v Somerset LV Championship at Taunton

Day 4

As it turned out, on a pitch that had lost much of the pace and bounce that was presenting a challenge to most batsmen in the first three innings, Somerset wrapped-up a 2 wicket win in the first session of the final day.

Hindsight would say that Wessels should have enforced the follow-on on day 2, but no one was able to predict the the character of the pitch, with Notts not wanting to face Rehmann on a fourth day wicket chasing a target. 








A Tense Day 4 awaits

Notts will be banking on the new ball tomorrow as this game dramatically turned on his head. Chasing an unlikely 401 to win Somerset made excellent progress on a pitch which has now lost much of its pace and bounce. 

Notts added 101 runs in the morning to seemingly obtain an unassailable lead. Without adding to their overnight score Wessels was leg before to Groenewald for 28. Three overs later Wood was bowled by Thomas for 1, 95 for 6. 

Patel added 48 for the seventh wicket with Gidman. Groenewald then clung on to a low caught and bowled chance as Gidman departed for 22. Patel was looking in good shape but then skied the indifferent Rehmann to backward point where Thomas took the catch, Patel gone for 46. Carter hit a six and a four then ran himself out off a no ball as Abell caught Hilfenhaus. Ball hit a four but then was bowled by Thomas as Notts closed on 190. Hilfenhaus was not out 12. 

Notts decided to open the bowling with Wood (Old Pavilion) and Hilfenhaus (River). Ball was ignored until the 21st over. Hilfenhaus although accurate, was not bowling at any great pace and looked relatively innocuous; he changed ends but to no avail. The opening partnership grew and grew Carter was introduced from the Old Pavilion End but he found the pitch was now flattening out and the bounce he was getting in the first innings was now all but gone. 

Notts turned to the forgotten Gidman who was bowling to an one day field without a slip. Somerset decided to use their feet to Carter who looked a bit shell shocked. The opening partnership got to a chanceless 129 when Patel took a fine caught and bowled chance to his right, Trescothick gone for 65, an innings which contained nine fours. Carter returned from the River End and was now looked a lot more composed and Gidman came back at the Old Pavilion End and the runs started to dry up somewhat. With the second wicket partnership worth 68, Abell having a superb game gave it away being caught at short extra by the persevering Gidman who was mixing his pace well. Abell gone for 72 an innings containing nine fours; the right hander having carried his bat for 76 in the first innings.

 Hildreth got off the mark with a deliberate angled four through the vacant slip position off Gidman but then played a gormless shot to be caught at short extra by Carter, 201 for three. Carter then picked up a couple of wickets. Firstly Cooper drove straight to Patel to depart for a duck, 210 for 4. Carter was now getting tired and more than once dropped one short outside off stump but he did bag Myburgh who fell to a fine catch by at slip by Mullaney. Myburgh had hit eight fours and one six in his invaluable for 56, 243 for five. Hilfenhaus returned and finally found the edge but Taylor unfortunately dropped an easy one at lone slip as Trego had a life on 9. Allenby who took a liking to Carter and was on 32 at the close and Trego was on 26, as the sixth wicket had added 31 by stumps with Somerset on 274 for five. The new ball is due in five overs and Notts will be looking for early inroads tomorrow against a team with no tail. A loss here would leave a massive dent in their survival chances in the top tier. With a relatively inexperienced attack with two nineteen year olds, cool heads will be required from the more elder statesman as Somerset are probably now marginal favourites to obtain a rare win chasing 400 plus. A lot will be expected from Hilfenhaus tomorrow. 

A case for the 5-O

Patel meanwhile could be in a spot of hot water for verbally abusing umpire Steve Garratt for turning down a leg before decision. It was a case of "book him Danno" as the former copper made a note in his little black book. MAG

Day 2

Tales of the Unexpected - Volume 2

After the unbelievable Sussex game where Luke Wood and Jake Ball exceeded all prior expectations, step forward young 19 year old off spinner Matthew Carter who on debut took seven wickets in one session. 

On a glorious sunny day, Notts ended the day 299 runs ahead with six second wickets intact. Session one went very much towards the home team as Notts only added 19 runs to their overnight total. Luke Wood was caught in gully off Groenewald for 16. Wessels frustrated by a couple of bits of fine fielding played a poor shot to be caught at wide off as Groenewald picked up his second wicket. Wessels' 63 was a fine captain's knock off 117 balls. Carter was bowled fourth ball by Thomas and then Ball lost his leg stump to Groenewald; ten and Jack both got ducks. Notts 410 all out having been 300 for 3. Thomas finished with 5 for 73. 

The first 24 runs of the Somerset innings came with six boundaries. In over 7, Marcus Trescothick slashed at one from Luke Wood and Brendan Taylor took a good catch at first slip. Trescothick out for 16. In his next over Wood had Myburgh's off stump out the ground as he did not play a shot and departed for a six ball duck. Hildreth and opener Abell saw Somerset safely to lunch on 73 for two. 

Wood and Hilfenhaus returned after lunch as the third wicket added a further 39 runs. Carter having bowled four overs for 11 runs before lunch returned from the River End. The tall gangly off spinner wearing 79 on his back got Hildreth as his maiden first class wicket as keeper Wessels took the catch, Hildreth out for 41. Abell and Cooper added 20 until the latter skied one to backward square leg where Hilfenhaus took the catch, Goober junior had got two. In his next over Allenby was his next victim as he lost his off pole to depart for a duck, 135 for five. 

The game was turning  Notts' way. Carter was getting both turn and bounce and from his tall frame was giving the ball air and bowling at an ideal pace. Pete Trego then lost his middle stump to Ball for 0. Bates (1) seemingly not a master with either bat or gloves then departed to catch at leg slip by Patel as Carter got his fourth. Thomas hit Joober for two fours but going for another boundary he only succeeded in finding Brendan Taylor at short mid wicket,  who took the catch low down, Carter had gone nap. Somerset 153 for eight. Rehmann went for his shots and added 30 for the ninth wicket with the immovable Abell. Rehmann then skied a ball from Carter which Ball chased and chased  and eventually got to, taking a fantastic catch in front of the Sir Ian Botham Stand with the ball coming from over his shoulder. Rehmann gone for 25. Somerset just got their first batting point when Groenewald skied Carter to Luke Wood at long on. The two 19 year olds had shared nine wickets with the other wicket going to Ball. Somerset had been bowled out by three uncapped bowlers as Carter left the field to a standing ovation in front of good crowd; his figures of 16 2 56 7 were the best on debut since Fred Barratt's efforts in 1914 against the MCC. An astonishing debut with Somerset all out for 200 with Wood taking two for 44. Ball bowling with pace and getting plenty of bounce from the Old Pavilion End only got a single wicket. Hilfenhaus meanwhile was wicketless and Gidman and Mullaney never bowled. Abell had carried his bat for 76 off 150 balls with eight fours. The former Taunton School right hander had looked relatively untroubled amongst the carnage. Somerset had not batted well. The home crowd were not happy with Jamie Overton and Lewis Gregory's omission from the line up. 

Tea was taken between innings and Notts wisely decided to bat again on a wicket which would be expected to further deteriorate. The pitch was very dry and had plenty of dust coming up and clearly had been made with Rehmann in mind. Notts led by 210 but soon lost Taylor leg before to Groenewald bowling from the River End, the Zimbabwean gone for seven, 12 for one. Smith did not last long and lost his off stump to Allenby for 12, 34 for two. Lumb got to six before falling leg before to Allenby, umpire Benson taking seemingly an age to raise his finger, 53 for three. The fourth wicket added 34 when with three overs to go before the close Mullaney was caught at square leg sking a ball from Rehmann, Mullaney gone for 34. Notts closed on 89 for four with Wessels on 28 and night watchman Wood yet to score. Notts would ideally want another 100 runs to take Somerset out of the game but would probably settle for a further 50. The day though belonged to Matthew Carter, two nineteen year olds have suddenly appeared on the scene at the most opportune moment. The changing of the guard I wonder? MAG

Record best bowling debut for Notts in a hundred years 7/56 Matthew Carter

Day 1

Sunshine as Notts take control at Taunton

Notts took full advantage of winning toss by piling up 391 for 6 in the Taunton sunshine.

 A fair few had traveled down from Notts to escape the horrendous East Midlands weather. 

Following the surprise win against Sussex, England duo Taylor and Hales along with the crocked Gurney were replaced by Lumb and debutants Ben Hilfenhaus and 19 year old off spinner Matthew Carter, brother of Andy. Somerset meanwhile had Rehmann returning after 3 week absence and gave a county debut to former Hampshire stumper Michael Bates who had an untidy day behind the stumps. 

Mullaney got the innings to aggressive start edging a couple of fours but soon got 42 off 60 balls until being bowled by Rehmann by a ball that turned considerably. The Pakistani bowling from what was the former Old Pavilion End but which now has half completed  double decker stand. The cinema seats now just a memory. The opening partnership had added 82. 

Brendan Taylor initially circumspect had put on his foot on the accelerator and three times in one over from Pete Trego played deliberate "up periscope" shots that raced to the boundary behind the keepers head. Greg Smith hit the expensive Rehmann for a couple of fours through the covers but the struggling former Oundle schoolboy did not play a shot to the impressive South African, as Alfonso Thomas got the ball to move in a tad and he was bowled. Smith gone for 11, 109 for two.

 Lumb making his seasonal debut following major surgery has been struggling for runs after a couple of weeks in the stiffs. However from the off he looked in fine fettle, which was exceedingly good news for Notts fans. Michael Lumb eventually out for 73.

Wessels joined Taylor and a further 34 were added. Taylor got to a superb 150 but then edged Thomas to Trescothick who took a fine catch low down to his left at slip. Taylor out of form for a month came back with a bang, his 152 came off 200 balls with 20 fours and one six, 300 for four. The Zimbabwean third championship century of the season all away from Trent Bridge. Next ball Thomas was lucky to get Patel out leg before to a ball looking like it was going over the stumps. 

Gidman joined Wessels and the pair added in valuable 70 in 18 overs as Somerset took the new ball. Having reached 20 off 50 balls Gidman edged Thomas who picked up fourth victim.

 Hero of the last match Wood joined Wessels and survived the final seven overs as Notts closed on 391 for 6. Wessels looked in fine form with an unbeaten 59. The pitch was easy to bat on today but the odd ball did turn. Notts will be hoping to add a further 50 runs in the hope to exerting scoreboard pressure and hopefully get to work on a deteriorating wicket. Patel and Goober junior will get plenty of overs. Rehmann bowled too many four balls and had figures of 28 2 129 2; a poor return. Thomas was the pick of the bowlers with 20 4 62 4. A great day for Notts with both Brendan Taylor and Michael Lumb to the fore. MAG

Preview

Carter included for trip to Taunton, but it's Matt not Andy


No James Taylor or Alex Hales because of England ODI duty (Craig Overton has also been called-up today (Saturday) from Somerset)

Andy Carter is joined by Harry Gurney on the injury list.

Stuart Broad is sitting out cricket at the moment, gathering dust, for what the reason is - it remains unfathomable to mere mortals.

And then there's Luke Fletcher: Outlaws regular but not even making the squad for Nottinghamshire's Championship squad. He might still have one more game for Surrey to play, but what the heck is goin' on there Mick Newell?

The announced 13 man squad includes Andy Carter's kid brother, Matthew, a tall off spinner with experience with Lincolnshire as well as Notts Academy, where some of Gary Keedy's wisdom might have been shared. The squad also welcomes back Michael Lumb for his season debut after surgery on his arm.

Riki Wessels is expected to fulfill the whole of Chris Read's duties, Captain and keeper.


Jake Ball,
 Matthew Carter,
Will Gidman, 
Ben Hilfenhaus, 
Brett Hutton, 
Michael Lumb, 
Steven Mullaney,
 Samit Patel, 
Greg Smith, 
Brendan Taylor, 
Riki Wessels, 
Luke Wood 
Sam Wood