v Middlesex RLODC at Lord's

WESSELS' BEST GIVES OUTLAWS WIN

A brilliant 132 by Riki Wessels and a good all round bowling performance ensured Notts winning run continued at Lord's today.

Light drizzle was falling on arrival at HQ but this had dissipated by the time Middlesex had won the toss and inserted Notts. Gurney and Read were rested and in came Fletcher and Lumb. Wessels took over the gloves.

Sandhu and Roland-Jones bowled well in the early morning gloom. There was a 50 yard boundary towards the Tavern and Hales after hitting a six and four fell to a low caught and bowled off left armer Gurjit Sandhu for 11, 23  for one. Next over Lumb edged the impressive Roland-Jones behind to depart for a single. Roland-Jones got his next victim bowling from the Nursery End when Titch shuffled across his crease to fall to a familiar leg before decision, the captain gone for 10. 44 for three.

Former Red Rose Junaid Khan came on and with a Friedal de Wet gazelle like leap in his run up proved expensive as Wessels gorged himself on the short boundary. Brendan Taylor after two successive ducks got to 19 before sweeping his first ball from Ollie Rayner into Khan's hands. The fourth wicket had added 57 in 12 overs.

Patel was next to go caught and bowled by Rayner for 9, having been previously dropped on a caught and bowled chance by debutant George Scott.

Wessels went into overdrive and hitting boundaries galore although he survived a chance on 87 on the deep square leg ropes when Malan dropped him off debutant Scott. Wessels got to his hundred with a six off Rayner. The ton scored at exactly a run a ball. The sixth wicket partnership with Mullaney had added  64 when Wessels was caught reverse sweeping the impressive Rayner as Malan took the catch. Wessels highest List A score of 132 had come off 118 balls with 12 fours and seven sixes. Brilliant stuff.

Notts though had lost too many wickets by the time Wessels was dismissed with 12 overs still left. Ironically the three big scorers from last year's slog fest at Lord's last year when Notts scored 368 for 2 had all failed namely Hales, Lumb and James Taylor.

Hutton got to nine before falling to catch at short mid wicket by Seamus Franklin as Rayner bagged his fourth victim. The off spinner taking four for 35 off his 10 overs. Notts 228 for seven.

Mullaney was struggling to time the ball but the Bulwell Bomber gave the innings fresh impetus crashing 39 off 29 balls before falling to a skier at point in the last over delivered by Sandhu the eighth wicket had added 63 in eight overs. Mullaney fell to the last ball of the innings to a catch at long off to depart for 51 off 50 balls. Notts closing on 295 for nine probably 20 or 30 short of what they should have got if they had paced their innings better. Sandhu got three for 64 but Khan felt the full wrath of Notts batting going for 73 off his 10 overs.

Middlesex got off to a good start as the sun was now blazing down. Robson and Malan added 71 in 16 overs. Enter Tahir from the Nursery End; in his third over he had Malan well caught at backward point by Hales for 33.

Robson a prolific scorer in the past against Notts was dropped off the leg spinner when on 43, Wessels failing to hold the chance. Middlesex looked on top as left hander Gubbins was batting well. Hutton returned from the Pavilion End for the 29th over and Gubbins skied one to Brendan Taylor at mid wicket to depart for 45, 152 for two.

Then three balls later Franklin was run out without scoring by a direct hit by Michael Lumb fielding at mid on. The game had taken a sudden turn.

Irishman Andrew Balbirnie then fell to an excellent catch diving to his right by keeper Wessels as Hutton picked up his second wicket.

Robson was struggling to accelerate and was getting some stick from the vocal and disgruntled home fans. Over 37 from Jake Ball was a maiden. Feeling the pressure Robson holed out on the next over as Ball took the catch at long off off Tahir, Robson had scored 88 off 117 balls with nine fours. Advantage Notts as Middlesex were now 195 for 5 with only 12 overs left. Scott was next to go caught and bowled by Tahir for 4.

Notts had bowled generally with good discipline as Middlesex had failed to really exploit the short Tavern side. Ball was bowling a really good spell from the Pavilion End as the rate went up and up.

Fletcher replaced him and had Simpson caught at long on by Ball for 27. Roland-Jones got to 14 when he was caught at backward point by Tahir off Patel. Rayner fell to a brilliant catch by Brendan Taylor of all people who dived and held one at cover off Patel. Sandhu became Samit's third victim as Brendan Taylor took another catch as Middlesex closed on 246 all out with two overs unused. Tahir had taken three for 38 and Patel three for 45 as a well drilled Notts bowling unit had come up trumps again . Notts now have 11 points from six games with one more win required to ensure a Trent Bridge quarter final. The Notts travelling caravan now heads to Worcester for four days starting tomorrow (Friday). MAG