. Play was put on hold for 15 minutes at 1135 due to a light shower. When the players returned Adams and Shahzad replaced Broad and Siddle, and in his opening over Stoneman (23) edged Shahzad to Read, 39 for one. Jennings who had earlier been dropped at short leg by Taylor off Siddle when on 12 was then badly dropped at first slip by Wessels off Adams when on 19. In the next over Michael Richardson was comprehensively bowled for 4 as Shahzad picked up his second wicket. Jennings survived a confident appeal for a caught behind off Adams, umpire Mallender having to have words with Siddle after the appeal had been turned down. Jennings who lived a charmed life went to lunch on 24 which was also the unbeaten score for Gordon Muchall. The players never returned. The forecast for the remaining two days of this fixture is extremely indifferent, the game appears to heading to a watery grave.MAG

Day 1

Notts take an entertaining first day

After early morning rain, play got under way 30 minutes late at 1130. Stuart Broad as expected made a rare appearance in place of Andy Carter. The visitors were decimated with injuries missing Wood, Borthwick and Onions amongst others. Chris Read won the toss on another wicket on the Bridgford Road side of the square and elected to bat.

Mullaney fell to first ball of the day edging Rushworth bowling from the Pavilion End into cousin Phil’s gloves. Jaques (11) and the out of form Lumb added 24 runs until Jaques edged Arshad to be caught at slip by Breese. Five runs later Lumb (13) played a terrible shot to be caught at deep square leg as Arshad picked up his second wicket. Durham’s support bowling lacked depth. It included 19 year old debutant Gavin Main a brisk right armer from Lanark who was getting plenty of bounce but somewhat wayward first up. No doubt he had been talented spotted by the wily Collingwood during his part-time Saltire duty.

Patel who has batted with much more maturity this season was playing with a lot of confidence and despite coming in after Taylor at one stage was over 30 runs ahead. Gareth Breese got a long bowl and Collingwood was even forced to use Jennings’ rarely seen seamers. Patel and Taylor were batting extremely well and the runs were coming at more than four an over. The ball was going to all points of the compass. Taylor hit Breese for two sixes into the Radcliffe Road. The batsman looked in no trouble but with Patel on 99 steered the returning Stokes to third man where Gareth Breese took a well judged catch low down. Patel’s 99 came off 141 runs with 13 fours and one six. A fine effort. The fourth wicket partnership had turned the game on its head as Taylor and Patel had added 192 runs in 45 overs of five-star entertainment. Unbelievably in Stokes’ very next over Taylor was out in identikit fashion falling to another fine catch at third man by Breese. Taylor out for 88 off 136 balls with 14 fours and two sixes, Notts 232 for five on a pitch where batting looked easy.

Wessels the hero of the previous championship game added 39 in 16 overs with Chris Read as Notts buckled down. Wessels then received a ball that got up unexpectedly of a length from Main and he was caught and bowled by the young Scotsman for 23. Broad lasted 15 balls until he received a brilliant Yorker from Main to have his stumps demolished as he departed for a duck, Notts 281 for 7 and losing their way somewhat.

Siddle was positive from the off as the new ball was taken. With his captain once again looking in fine batting form, 59 runs were added in 11 overs. Stokes this time from the Radcliffe Road removed Siddle leg before for 31 made off just 33 balls. Shahzad threw his wicket away being caught at the deep as Main picked up his third wicket. Adams as ever swung from the hip and raced to 19 until being caught by Breese (his fourth catch of the innings) off only his ninth ball in front of the Radcliffe Road sightscreen. Read was left stranded on 59 not out off 109 balls. After being 29 for three Notts will be well pleased in making 377albeit on a wicket with little terrors. Arshad, Main and Stokes all took three wickets. Durham did not have time to bat. The bank holiday crowd had seen an excellent days cricket with runs being scored at four an over; fine innings from Taylor and Patel and 10 wickets falling to a much under strength but wholehearted attack. With Notts fielding an attack of Broad, Siddle and Adams tomorrow should be another very interesting day, particularly as we are now promised a much better weather forecast.MAG