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Notts were comfortably defeated by 40 runs in a one sided game at Headingley. Lumb, Gurney and Christian came in for Smith, Hilfenhaus and Sammy from the team defeated last Friday in Birmingham.
In front of crowd of 8527 on a cool evening, James Taylor won the toss and inserted Yorkshire. Tykes Captain Andrew Gale confirmed he would have batted on a peach of wicket with a fast outfield.
The opening over from Gurney went for 10 and only a single came off the next over bowled by Jake Ball from the Kirkstall Lane End. Off the fourth ball he got danger man Finch to play on for 6, 11 for one.
Hodd and Gale added 38 in four overs to put Yorkshire in driving seat. Then Gale (20) was caught by the diving Patel at long on off Fletcher, 49 for 2.
Fletcher and Christian were bowling together and Yorkshire were on their way to a bounty as Hodd a last minute replacement for England bound Bairstow hit the next ball for six, 55 for 2 after the power play.
Mullaney and Patel joined forces but they proved expensive as Hodd was playing the innings of his life, well supported by Maxwell. Taylor shuffled his pick to no avail as the boozy Western Terrace celebrated boundary after boundary.
Hodd was dropped by Mullaney at long off when 61, an easy chance Patel being the bowler. The third wicket partnership eventually added 101 in 10 overs when Hodd hit Patel low to James Taylor at cover. Hodd's innings of 70 came off 39 balls with six fours and five sixes.
He left to a standing ovation. Maxwell carried on the fireworks as no Notts bowler was spared. Christian on his Notts debut went for 38 runs off his four overs. Ballance was bowled by Gurney off the first ball of the last over for nine but Maxwell finished with 92 not out off just 48 balls with eight fours and five sixes. Yorkshire finished with a mammoth 209 for 4, well over par. No Notts bowler bowled well in a dispiriting performance.
Notts successfully chased 200 at Headingley in the corresponding fixture last season. There was however no Hales in the line up this time. Maxwell opened up from the Kirkstall Lane End and Lumb was caught and bowled off the first ball he faced. It got worse as in the next over Bresnan got one to lift to Wessels who was caught behind by Hodd, five for two.
In the next over Brendan Taylor was caught behind off Fisher for 2. Notts stood at 10 for three in the third over. The game was over and the rest of the game was nothing more than an exercise in futility.
Patel and James Taylor added 58 in seven overs. Taylor (32) holed out to veteran Middlebrook, that man Maxwell taking the catch. Christian on a decidedly mediocre debut was caught and bowled by Middlebrook for 6, 82 for five. Patel and Mullaney added 50 before Mullaney (20) also perished in the deep, 132 for six. Notts now needed 16 an over.
Patel got to career best 90 not out off 59 balls with five fours and five sixes. Sam Wood was left undefeated on 9 as Notts finished on 169 for six. Man of the match Maxwell had figures of 2 for 31 off his 4 overs.
Notts now have four losses and three wins in their pyjamas as the 2015 season continues in a very underachieving manner.
Notts return to Headingley for a 4 day game starting on Monday; a very daunting prospect based on current form. The expected return of Broad is the only plus for Notts. Ben Hilfenhaus rested from this game has a second chance to get his first championship wicket for Notts; when the going gets tough the tough get going! MAG
Without Alex Hales, was it expected that Outlaws wouldn't have the bottle to chase-down 200+?
ReplyDeleteTalk of the competition being all about momentum is falling on deaf ears. So far we have had stop start losses and wins building to now a negative momentum of defeats. Personnel changes seem to make little difference. Perhaps a more drastic (higher-up) change is necessary to alter Outlaws fortunes.
At the moment, the under-achievement is embarrassing and so something has to be done before we're out of contention for both the Blast and the Championship. Some selection decisions this season haven't been explained or really justified and have left Notts short of the kind of bowlers we need, at the times when we have needed them.
The members forum could be interesting but I fear that it might be just a moan about the availability of tickets for the test match or when the cake is served at the tea interval .... as is sometimes the priority of some members. Hopefully Mr Newell will be his usual honest and open self if the right questions are asked!
Chasing 200+ is rarely successful in this short format but the margin of the final deficit (40 runs) highlights that Notts were never in this contest once they had lost 3 wickets in the first 3 overs of their innings.
DeleteAs the whole Northern Division are equally as good/poor as each other, it is anyone's for a quarter final berth, still.
There has been so much changing of squad players this season for Outlaws, it has been difficult to maintain a settled side. However, the tactics also appear to change from game to game - there doesn't appear to be a game plan or any faith in previous game plans, unlike in previous seasons which has left players not knowing their role and what is expected of them.
Dont know what happened to my last posting ,but I can clearly see Division 2 on the horizon.
DeleteI do agree with asking the D.o C. the right questions though.I think it will b e difficult,in his usual honest way ,to answer some of this seasons decisions to members satisfaction.
The original anonymous.
the right questions being what?
DeleteNot stupid ones like ,are you going to sack the captain and the like.
DeleteSo, are you going to fall on your sword Mick, would be acceptable? Alternatively, who in the opinion of the panel is the best person to take the current squad forward, as the current incumbent appears to be suffering with recurring failings, season after season. The squad gets strengthened and the underachievement is exaggerated further.
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