v Somerset LV Championship at Trent Bridge

24 Point Win Secured

Day Four of the County Championship fixture at Trent Bridge between Nottinghamshire and Somerset should prove to be just a formality.

Hosts, Notts, need only 44 runs with 7 wickets intact and with a whole day to do it. The bulk of the meagre target of 110’s back being broken by Samit Patel last night in the nervy gloom with a quick-fire 41. None of the nail-biting of Headlingley from yesterday with the last over traumas and dramas to contend with.

The spirited bowling by the Somerset seam attack shouldn't be as great an obstacle to a Nottinghamshire victory as good old fashioned nerves but with a whole three sessions available and the weather forecasted to be wall to wall sunshine, only a history making, mega-humiliating, colossal cock-up of a crumbling collapse can prevent the surely inevitable win for the Green and Golds. Nerves shouldn't even be an issue, but in cricket.....

As it turned out, it took Notts less than 40 minutes to wrap-up victory this morning.

Somerset opened the day with Meschede and Dockrell but Meschede was replaced by the successful bowler from day 3, Craig Overton, as Phil Jaques and night-watchman Ajmal Shahzad set about their task.

After half an hour, the hundred came up with no additional loss with the only concern in that time being a mix-up with the running where Shazad should have been run out, but survived.

At the death Overton C adopted a short ball policy before Shahzad (23*) took Notts to 111/3  with a four and a 7 wicket win. Phil Jaques ended on 42 not out. C Overton 3/48

So Notts join Yorkshire at the top of the table, same points and same number of wins. DDG

Frustrating day for Notts as Somerset show belated spirit

... but costly poor decision making extends game into fourth day when Notts should win.

On a very flat wicket, Notts need 44 runs with seven wickets left to secure a deserved victory over a dogged Somerset side.

After an hour of resistance in bright sunshine, Somerset lost their first wicket of today when Hildreth (31) pulled a short pull from Shahzad straight to Adams at cover. Ten overs later, Gurney came on from the Radcliffe Road for his second spell of the day. With his first ball, Chris Jones (77) played onto his leg stump to end his 184-ball innings, 172 for five.

Kieswetter and Trego added 60 for the sixth wicket in 13 overs, when Kieswetter (54) pulled Adams to deep square leg where Hales took a fine catch on the run. The wicket was getting flatter and flatter and it was apparent that wickets would only come through batsmen errors. Ten minutes later Meschede took on Patel which miscued the ball and Hales once again took an excellent catch, 237 for seven. Craig Overton as he had in first innings struggled and edged his ninth ball to Read as Adams took his third wicket of the innings, 253 for eight. It all then got a bit daft, Notts forgot how they got the first eight wickets and started setting ridiculous fields which gifted Trego easy runs and on such a benign surface the Somerset tail-enders had no real problems staying in.

Dockrell added Trego added 78 in 16 overs in the easiest batting conditions imaginable. Finally Dockrell (26) lost this composure and skied Patel to mid on where Adams took an easy catch, 331 for nine.

Jamie Overton with a first class average of 14 in his fledgling career was clearly no rabbit but once again Notts were convinced he was the man to bowl to. Bad light arrived with Somerset 358 for nine, having already 27 runs for the last wicket.

When the players returned 70 minutes later a further 44 runs were accrued as the last wicket partnership reached 71. Finally Jamie Overton edged Siddle to Wessels for exactly 50 scored off 47 balls. This was not even a career best as he had scored 56 against the Bears earlier this season. The insanity of the field placings had taken a slight edge over a quite superb performance from Notts in the previous seven sessions. Somerset 402 all out with Peter Trego 107 not out of 122 balls; it was probably no exaggeration to state that 30% of his runs were donated to him by Notts obsession with bowling at Dockrell and Jamie Overton.

The light started deteriorate once more between the innings. Mullaney lasted three balls before edging Craig Overton to first slip. Taylor clearly needs to sort his technique out and perished second ball, bowled by the fired up Craig Overton; 0 for two. It should not have been panic stations on such a featherbed surface, but Notts were relieved to go off for bad light at 19 for two at 1800

Fifteen minutes later the players returned and Patel played an aggressive innings of 41 off 30 balls including eight fours which relieved the pressure. With bad light coming once again Patel went for one shot too many and skied the ball to mid off where Meschede took the catch as Craig Overton picked his third wicket. Shahzad came in as night watchman but did not face a ball as the players trooped off for the last time at 1840. Jaques remains 21 not out. Hales was off the field for the final hour of the Somerset innings due to an unknown ailment.

Notts have all day to score 44 runs on a completely somnolent pitch. Failure to win from this position would be quite frankly unforgivable. MAG

Notts hold-on to dominant position

Another very satisfying day for Notts as Somerset closed on 106 for three in their second innings, still 187 runs in deficit.

On a sunny morning, Notts lost two early wickets. Phil Jaques added two to his overnight score until being caught at cover off Craig Meschede for 113, 211 for two. Seven overs later night watchman Shahzad (8) drove Craig Overton straight to cover, 231 for three. Alex Hales looked in fine form and added 27 with James Taylor. However with the score on 258, Taylor (7) was out once again with playing across the line to leg. Instead of missing the ball, he was strangled down the leg side, Trego was the bowler. Technical issues need sorting out. Hales carried on attacking but fell for the sucker punch and was caught top edging to fine leg where brother Craig took the catch off the volatile Jamie Overton for 41, 258 for 4. At 1245 a surprise shower meant an early lunch with Notts 279 for five, very much Somerset’s morning four wickets having gone down for 71 runs.

Unlike yesterday when the ball was swinging, batting should have been much easier and this was underlined by a superb partnership of 161 runs in 30 overs between the inform pair Samit Patel and Riki Wessels. Wessels in the form of his life was timing the ball brilliantly. There was an entertaining spell from Jamie Overton bowling from the Pavilion End, although going at just under a run a ball he was distinctly brisk and Patel at times was beaten for pace. However there a lack of control and like last year he was over doing the short stuff. Wessels looked certain for a ton but George Dockrell got him to hole out to long off for a 95-ball 76, with 12 fours and two sixes. Three overs later, Patel having hit a six to move onto 94, edged Craig Overton to Kieswetter. His 94 came off 105 balls with 14 fours and one six. The rest of the innings was anti-climatic, Read was bowled off a well pitched up ball from Craig Overton bowling from the Radcliffe Road End. Adams skied a two but then was out off ball two as he smashed Craig Overton straight to Trescothick at short midwicket. Gurney went 2, 4 and then 1 (as he was called for a one short by the ever alert Peter Willey), but was left stranded on seven as two balls later Dockrell had Siddle holing out for a 8-ball duck, Notts 461 all out scored at 4.50 RPO. Craig Overton finishing with four for 102. The last four wickets had realised ten runs.

Notts led by 293 runs and it was obvious that second time around Notts would have to work considerably harder to bowl the Cidermen out. Gurney bowled a very good spell from the Radcliffe Road testing Marcus Trescothick to the limit. In his sixth over, he had Trescothick edging over the slips and then Old Banger hit two fours through extra cover. However off the last ball Gurney had his revenge as Trescothick (22) edged to Patel at second slip, 41 for one. Notts were bowling much better than Somerset and in the 21^st over of the innings Adams knocked over the Brylcream Boy’s off stump for 12, Compton for once had failed in both innings against Notts departing for 12 after his first innings duck. The icing on the cake was when Siddle returned for his second spell and had Alviro Petersen leg before for 4, 93 for three. Chris Jones (59*) and Hildreth (7*) saw Somerset to stumps on 106 for three. Somerset bat deep and on a featherbed Notts still have a lot of work to do, but with such a massive lead they will bitterly disappointed if they do not win this one now with still two full days left. Notts batsman are in form and Gurney, Adams and Siddle all look in fine fettle. The highlight of the day though was undoubtedly the sixth partnership between Patel and Wessels which the large crowd enjoyed immensly.MAG

Notts in command over Somerset

on first day of their latest Championship match after losing the toss

A day of total domination for Notts as they took advantage of muggy conditions to bowl out Somerset for a paltry 168 and then closing on 208 for 1 off just 44 overs.

Somerset were missing their two best bowlers in Thomas and Gregory and decided to bat after winning the toss on a pitch with a greenish tinge. Mullaney came in for Lumb and Shahzad replaced Fletcher.

In the fifth over Chris Jones (5) played on to Siddle bowling from the Pavilion End. Four balls later Compton edged the excellent Gurney to Read who took the catch to his right, Compton so often the scourge of the Notts attack gone for a two ball duck. Petersen had a life on six edging the ball between Patel and Mullaney at second and third slip off Harry Gurney.

With the score on 40 Petersen top edged Gurney the whole four men slip cordon went running for the catch, Wessels winning the sprint taking a marvellous catch diving towards third man. Peterson departing for ten. Trescothick was coping well in the swing bowling conditions but was given a life when Patel dropped an easy one at second slip, Gurney the unlucky bowler. James Hildreth was next to depart losing his off stump playing no shot to Adams for 2, 46 for four. Somerset went to lunch on 90 for 4 with Trescothick on 44.

Kieswetter (17) was out shortly after the interval being plumb leg before to Adams, 94 for five. Meschede joined his captain and 40 were added in 10 overs. Shahzad came on from the Pavilion End and Jaques took a good diving catch at mid off, Meschede out for 14. Craig Overton looked all at sea and after seven balls of struggle edged Adams to Read, 140 for eight. Trescothick’s excellent one man stand ended in spectacular fashion as he edged the returning to Siddle to the second slip region where Patel bagged an excellent catch with a salmon like leap high above his head to his left. Trescothick had made 87 off 133 balls with 16 fours. Jamie Overton was the last man to go edging Shahzad to Wessels at first slip as Somerset were 168 all out off 51.2 overs. The wickets were shared around with Gurney the most impressive bowler with three for 44, Adams chipped in with three for 47 and there were two apiece for Siddle and Shahzad.

Despite putting 156 runs against Middlesex the Hales and Jaques opening combination was broken with Mullaney opening instead of Hales. Batting conditions were now far easier and Jaques and Mullaney put the mediocre Somerset attack to the sword as they scored at well over five an over. Jamie Overton coming out at first change was particularly expensive with seven overs going for 58 runs. Both batsman were taking advantage of the short Bridgford Road boundaries and Jaques got to his ton from 109 balls; his second against the Wurzels this season. He remained unbeaten at the close on 111 with 18 fours off 126 balls, a splendid effort. Mullaney made mockery of his record of 138 championship runs from nine innings getting to 91 before holing out to deep square leg for a 120 balls 91 with 14 fours and one six over deep mid wicket over the Irish spinner. The opening partnership had put on 203 runs off 39.5 overs, two massive opening partnerships in a week, its been a strange week! Shahzad came in as night watchman as Notts closed on 208 for one, already having a lead of 40 runs. A near perfect day for as second placed Notts completely outplayed their third place opponents. MAG

111* at stumps