HIGH DRAMA AT AIGBURTH AS NOTTINGHAMSHIRE'S HEROES CLAIM A NARROW WIN
Notts scraped home by just one wicket after a magnificent three days of cricket at Aigburth to go 11 points clear at the top of the championship.
On a sporty wicket of uneven bounce, no batsmen was truly in and it was apparent that a last innings target exceeding 150 would prove problematical.
The heroes of the day were Chris Read, Luke Fletcher and Harry Gurney, but a another all team effort over the three days.
Notts started the morning needing quick wickets but failed to get them as Siddle (River End) and Adams (Pavilion) bowled disappointing spells. The two left handers Khawja (53) and Prince added 71 for the third wicket until the Australian edged the inspired Gurney into his captain's gloves. Gurney had replaced Peter Siddle who had a mediocre game in his last game for Notts.
With runs at a premium Notts had surprising opted not to use a third man and whilst employing four slips, this over-attacking policy nearly cost them the game. Croft (5) did not last long being well caught at point by Titch as Gurney picked his second scalp in successive overs. The skill was to bowl line and length and let the pitch do the rest, unfortunately Adams bowling from the Pavilion End was trying too hard and trying to perform too many tricks, he should been taken off and replaced by either Patel or Mullaney, too many runs were being conceded with balls down the legside or short pitched deliveries.
Siddle eventually replaced the Kiwi. Prince and Buttler added 35 in six overs until Prince (45) was leg before to a ball from Gurney that kept low. Two overs later Smith edged Gurney to Hales at third slip. Gurney had taken four wickets in five overs to turn the game on its head, 140 for six. Fletcher replaced Gurney shortly before lunch and bowled a couple of innocuous overs.
After lunch, the Metronome picked up three wickets in five balls as Lancashire lower order subsided. Chapple (19) edged to Patel at second slip and three balls later Buttler (25) shoulders arms to the Bulwellian. Next ball Hogg edged to Patel for a golden duck, 169 for nine. Parry who replaced Kerrigan overnight added 36 runs for the last wicket with Kabir Ali, Patel finally came on from the Pavilion End and with his sixth ball Parry fell to a fine diving catch by Adams at mid on, his third good catch of the game. Gurney (4 for 22) and Fletcher (three for 33) had caused havoc as nine wickets had come from the Mersey End. Adams' 18 overs had cost 90 runs.
Notts needed 170 runs and it always going to be a nervy run chase on such a spiteful wicket. Hales edged Chapple to third slip to depart for nine. Hales was clearly frustrated by the dismissal his reaction when he returned to the dressing room was clearly audible to a large proportion of the good sized third day crowd. Mullaney (14), who rode his luck being dropped four times in his first innings score of 82, was next to depart being leg before to Smith, 41 for two. Lumb (22) who returned for this game seemed unlucky to be adjudged leg before to Smith bowling from the River End, 50 for three. Taylor’s technical problems were always going to shown up on the terror track it was no surprise when he walked across his stumps edging Smith to Buttler for four, 53 for four and Lancashire were now favourites. The Red Rose bowlers had stuck to bowling line and length and earned all four wickets, Chapple was a lot more savvy with his captaincy his bowling changes were slicker and he immediately had posted a third man. He knew that runs were precious. Patel fell soon after tea being caught at point for 21. Wessels had looked the most impressive Notts batsman in the first innings reaching 46 before falling to a Buttler juggle. He added 37 runs with his captain before driving Hogg straight to Prince at extra cover to depart for 28. A sad end to a fine cameo. Siddle who had a mediocre match with the ball did not fancy a short ball from Chapple and top edged a pull to point for a 4-ball duck. Siddle finished with 37 wickets with the Green and Gold but never delivered a knock out bowling performance in his 11 championship games for Notts, a replacement has to be found.
Notts were now 119 for seven, the victory target a distant 51 runs. Fletcher had shown in pyjamas cricket that he relishes the pressure situation and he batted extremely sensibly with his skipper. “We will get them singles” was clearly the motto as the ship was slowly steadied. The Lancastrian crowd went silent as 44 runs were added in 17 overs of the most sensible batting you could see. Parry was briefly introduced but was replaced by Ali at the River End and Fletcher 63 ball innings came to the end as he edged him to slip. Fletcher out for 18, seven runs required.
Adams hit a four but instead of playing for the team was in his usual gung ho mode. A streaky two over Buttler’s head saw the scores level. It was last ball of the over and Ali was clearly going to bowl a short one and all Adams had to do was leave it. But predictably he could not resist it hitting the ball straight to Parry at long leg, the batsmen also crossed. As an elderly Lancashire member said it was the worse piece of cricket he had seen and you could not disagree. Gurney then to take strike against lynchpin Chapple. County crickets worse batsman against an extremely experienced seamer, Gurney hit him through the covers first ball as Notts in scenes of great jubilation had got home by the smallest margin. Read had played a true captain innings with an unbeaten 40 off 66 balls, an innings worth much more given the state of the pitch. The crowd had witnessed a superlative days cricket played out in glorious sunshine.
Both sides had held their chances on the last day, but earlier on in the match, Lancashire’s catching in particular was patchy with seven chances going down with Mullaney being put down four times. This in hindsight proved the difference. Adams was the star with ball on day one taking four for 45 as Notts won the toss and inserted Lancashire and bowled them out for 225. Notts 261 should have been more but yet another lower order collapse saw the last five wickets go for just 26 runs on a dull and dank second day. Chapple seven wickets and Smith six wickets were the stars with the ball for Lancashire.
Notts now have a 31-day break until resuming their championship campaign at Wantage Road on August 15. MAG
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