v Yorkshire LV Championship at Trent Bridge

Day 4 - Yorkshire's Prize

Yorkshire took under 80 minutes to wipe way away the last five Notts wickets to become champions for 2014.

 

Off the 16^th ball of the day Keedy lost off his off stump to Sid to depart for a duck. Sidebottom had his tail up bowling from the Pavilion End and in his next over Read (2) edged to Bairstow. Six overs later, Fletcher became Sid’s third victim of the morning edging to Lyth at slip having made five, 172 for eight. Rashid replaced Brooks and Ball clearly struggling against the leg spinner lasted 11 balls before falling leg before for a duck. Gurney survived the next ball.

 

Fittingly Sidebottom not considered by the DofC to be fit for a three year contract at the end of 2010 season got the final wicket at 1137 as Taylor took a step down the pitch and drove straight to substitute Rich Pyrah to cue wild celebrations. Taylor gone for 75; an innings which included 10 fours. Sidebottom meanwhile had taken 18.2-7-30-6. Notts had lost five wickets for 28 runs in a most feeble effort.

 

Notts have had wretched fortnight and they have somehow pick themselves up for the final game of the season against Sussex on Monday. MAG

Day 3 -  James Taylor takes game to the fourth day 

Another day of domination for Yorkshire as Notts closed still 180 runs behind with just five second innings wickets remaining.

In the days fifth over an atrocious decision by umpire Saggers saw Lumb adjudged leg before to a ball looking like it was going wide of off. Brooks was the lucky bowler, Lumb gone for 41. Five overs later, Sid bowling as superbly as ever had Wessels caught behind for 21, 82 for six.

Fletcher initially struggled against Rashid’s leg spin from the Radcliffe Road End but he eventually settled and in a reprise of their Liverpool partnership added 41 in 22 overs with Read. Fletcher (23)  who faced 50 balls lost his patience against the spinner and tried to go aerial but his intended straight drive was sliced to the running Jack Brooks in the covers. Ball lasted three balls before being palpably leg before to Rashid for two. Notts went to lunch on 139 for eight.

Keedy (4) departed straight after lunch being caught around the corner by Bresnan as he miscued his shot as Rashid picked up his third wicket.

Gurney came to the wicket and much to everyone’s surprise lasted an hour as the last wicket added 63 in 17 overs as Notts picked up an unexpected batting point. Read batting very sensibly was left undefeated on 81 off 154 balls with 15 fours. He certainly led by example. Gurney who lasted 37 balls for his 15 was out immediately after a drinks break as Brooks was the lucky recipient once again as umpire Bailey decided that Gurney was leg before to ball looking like it was going well down the leg side. Notts 203 all out.

The follow-on got off to a horrendous start as Mullaney was plumb leg before to the first ball of the innings from Sid. The ball kept low and Mull failed to get a stride in. He is clearly not an opener and with his confidence now shot to pieces must return to the middle order. Lumb got a couple of fours but then edged Brooks to Ballance at third slip, nine for two. Hales was then badly dropped on four by Lyth at slip off Sid. Then unbelievably Taylor was also dropped at slip by Ballance on one, smoke was now coming out of Ryan’s ears. If both these catches would have stuck the match would have probably been over today. But the wicket is still easy paced and Taylor and Hales settled down after nervous starts and added 62 in 17 overs. Then unexpectedly Hales played the ball back to the returning Brooks to depart caught and bowled for 43. Patel (25) looked in good form and hit five fours and added 53 with Titch. Bairstow was standing up to seamer Steven Patterson and Patel after leaving a leg side delivery momentarily lifted his foot. Yorkshire appealed for the stumping which without the cameras could not be given. But umpire Benson confirmed the stumping and Patel left the field for the second time after a review.

Sid was brought back with six overs remaining and immediately removed Wessels’ (10) off stump as Notts were now 144 for five. Night watchman Keedy survived the final five overs with the determined Taylor still there on 56 after 115 balls of hard toil and plenty of scampering. Sidebottom has taken five for 59 over the two innings so far off 23 overs so far and Brooks six for 103 runs as Notts have been hopelessly outclassed throughout. Notts still trial by 180 runs at the close and despite the captain’s brave words at the close look to be heading for an innings defeat sometime around lunchtime tomorrow. Yorkshire will be deserved champions. Another big crowd gathered swelled by huge White Rose contingent. MAG

Nottinghamshire - Dead Ducks on Day Two

As expected Yorkshire finished day 2 of this fixture in a position of total dominance, after Notts top order batting waved the white flag.

Facing a huge score of 532-9d, Yorkshire clearly had their tails up as Ryan Sidebottom (Pavilion End) Jack Brooks (Radcliffe Road End) opened up at a pace higher than was seen in the previous 175 overs of the match. Hales received a genuine good ball as he edged Brooks into Bairstow’s gloves to depart for a blob, but the shots that Mullaney, Taylor and Patel played were all poor.

Mullaney played with his bat well away from his body as edged Sidebottom to second slip to depart for nine. Three balls later James Taylor swished at Sid and edged to Ballance at third slip to become duck number 2. Patel became the third duckster as he edged Brooks as Ballance at third slip took the catch low down. The decision went upstairs to Mark Benson and he confirmed the catch had been taken cleanly, 25 for four. Patel as hardly scored a run for weeks.

Michael Lumb who edged a couple of fours off Brooks was there at the close on 35 and he has so far added 35 with Wessels (14*) for the fifth wicket as Notts closed on 58 for four. With Read the only batsman left in the hutch, one could put a strong case for this match ending by the close of tomorrow. The chances of Notts saving this one are remote in the extreme.

The visitors have totally outclassed Notts who are clearly missing Jaques, Siddle and Adams and with some of the remaining bowlers looking somewhat jaded.

Yorkshire added 213 runs in 78 overs. Extremely slow going but subsequent events proved that this cautious approach was justified as Notts rolled over meekly following their declaration. Ballance got to 99 before falling leg before to Keedy, a 199-ball innings of high quality, 362 for five. Jack Leaning’s scratchy effort came to a close when he also perished leg before to the veteran Keedy for 42, 387 for six.

Rashid (42) who attacked Keedy early doors eventually fell to a catch at mid-wicket by Wessels off Fletcher, 433 for seven. Just before the third new ball was due Keedy picked his fifth wicket and third leg before decision as Patterson went for 17, 490 for eight.

The new ball was taken and The Tykes batted on until after tea. Eventually Bresnan was just five short of his ton when he hit the chronically under bowled Mullaney to Wessels at mid-wicket. Yorkshire declared on 532 for nine after a mammoth 174.2 overs. Notts lacked pace throughout their attack. Keedy toiled manfully in a marathon 50 overs to take five for 163. Fletcher clearly tired still proved accurate with 30-11-73-2. The wayward and jaded Gurney was far from his best with one for 124. Jake Ball appeared to carry no threat throughout. Notts were made to pay for the early drop chances yesterday and the loss of the toss proved crucial.

Notts had to bat for just 15 overs but that was enough for the champions elect to take most of the top order batting out.  Yorkshire will be deserved champions having strength in a depth and a coach clearly prepared to back young talent. A dire day from a Notts perspective although at least the weather was good!    MAG

Yorkshire Dominate Day One

Yorkshire dominated day 1 of this crucial fixture closing on 319 for four after a hard day in the field for Notts at sunny Trent Bridge. A good sized crowd gathered with many making the trip from the Broad Acres.

With the wicket expected to take spin late on, Gary Keedy was retained in the team and Hales and Gurney returned. Franklin and Shahzad lost their places.

Yorkshire won the toss and elected to bat and off the second ball delivered by The Metronome, Read diving low to his left dropped Lyth who had yet to score, a costly error.

Fletcher, Gurney and Ball were rotated but could not make the crucial breakthrough. Keedy came on from the Radcliffe Road End after 50 minutes and immediately Lees on 20 hit him to short leg where Wessels could not cling on; it was looking like one of those days.

Lees and Lyth were making excellent progress against the mediocre attack as Mullaney came on from the Pavilion End and he at least slowed the scoring rate down.

Lunch was taken with The Tykes, 118 for nought. 

Mick Newell as honest as ever revealed during the lunchtime Members Forum that at the moment he would be going for overseas batsman for 2015 as he is expected to see less of Hales/Taylor due to international commitments. He is acutely aware that Siddle and Adams are being sorely missed at present but he views the arriving Will Gidman and a fit again Andrew Carter as being able to fill the hole. He said he was pleased with teams performance in 2014 with a top four position in the championship being of some merit. He was extremely frustrated with the Hampshire Twenty/20 defeat but he felt they had lost to excellent Durham team with a under strength line-up in Saturday’s semi.

After being level pegging before lunch, Alex Lees forged ahead of Lyth but after an hour’s play he was held at short leg by Wessels, Keedy picking up the wicket. Lees gone for 86 off 136 balls with 13 fours and one six off Keedy’s opening over. Yorkshire 176 for one.

Ballance came in at three and looked in fine form straight away. Lyth reached his sixth ton of the season off 180 balls and Yorkshire were appearing to be heading for a huge score.

Four overs before the new ball was due Adam Lyth’s innings ended tamely as he hit the ball straight back to Keedy to depart for 122 an innings which included 14 fours off 231 balls. Lyth who first impressed with a fine rearguard ton at Trent Bridge five years earlier, looked a fine player on the verge of reaching the Test team.

The second wicket had added 95 in 30 overs. The new ball was taken and Fletcher and Gurney were considerably more dangerous than early doors. Joe Root (11) was adjudged leg before to Harry Gurney bowling from the Radcliffe Road End in the fourth over with the new cheery.

Fletcher who had only bowled eight overs prior to taking of the second ball then had Bairstow (2) edging to gully where Michael Lumb took a splendid catch.

Leaning played and missed three times in succession against Gurney but survived to close on eight with Ballance looking in ominous form with an undefeated 82, Yorkshire closed on 319 for 4, but Notts had shown fight removing three wickets for 27 runs. Notts will be hoping for early wickets tomorrow before Yorkshire go off the radar.

MAG