v Cambridge MCCU at Fenner's Cambridge

Day 3

Notts wrap-it all up between the showers

Luke Wood bags himself a 5-fer in 517 run win

Notts declared on their overnight score of 170-5. The Cambridge students started on time but under the threat of rain and soon lost opener Tetley to a catch behind off Ball. Showing slightly better resilience than first time around, Cambridge were 47-3 when the rain did arrive.

Following an early lunch and then another rain delay, Notts set about rolling the Cambridge XI over for a second time, finding time in the process to allow both Mullaney and Patel to turn their arms over for few overs each. At the other end, Luke Wood helped himself to 5-40, Cambidge MCCU 131 all out Notts win by 517 runs


At Loughborough: Loughborough were bowled out for 198, Matt Carter 3-27 and a wicket for Jackson Bird.

The students resumed overnight on 107-4 with Robert Sehmi going to his half-century soon before being caught behind off Will Gidman for 53.

Jackson Bird, in his first bowl for the Club, then reduced Loughborough to 146-6 as he bowled Jack Gold before Gidman got his second of the morning, Andrew Rishton caught for 35.

Carter (3-27) and Blatherwick (3-54) then both added their third wickets before Sam Wood rounded off the innings on 198, trapping Bavesh Pankhania LBW for 8.

Nottinghamshire lost Jake Libby (3) early in their second innings but Wood and Smith combined to take the score to 98 before the fall of another wicket, Smith caught a first slip.

Wood ended the day unbeaten on 52* as rain forced an early end to the game with the score on 113-2. Notts website

Elsewhere: Billy Root has hit his first F/C century, for Leeds Bradford MCCU at Hove against Sussex, being out before lunch for 133.


Day 2

Students Skittled and Gurney reaches new heights.

Notts declared overnight giving the Cambridge students a bat on a much less bright day than was the case on day 1.

After half an hour, three wickets had been taken by opening bowlers Wood and Ball 22/3.

The fall of wickets continued for the Notts bowlers as the Students were skittled- all out for just 52.

Brett Hutton 4/6, Jake Ball 3/21. Harry Gurney 2/3 Luke Wood 1/13

Before lunch there was time for five overs of Nottinghamshire batting, having not enforced the follow-on.

Some bad luck for Brendan Taylor followed, given out first ball for LBW, but Notts lunched at 25-1.
During the interval, a heavy bout of rain fell and resulted in a delayed restart giving all a chance to catch a breath after the eventful first session. Play eventually restarted at 4.30.

Once play resumed Samit Patel continued to score freely but Michael Lumb found himself bogged down a little and with the score on 42 Lumb was bowled by the tall Allchin.

Brett Hutton joined Patel in the middle and pair added 50 before Samit departed for 62. Luke Wood scored freely also from the off but was caught again off the off spin of Arksey for 22.

That brought Harry Gurney to the wicket who promptly hit Connor Emerton for four fours in four balls. Off the last ball of the day, going for his 50, Brett Hutton was again caught off Arksey's bowling.

Gurney is 27* over night, a career high.

Meanwhile at Loughborough 

Rain restricted play there too. Matt Carter had taken an additional wicket to last night's one and at one point the Students there were 107-4

Day 1

Notts rack-up 530 in the Cambridge sun.

Notts had fun in the sun at Fenners today racking up 530 for eight off 98 overs.

Fenners looking a lot different since Notts last appearance over 20 years ago, is easily the best appointed of university venues and the students with three debutants inserted Notts.

Mullaney and Brendan Taylor added 43 runs in just under an hour until the latter edged beanpole right armer Alistair Allchin to slip. The Zimbabwean had scratched away for 35 balls for his three.

Michael Lumb got to 13 before being adjudged leg before to debutant Connor Emerton, the left hander appeared to got an edge before it hit his pads. James Taylor became Emerton's second victim from the building site that is the Gresham Road end as he slashed to slip after having made 10, Notts 110 for three. Mullaney looking in fine touch was monopolising the scoring at this stage. Notts got to lunch on 143 for three with Mullaney on 88 and Wessels 13.

These two increased the tempo after lunch as Mullaney got his ton off 123 balls. The fourth wicket had added 153 off 29 overs when Mullaney holed out on the long on ropes a good catch by Bryant off Josh Arksey.  Mullaney had scored 139 off 164 balls with 24 fours and one six over deep mid wicket.

Wessels was in fine form and demolished the student attack; the Cambridge team containing seven students from the Anglia Ruskin University. Wessels should have departed just before tea but the skied chance evaded the fielder who hopelessly misjudged the chance. Wessels retired out at teatime with 143 to his name.  His innings contained 21 fours and two sixes off 125 balls as crowd numbering around 200 were richly entertained. Notts 362 for five with Patel on 32.

Patel was out shortly after tea chipping the ball to midwicket for 39. Chris Read and Brett Hutton added 104 for the seventh wicket. Hutton scratchy early on eventually got to 30 before being run out, A declaration seemed on the cards but Read elected to bat on before holing out to Arksey for run a ball 80 including three sixes.

Jake Ball and Luke Wood added a further 36 runs in four overs as a huge six from Ball had the old boys in the Pav ducking for cover. Notts closed on 530 for eight with Wood on 25 and Ball on 18. An overnight declaration seems certain. The students fielded with enthasium but their bowling was as expected mediocre. They are coached by former Notts stumper Chris Scott.

Jackson Bird was in attendance and had a lunchtime work out in the middle. MAG

Meanwhile at Loughborough

Day 1 of the Seconds match against the Loughborough MCCU second string plus guest.

Notts batted first against a rotating bench of Loughborough representatives.

Jake Libby was was first to fall to a catch behind for 13 after which Stuart Broad joined the Students' bowling attack and promptly removed Sam Wood and Anuj Dal. At lunch Notts were 107-5 but Greg Smith stood 44*

In the middle session Alex Aldred made 25 and at tea the 2s were 263-8, Tom Keast 64*

Notts were eventually out for 295 but by the close Loughborough had been reduced to 26-3 after a two wicket burst by Jack Blatherwick.
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Updated squad

Jake Ball, Harry Gurney, Brett Hutton, Michael Lumb, Steven Mullaney, Samit Patel, Chris Read, Brendan Taylor, James Taylor, Riki Wessels, Luke Wood and Ben Kitt (12th Man).

Samit Patel and James Taylor are likely to feature against the Cambridge students. Stuart Broad, having had his feet-up since January is scheduled to play for Notts at Old Trafford against Lancashire and at Trent Bridge against Yorkshire. Alex Hales returns for Notts in the televised Yorkshire Specsavers clash at Trent Bridge, starting on 1st May. 

Jackson Bird will not play against the Cambridge students but is planning some overs against the Loughborough students on "Thursday" for the second XI.

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Nottinghamshire's first class season 2016 tees off with a trip to Fenner's. The MCCU Cambridge students last week suffered at the hands of Essex, Essex recording their biggest winning margin ever.
Reports last week suggest that Jackson Bird will make his debut in Cambridge but the Notts website is yet to herald the Australian's arrival to these shores, preferring to be preoccupied with reaction to the T20 World Cup.

No eleven or twelve have been announced yet but Alex Hales' opening spot for the Surrey game is yet to be allocated so the likes of Jake Libby, Steven Mullaney, Brendan Taylor and Riki Wessels might well appear.

The students could find that they face a strong bowling too, Notts not having fielded a complete first eleven bowling line-up yet in any of the warm-up events. A published squad to follow.