v Hampshire LV= at Southampton 2015 Report

Day 4 WEATHER DEFEATS TEAMS

On a rain ruined fourth day, only 58 balls were possible between the scheduled lunch and tea “breaks” and play was disappointingly abandoned at around 3.30pm. Notts never getting a real chance to push for a victory.

Nottinghamshire now have drawn all three championship fixtures in 2015. Former Nottinghamshire pair, Adam Voges (132) and James Franklin 115*, pulled off a dramatic 5 wicket win at Taunton, chasing down 405.

Elsewhere, also former Notts, Ajmal Shahzad, was on the losing side for the first since joining Sussex, with a 6 wicket defeat to Durham at Chester le Street. Shahzad however did have a good game again, taking 8 wickets in the match and is the leading wicket taker in Division 1 with 20 victims so far.

Day 3

Nottinghamshire had a productive day on day three at the Rose Bowl. The first session saw Notts dismiss 4 more of the hosts' wickets, Mullaney, Wood, Philander and Gidman sharing the spoils. Post lunch saw some stubborn resistance with Andre Adams in typical flamboyant mode, adding 47 with Sean Ervine before Patel removed the Zimbabwean and then Ball, fighting fit again, bowled the former Outlaw for 31.

Steven Mullaney departed early in the Notts second innings for a run a ball 23, Notts looking to capitalise on their 95 run lead at half way, scoring briskly. There then followed a 164 run 2nd wicket partnership between Brendan Taylor and Alex Hales, only parted once Taylor had made 103, Hampshire managing to drop two earlier chances of breaking the pair. Notts still pushing for quick runs then lost Hales for 94 and Patel for 8 but when stumps were drawn, James Taylor was 53*and Riki Wessels 9*, Notts leading by 391. 

Perhaps Notts already have enough runs in the bag; they just need time tomorrow to take the necessary 10 Hampshire wickets, but rain is forecast.

Alex Hales has now scored 639 runs this season and has only two Championship games in May to reach the coveted 1000 before the end of May, although a Test call might present further opportunities to bat.

The last player, of the eight in history, to manage the batting feat was Graeme Hick in 1988.



Day 2
Dour Day at the Rose Bowl

After a dour day Hampshire still trail by 204 runs with 6 wickets
intact.


Play started with a clear blue sky. In the sixth over of the day
Hales was bowled by old mucker Andre Adams for 141. He left to a good ovation
from a crowd marginally larger than yesterday. Three overs later Philander edged
Gareth Berg bowling from the Pavilion End to Dawson at slip. Philander out for
one.

Gidman playing his best innings for Notts was then caught behind by
Wheater off Adams for 34. Notts had lost three wickets for 23 runs in the
morning sunshine. Much to our surprise Jake Ball and Luke Wood added 47 runs for
the last wicket. Cuckney's finest hit three fours in his unbeaten 26 and Ball
also hit three boundaries before being bowled without playing a shot to Dawson's
twirlers. Notts 371 all out off 120.4 overs. Notts having failed to secure a
fourth batting point. Berg and Andre Adams both finished with three
wickets.

Hampshire had 15 minutes batting before lunch. Philander is his
second over knocked off Dawson's off bail the opener offering no shot. Hampshire
went to lunch on 10 for one.


The blue skies disappeared at lunch with the
next two sessions being played out in mainly cloudy and cool conditions. Luke
Wood impressed but Jake Ball had to leave the action 11 balls into his spell
with what appeared to be a lower back injury. Mullaney completed his
over.

The pitch was getting slower and the match somewhat went to sleep as
Carberry and Adams added 66 for the second wicket. Wood bowling from the
Northern End then bowled an excellent ball which Toby Carvery could only edge to
Patel at the second slip who took a good catch low down to his left. Jimmy Adams
was joined by James Vince and these two added 58 off 17 overs. Wood continued
his good days work after having an excellent leg before shot rejected by umpire
Dougal Cowley he then very next ball had Adams edging to Read to depart for 61
made off 149 balls.

Vince was then run out going for a second by Philander
fielding at third man, Patel having just come on to bowl at the Northern End.
Vince gone for 32. Hampshire 142 for four.

The clouds were getting darker and
umpire Cowley kept having conferences with O'Shaughnessy and he finally got his
way at 1749 with the floodlights beaming in the Southampton sky, the players
were brought off with eight overs of the ration still remaining. Hampshire  167
for 4 off 61 overs. With a poor forecast for Wednesday and a slow pitch, a draw
seems the most favourable outcome.



Wood bowling at a faster pace than
last season was the most impressive Notts bowler with two for 44 off 15 overs.
Ball's injury is a major worry particularly after his long lay off last season
having pulled up lame at Taunton.

Day 1

Notts can be satisfied with their day one efforts at a dank and cool Rose Bowl.

Play got under way 10 minutes late due to bad light, with Gurney having a groin strain Luke Wood came in. 

Hampshire meanwhile had Andre Adams in their line up. After losing the toss and being inserted Mullaney and Brendan Taylor added 61 in 23 overs before Danny Briggs bowled the Zimbabwean with his first ball. 

It was slow going as Notts got to lunch at 75 for one off 31 overs. The Hampshire bowlers had failed to make the batsman play enough on a slow wicket. Mullaney and Hales added 84 for the second wicket before Mullaney was kicking himself for chasing a wide one from Ervine and being caught behind by Wheaten. 

Mullaney gone for 66 came from 193 balls with nine fours. Hales after a circumspect start was starting to put bat to ball in a similar manner to the Yorkshire game the previous Sunday. Notts got to tea on 182 for 2. 

There was a small crowd in and many of them departed at tea. The Rose Bowl is a soulless place at the best of times but with the temperature only 10 degrees a fair proportion of the elderly crowd had clearly had enough. Things got better for Hampshire after tea, James Taylor got a top edge to a sweep and was taken at first slip by Ervine off Liam Dawson. Nineteen runs later Samit Patel edged Andre Adams to second slip to depart for 4, 205 for 4. Next over Hales was dropped by Ervine off Dawson when on 84. Hales got to his ton off 156 balls with 20 fours. With the last over with the old ball Wessels was caught at second slip off Gareth Berg for 17.Read only lasted 11 balls before skying in a ball from Gareth Berg to Andre Adams at wide mid on. Read gone for 4, 261 for 5. Hampshire took the new ball straight away but Hales and Gidman added 45 runs in 16 overs before the close. 

Hales was unbeaten on a magnificent 136 off 206 balls with 24 fours. Gidman was undefeated on 22. Notts will be hoping to add another 50 or so runs tomorrow. It was clear that Hampshire strength lays in their batting. Their bowling although wholehearted lacked a spearhead. MAG

The lights are on but (almost) no one is at home!

Preview

With Harry Gurney picking-up a groin injury against the Tykes, the door is open for one of Luke Fletcher, Luke Wood or Brett Hutton to step-up. 

Expect Fletch to get the nod but Woody and Brett have good/better claims based on form in the 2s so far in 2015.

from:
Jake Ball, 
Luke Fletcher, 
Will Gidman, 
Alex Hales, 
Brett Hutton, 
Steven Mullaney, 
Samit Patel, 
Vernon Philander, 
Chris Read, 
Brendan Taylor, 
James Taylor, 
Riki Wessels
Luke Wood.

Hampshire will have two former Notts old boys, Smith and Adams, in their ranks.
from:
Jimmy Adams, 
Michael Carberry, 
Will Smith, 
James Vince, 
Liam Dawson, 
Adam Wheater,
 Sean Ervine, 
Gareth Berg, 
Chris Wood, 
Danny Briggs, 
Andre Adams, 
James Tomlinson 
Brad Wheal.