v Warwickshire LV Championship at Trent Bridge

Day 4
NOTTS SHINE THROUGH TO TAKE A SUPERB WIN AMID THE TRENT BRIDGE GLOOM

A superb and highly deserved victory for Notts beating Warwickshire by an innings and 123 runs in the Stygian gloom at Trent Bridge today with 12.5 overs unused. With the floodlights on full beam Notts were forced to bowl Steven Mullaney and Samit Patel in tandem after tea and in 23.1 overs took the remaining four wickets. The 24-point victory means that Notts now stand third in the championship table. 

Notts bowled excellently in the morning session. What a difference a year has made in the development of Jake Ball, the fast medium bowler who did not do that much with the ball has morphed into an aggressive fast bowler with plenty of bounce and menace. He bowled an outstanding spell from the Pavilion End and he deserved more than the two wickets he actually took. In his second over the day he got a ball to move into Westwood who edged the ball to Read. The left hander gone for 19; Warwick 45 for one. Six overs later Read took a catch low down as Ball picked up wicket number 2 as Laurie Evans departed for 12. Warwick 59 for two.

Trott and Porterfield resisted for an hour when adding 42 but Hutton who had replaced Ball had Trott leg before for 22. Hain who seemed more interested in time wasting rather than batting never looked settled was then caught low down by Luke Wood at short mid wicket off Hutton for seven. The umpires conferring to ascertain whether the catch had been taken cleanly before raising the finger. Porterfield batted throughout the morning went to lunch on 48 and Ambrose had yet to score. The Bears on 116 for 4 at the interval off 40 overs.

Jake Ball returned straight after lunch as the forecast rain was still nowhere to be seen. Harry Gurney was looking unthreatening so Captain Read turned to Samit who was to bowl unchanged throughout the rest of the day from the Radcliffe Road End as the clouds got darker and darker. Patel got appreciable turn to the left hander Porterfield three times in three overs. But it was Tiny Tim that was to be his first victim being leg before for 12 made off 64 balls. The removal of the obdurate Ambrose was massive blow for The Bears. In his next over Porterfield played on to Samit as the ball rolled slowly onto his stumps. The Irishman had faced 166 balls for his 61, 143 for six. 

Barker curbed his natural attacking instincts and with the floodlights now on the umpires had several discussions concerning the light as the light meter were being constantly being placed on the stumps. Warwick got to tea on 157 for six with 36 overs still to be bowled.
The light got no better after tea so Notts were forced to bring Mullaney on from the Pavilion End. In the seventh over after tea, Keith Barker was well caught by Wessels at short leg off the jubilant Mullaney. Mull had spent most of the morning session off the field and did not field in his customary slip position. Notts gave up on any hopes of the light improving so they elected to take the new ball four overs late. After five balls the new cherry, Jeetan Patel (28) was caught low down at point by the diving Titch Taylor off the ecstatic Mullaney. Notts now needed only two more wickets.

In his next over, Mullaney had Rikki Clarke spilled by Brett Hutton at second slip, a difficult chance to his right. The odd spit of rain was now falling as the light was getting no better, the consultations and meter readings continued on a regular basis, Chris Wright the thorn in Notts side with the willow on more than one occasion fell leg before to Patel for a duck in the 90th over.


Rankin came in and was getting far forward as it was decided he would take Patel and Clarke would face Mullaney. Six overs had passed when at 1720 Boyd Rankin (4) was caught bat/pad by Wessels off Samit Patel. Clarke was left stranded on 30 not out. Warwick 217 all out off 95.1 overs. Notts had clinched a memorable victory as Patel had figures of 22.1-15-23-4 and new ball bowler Mullaney had picked up two for 35. The triumph though was a real team effort from the whole eleven in Notts’ most complete championship performance of the campaign. A real shame that many of crowd elected not to turn up based on Met Office inaccurate predictions. MAG

Day 3

RAIN RUINS DAY THREE

Despite bowling out Warwickshire for 260 and enforcing the follow on with a lead of 340 this game seems destined to be a draw. When the forecast rain arrived at 1518 Warwickshire had made untroubled progress at 42 for 0 in their second innings. With heavy rain forecast for tomorrow afternoon Notts will probably have to bowl the Bears out in one session, an unlikely scenario on a flat pitch.

In the fifth over of sunny morning, Jake Ball pitched a ball up to Laurie Evans who inside edged it onto his stumps. Evans had survived 127 balls for his 41, 111 for five. Brett Hutton replaced Ball from the Pavilion End and a loose shot by Clarke saw him well caught at square leg by the tumbling Brendan Taylor. The former Surrey and Derby man out for 5. Four overs later the obdurate Ambrose edged Hutton into captain's gloves to depart for a well made 46, Warwick 154 for seven. Meanwhile Barker was putting bat to ball particularly strong through backward point, he added 17 with Jeetan Patel. The New Zealander though received a ball from Gurney that got up more than expected as Hutton took the catch at third slip. Patel gone for 12. Samit Patel came on for a few overs before lunch but Warwick played out the remaining 35 minutes without loss with the score on 209 for eight with Barker on 47 and Wright on 9.

The players re-emerged 40 minutes later with the sun now gone and now under heavy cloud. The ninth wicket partnership added 65 runs when Barker tried one reverse sweep too many, top edging a ball from the expensive Patel to Mullaney. Barker had scored 71 off 76 balls with 10 fours and two sixes. Rankin was dropped off his first ball by Mullaney at slip off Patel and then hit a six and a four off successive balls. Chris Wright who has got runs against Notts in the past got to 22 when he was sharply caught by Mullaney at slip off Brett Hutton as Warwickshire were all out for 260. Ball was the pick of the bowlers with three for 35 off 19 overs. Hutton also took three wickets at a cost of 73.

Notts enforced the follow on but the new ball bowling of Wood and Ball lacked accuracy and Warwick got to 42 for nought off 12 overs with little discomfort with Porterfield on 23 and Westwood on 18. Then the rain came.... MAG

Day 2
NOTTINGHAMSHIRE DOMINATE BEARS

Another excellent day for Notts leading by a massive 500 with Warwickshire 100 for 4 when stumps were drawn prematurely at 1823 with seven overs unused due to bad light. A good sized crowd attended the day as admission was only a pound as it was a family fun day for the Trent Bridge Trust.

Notts added 118 runs in the opening session for the loss of two wickets. On a hot and humid morning Notts made a circumspect start. In the sixth over of the day Luke Wood was brilliantly caught in the gully by Laurie Evans off Rikki Clarke for 12, 416 for 6. Patel was joined by Chris Read. Patel who had batted sensibly was comprehensively bowled by Chris Wright bowling from the Radcliffe Road End for an 81 ball 46. The seventh wicket had added 37 runs. Read and Hutton who had a superb partnership at New Road made untroubled progress until lunch with Hutton making good use of the hook shot. Notts got to the interval on 522 for seven with Read on 49 and Hutton on 28.

The eighth wicket partnership got to 91 in 23 overs when Brett Hutton (37) attempting to hit Patel over the top only succeeded in finding Evans at mid on. Read who had completed 15000 first class runs holed out to deep square leg off Boyd Rankin for 69 made off 103 balls with 10 fours. In the spirit of Andre Adams Jake Ball rubbed salt in the wounds who hit Patel for 26 runs in one over. He got to unbeaten 49 off just 20 balls with six fours and four sixes as Gurney lost his middle stump to Chris Wright for a 10 ball duck. The last wicket had added 40 in 22 balls. Notts 600 all out off 140.3 overs. Gurney apart all the other batsman had reached double figures. Chris Wright was the pick of the Bears bowlers taking three for 97. Patel had x-rated figures of one for 155. Warwick’s decision to bowl on winning the toss had been a spectacular failure.

Notts got off a dream start as in the fourth over Westwood edged Wood in Read's gloves for a single. In the next over Ball bowling from the Pavilion End had stand in skipper Porterfield edging to Read also for a single, two for two. Trott hit a couple of fours before being palpably leg before to Jake Ball, 10 for three. Warwickshire’s scoring virtually ground to halt. Wonder kid Sam Hain survived chances to Hales in the gulley and Brendan Taylor at point off successive balls but two balls later he edged Gurney to Mullaney at slip to leave with 25 to his name, 41 for four. As the ball lost its shine batting became easier on the slow paced wicket. Frustrating two stoppages for bad light and very light rain cost Notts 27 minutes play as umpires Gale and O'Shaughnessy were all too over cautious in conditions which were clearly still playable. When the players returned a further 39 runs were added in untroubled fashion. Evans having made a very slow start was unbeaten on 39 and Ambrose was on 18. Warwick 100 for 4 off 42 overs. With Monday predicted as a washout, Notts having completely dominated the game might be denied a chance of victory. Their performance in this match has been so far first class. MAG
Day 1
RECORD STAND PROPELS NOTTS

An excellent first day for Notts closing on 404 for 5, the highlight of the day was a massive second wicket stand of 257 between Alex Hales (189) and Steven Mullaney (112) a club record versus Warwickshire.

On a cloudy morning Warwickshire's Will Porterfield, captain in the absence of Varun Chopra, inserted Notts. Luke Wood replaced Imran Tahir from the victorious eleven from Worcester. The wicket was on the Bridgford Road side of the square which meant an extremely short boundary towards The Fridge. Chris Woakes was also absent from the Bears starting line up.

Hales was dropped at point when on 12, a difficult one handed chance to Westwood off Keith Barker. Boyd Rankin replaced Chris Wright from the Pavilion End and with his second ball got steep bounce which fooled Brendan Taylor who played a poor shot too close to his body as he edged to Ambrose for 22. The opening partnership had added 61 in 14 overs. Mullaney got off the mark with an edged four but made a brisk start. Hales reached his 50 off 68 balls. Notts got to lunch on 110 for one off 29 overs with Hales on 56 and Mullaney on 30. A most satisfactory morning after being put in.

Notts had a perfect afternoon session as Hales and Mullaney added a further 211 runs in 35 overs as the Warwick bowlers were put to the sword. The Bears must be sick of the sight of Hales as he got to another ton against them in 121 balls. The ball was being hit in all parts as Hales was putting every bad ball away in a high calibre innings. The wicket was now getting flatter as the runs were piling up. Hales gave one half chance as the ball sailed over first slip’s head. Mullaney playing a fine supporting hand got to his hundred just before tea off 145 balls. Notts got to the break on 311 and one with Hales on 173 and Mullaney on 108. Hales had passed 1,000 runs for the season.

The visitors had the best of the post tea session as Notts added 93 runs for the loss of four wickets in the remaining 32 overs of the day. In third over after tea, Mullaney guided a ball from Barker to Patel at slip to depart for a well made 112 off 171 balls with 13 fours. The partnership of 257 came off just 53 overs.


Hales survived an easy stumping chance off Patel when on 188, Tiny Tim missing his take with Hales well down the pitch. Hales clearly tiring was bowled the next over playing an ugly swipe to Chris Wright. Hales’ 189 came off 216 balls with 28 fours and two sixes and was the second highest score of his career, only his 236 against Yorkshire four months ago being higher. He left to deserved standing ovation from a large crowd swelled by a large contingent from the West Midlands. The sun was now out and James Taylor got to 29 before getting an edge to pull shot as Ambrose took the catch, Rankin getting more bounce out the pitch than his colleagues, Notts 372 for four. Shortly after the Irishman left the pitch looking somewhat giddy and unwell. Patel survived an extremely confident caught behind shout from the whole of Bears side when on 20 who had just belatedly taken the new ball. After reaching 400, Wessels (15) edged the brisk Clarke bowling from the Pavilion End and Porterfield took the chance at second slip. Night watchman Luke Wood (4*) and Patel (20*) survived the remaining 17 balls as stumps were drawn at 1818 with Notts on 404 for 5. They will looking for another 70 or so runs to bat Warwickshire out of the game.MAG