v Yorkshire LV= at Trent Bridge 2015 Report

Day 4

Notts battled out for a draw against Yorkshire at Trent Bridge today, both sides taking 11 points.

Will Gidman (13) lasted 40 minutes this morning and after narrowly escaping being run out, edged Patterson to Hodd behind the wicket. James Taylor, playing circumspectly, was joined by Samit Patel and the pair added 42 in 15 overs until Titch played a gormless shot to  be caught at deep square leg by sub Ashraf for 35, Will Rhodes being the lucky bowler. Patel and Wessels lasted until lunch.

Mindful of the times/runs equation both batsmen went for their shots after lunch as 79 runs were added for the sixth wicket. Rhodes returned and Patel having a good match with bat and ball wafted at one and was caught behind for a 114-ball 76. With the new ball due the next over, Wessels edged Leaning’s off spin behind  as Hodd took his fourth catch of the innings, Wessels out for 43. Read and Philander had to probably see off 10 overs of the new ball to see Notts safety; this they did with ease as the post tea session was nothing more than a net session against the underbelly of the Yorkshire attack namely Rhodes, Leaning and Lees. The eighth wicket partnership had raised 109 runs in 26 overs when the players shook hands at 1650. Read was unbroken on 83 and Philander on 38.

By losing three wickets the previous night, Notts had made the first two sessions today interesting, but in the end the somnolent pitch was only winner.

Gurney has a groin strain, Fletcher seems the obvious choice as his replacement at the Rose Bowl.

Day 3

Yorkshire ended day 3 in the ascendancy as Notts closed with a lead of 61 runs with only seven wickets left standing.

After 147.5 overs in the field, Yorkshire bowling with much more speed and vigour than their Notts counterparts removed Mullaney (20) leg before to wonder kid Matthew Fisher after an opening stand of 46. 

Hales departed six overs later edging Bresnan into Hodd’s gloves for two. Then Brooks bowling from the Radcliffe Road end clean bowled Brendan Taylor for 32.

 James Taylor (7*) and night watchman Gidman (7*) survived the final 21 balls as Notts closed on 74 for 3, probably needing to bat another 55 or so overs tomorrow. 

The forecast is for a cloudy day so Yorkshire will have more favourable conditions than Notts who had to bowl in continuous sunshine. Despite being seven players short, Yorkshire still look the stronger bowling unit doing more with the ball at a faster pace. Notts may regret sending their fastest bowler Carter to Wales for a month.

Gale was removed early doors for 13 falling to smart catch at slip by Wessels off Gurney. Pyrah and Jack Leaning added 111 runs in 31 overs as Notts toiled under the sun. Philander bowling from the Pavilion End then took wickets in successive overs, Pyrah mistimed a shot and was caught by Mullaney at mid on for 37 then Hodd played on for 6, 353 for six.

Jack Leaning, son of former Yorkshire keeper Andy, though progressed to a maiden first class century from 156 balls.  The 21 year old right hander is another of off the Yorkshire batting conveyor belt, 89 were added for the seventh wicket when Bresnan (34) was caught at slip by Mullaney off Patel. Leaning was stumped four overs later off Patel as he departed for 116 made off 198 balls with 12 fours and one six off Patel. Brooks (5) was caught at point off Gurney who then left the field mid-over presumably with some kind of strain as there was no sign of any limping. Patel picked his fourth wicket when Fisher departed leg before for a duck. Yorkshire 441 all out with a lead of 13 runs. Patel finished with four for 102 and Gurney three for 90. Yorkshire had batted very professionally; Notts had stuck to the task well but will no doubt bemoan their butter fingered display yesterday.

Notts will have to show plenty of character tomorrow against a very eager Yorkshire attack to stave off defeat. The wicket though is still playing well, Credit the visitors though; none of the three Notts batsman were culpable for their dismissals. MAG

Day 2


DROPS LOSE ADVANTAGE FOR NOTTS

Notts failed to capitalise on their strong overnight position as a combination of an easing pitch and poor catching meant that their advantage was lost.

On a sunny day, Notts batted for 50 minutes this morning adding a meagre 35 to their overnight total. Philander got to seven before edging Brooks to second slip. In the next over Hales' long innings was finally ended when he was bowled by Patterson for 236. A career best innings off 282 balls with 38 fours and one six. He left to a standing ovation and many pats on the back from the sporting visitors. A brilliant effort. Jake Ball (14) hit Bresnan for a huge legside six but perished the next ball clean bowled by the former England man; Notts 428 all out.

Rhodes edged two balls from Ball’s first over through the vacant third man as Yorkshire got to lunch on 62 for 0.

Notts limited the Tykes scoring in the postprandial period and Rhodes’ innings ended on 41 as he edged Gurney to Patel at second slip, 66 for one. The highly rated left hander Lees was  dropped at slip when on 59 by Patel and then much later Wessels, at first slip, grassed an easier chance from Pujara when the Indian was on 37, both times the unlucky bowler was the accurate Vernon Philander. Lees was then dropped on 79 as Samit Patel failed to hold onto a low chance off his own bowling, Finally Pujara (57) fell to fine catch by sub Ben Kitt at mid-wicket as Patel picked up a wicket. The second wicket had added 116  in 44 overs.

Lees got to his ton off 223 balls hitting 11 fours. But he fell to his next delivery as Gidman finally got his first victim for Notts as the Halifax man edged to Read, his innings had included 11 fours. Gale was dropped on five a difficult chance  to Patel’s right off his own bowling. Gale was 13 at the close with Jack Leaning on 3. Yorkshire closing on 226 for three, still 202 runs behind. Gurney took the new ball for the final over of an attritional day where Yorkshire had scored at 2.79 RPO.

With the sun out all day, batting was so much easier today. Notts stuck to their bowling task admirably with Philander unlucky not to pick up a wicket. But the worrying trend of flat, slow Trent Bridge wicket continues. Without a leg spinner or an express bowler, Notts will continue to struggle to take 20 wickets on such benign surfaces. Notts have got to hope for a cloudy morning tomorrow to make full use of the new ball. Yorkshire meanwhile without seven regulars will undoubtedly be happy with a draw.MAG

Day 1 
Majestic Hales reaps Double ton from Tykes 

A superb unbeaten 222 from Alex Hales saw Notts to 393 for seven at the close after being put in by the visiting Tykes.

Notts were unchanged from the Lord’s draw, Yorkshire were missing seven regulars and gave 17-year old Matthew Fisher his first class debut.

The temperature was 8 degrees when play got under way and with the dark clouds hovering the lights were switched on. A good sized crowd was in attendance.

Mullaney and Brendan Taylor had a testing opening with Bresnan and Brooks opening the attack. Despite much appealing and playing and missing, the openers put on 37 before Mullaney (27) was leg before to Patterson who came as first change from the Radcliffe Road end.

Matthew Fisher came on from the Pavilion End and with his seventh ball got Brendan Taylor (27) to chase a wide one as he caught at first slip by Alex Lees, 77 for two. Hales was very circumspect early doors but as the sun came out after lunch, batting became much easier.

Titch Taylor was an able foil for the ever expansive Hales as returning skipper Gale turned to seven bowlers in desperate  bid to curb Hales’ scoring. The third wicket partnership had reached 171 when Taylor was leg before shuffling across his crease to Jack Brooks. Taylor’s 59 came off 104 balls with nine fours. Patel got off the mark with a four through the covers. However facing his third ball he edged Brooks to Lees at slip, 252 for four.  Wessels joined Hales who had earlier reached his ton off 131 balls with 16 fours and one six off Jack Leaning’s flighted filth.

Nottingham born Will Rhodes came on from the Pavilion End shortly before the second new ball was due and had Wessels (18) caught at second slip, 324 for five.

The light was deteriorating once more, rain was in the air and lights had come on, Read (7) survived 24 balls before departing leg before to Bresnan during the fifth over with the new ball, 344 for six.

Hales reached his double ton his first of his career with a four off Bresnan his second 100 coming off just 103 balls. In the last over the struggling Gidman was caught at slip off Patterson for eight. Notts 393 for seven at the close. Hales’ 222 has come off 250 balls with 37 fours and one six, he was quite majestic form with runs all round the wicket. A very satisfying day for Notts after being inserted on a dark morning, Yorkshire will regret only taking two wickets in ideal bowling conditions this morning, the wicket though is playing relatively well. Notts will looking to get the total up to 450 tomorrow morning and put pressure on the Yorkshire batsman. MAG