v Hampshire Specsavers at the Rose Bowl

MISFIRING BATSMEN HAND HAMPSHIRE VICTORY


If you want to find evidence that the new toss regulations are working and that exciting, positive result cricket is being generated as a consequence, look no further than Notts' scorecards this season. 

At the Rose Bowl another game ran into the final hour ending with a victory for the home side. 

The result had little to do with the pitch or the toss but more to do with the Nottinghamshire top order's current struggles with the bat, post the Titch era, with Tino Best taking advantage along with Ryan McLaren. Hampshire's make-do bowling line-up again making light work of the Nottinghamshire batsmen.

In the morning, Nottinghamshire couldn't close the Hampshire innings on their own terms, being unable to separate the last pair when the hosts declared on 223-9. Harry Gurney 5/75.

Notts set about their target of 305 in familiar fashion, 7-1, 21-2, 50-3 and 68-4 but a partnership between Samit Patel and Brendan Taylor gave Notts hope of saving the match and even snatching victory but when Brendan Taylor fell for 71 before tea and then Dan Christian (26) and Brett Hutton (0) in the course of a Best over, post-tea, Notts were left clinging on 80 runs adrift. 

The post tea slide just continued however, Notts eventually losing their "last" four wickets for 13 runs. Chris Read didn't bat. Notts 235 Best 4/37 Crane 3/70

A disappointing conclusion to a match that Nottinghamshire shouldn't be losing. Team selection is clearly a problem, with not enough batsmen in any kind of reliable form.  In hindsight, Matt Carter might have been a better substitute for Jake Ball also, as Brett Hutton didn't contribute to any effect with either bat or ball.




Mortal blow to Notts with Read injury


Day two had seen an injury to Chris Read whilst batting which has led to him only batting on as last man and not fielding in Hampshire's second innings on Day 3.

Nottinghamshire's prospects in this game and beyond took a tumble after news was released that Read had picked up a hand injury whilst batting the previous evening. The mercurial leader won't field again in this game and will only bat again if necessary.

Therefore,  Riki Wessels was joined by Dan Christian for the recommencement of the battle with Tino Best's pace but after an hour it was the more sedate bowling of Mason Crane that found Christian's inside edge, Christian losing his off stump.

Replacement for Jake Ball. Brett Hutton was next out, a catch by Jimmy Adams off again Crane. 173-7. Next over, Riki Wessels was to give a slip catch off Dawson's off spin, bringing the regular last man Gurney to the crease, joining Luke Fletcher.

Gurney went for his shots, hitting two sixes in the process but Luke Fletcher became another Crane victim whilst Tino Best castled Gurney, Notts 11 runs short of their first batting bonus point. Heroic Read did take to the field with his bat but didn't face a ball.

Mason Crane 10-4-19-3 Riki Wessels 72

With keeper Wessels the receiver after lunch, Gurney quickly removed Carberry and then bowled Dawson with those wicket punctuated by Fletcher's wicket of Jimmy Adams. 26/3.

But as soon as Notts thought they had a foothold back in the game Ervine and Smith took the game away again and at tea Hampshire stood 99/3, a lead of 180.

The swing of the metronome edged slightly towards Notts directly after tea with a brace of Gurney wickets Ervine 45 and Tom Alsop 7 but every run scored now was taking the game further away from Notts. A good catch by Captain Mullaney off the Bulwell Bomber, Wheater 1 raised hopes further.

Two more wickets before the close; Smith 61 and Best 0 from Samit Patel meant that Hampshire closed day 3 on 189-8, a lead of 270.

Hampshire are not out of sight but Nottinghamshire will have to defy their current batting form, a fourth day wicket and one man being short if they are even going to save this game.


Batting frailties put Notts under pressure and put Hampshire on top at the Rose Bowl


Hampshire ended day 2 on top after old school cricket day in which 11 wickets fell for a total of 220 run a day of 93.2 overs. The wicket is very much made for grafters. The home team appear to have had more patience with either bat or ball. Fletcher was once again excellent today the rest of the Notts bowling lacked proper line and length. Hampshire meanwhile stuck to the old principles and gathered more reward.

On a sunny morning Fletcher (Northern End) and Jake Ball (Pavilion End) opened the bowling. Ten minutes in Fletcher removed Ervine's off stump. The Zimbabwean had scored 42 off 98 balls with just two boundaries. The sixth wicket partnership with Alsop had added 72 in 21 overs. Gurney replaced Ball and had problems with his line. The left armer though is always capable on bowling a wicket taking ball. He got a ball to jag back in to Wheater (19) who thin edged the ball to Read, 199 for six. Notts took the new ball after 80 overs but Hampshire got to lunch without any future alarms on 228 for 6 with Alsop on 69 and McLaren on nine.

Notts had been guilty of not bowling accurately enough.

With the eleventh over of the new ball Alsop was finally removed as he edged a ball from Gurney into the captain's gloves. The 20 year old had made a championship best 72 with five fours off 148 balls. Hampshire 232 for seven. Two dot balls followed to Tino Best and then West Indian ran a bye off a wide. Off the last ball of his over Gurney got McLaren (10) to edge to Wessels at first slip, 234 for 8. Best swinging off every ball never connected and was out leg before for a seven ball duck. Gurney now had four wickets, 235 for nine. The last wicket added 35 in 12 overs. Patel came on at the Pavilion End and Mason Crane (10) got a top edge that Read caught in the front of the stumps. Last man Tomlinson was not out 21. Hampshire 270 all out off 104.2 overs. Gurney finished with four for 61. Fletcher though was by far the best bowler throughout the innings with three for 60.

Notts innings got off to a nightmare start as Mullaney edged Best to the gulley where McLaren took a great diving catch to his right. Mullaney out for a three ball duck. Tino Best was bowling fast from the Pavilion End and Lumb was clearly struggling. A short leg was brought in. Lumb appeared to want to get off strike when he went for a suicidal single to point where Carberry had all the time in the world to run out Libby (2) who was well short of his ground, eight for two. Notts got to tea on 32 for two with Lumb on 18 and Taylor on 12.

In the fifth over after tea, Lumb(32) edged McLaren who had started a new spell at Pavilion End to Adams at first slip. His innings contained five fours off 57 balls, 53 for three. The scoreboard slowly ground to halt as Brendan Taylor going for a desperate single and only narrowly surviving. But Taylor was out two balls later edging McLaren to Wheater. Taylor gone for 28, 68 for four. Samit Patel narrowly edged off McLaren when on two the ball not quite carrying to Smith at second slip. But Samit did not last long afterwards as McLaren got his third wicket in an accurate spell, Patel being caught at second slip by Smith for three made off 13 balls. Read joined Wessels and they saw out the remaining 15.4 overs in glorious sunshine, only adding 27 runs. Notts 99 for five off 46 overs, still 2 short of avoiding the follow on. Tino Best put his heart and soul into bowling 13 overs for 32 and making more than one of the Notts batsman feel uncomfortable. McLaren finished with three for 17 off 10 overs, never bowling a wayward ball. 

Notts have a lot of hard work to save this fixture with Wessels on 22 and Read on 8. An ideal scenario for Wessels to regain his championship form MAG
RAINY ROSE BOWL
On a miserable day at the Rose Bowl Hampshire made slow progress to finish in 149 for 4 off 57 overs. 

After heavy rain in Hampshire yesterday the large outfield was very slow making getting boundaries hard work.

Notts welcomed back Jake Ball into the line up albeit for two days and he was joined by Jake Libby and on his four day Notts debut Dan Christian. The Australian received his county cap from Chris Read in a team huddle prior to the start of play. Out from the Warwick game were Hutton, Smith and Bird. Ball will be replaced by Brett Hutton from day 3 of this fixture.

The toss was uncontested as Notts elected to bowl. A strange decision presumably driven by Ball's availability as the wicket was straw coloured. Fletcher and Ball opened the bowling but did not make Carberry and Adams play enough. The ball though was moving about a bit. Ball bowling from the Pavilion End was replaced by Gurney. Fletcher bowled seven overs on the bounce from the Northern End for 25 runs and was replaced by Ball. In the second over of his spell Ball had Carberry caught at third slip by Christian for 19, 45 for one. In turn Fletcher replaced Ball. Ten minutes before lunch Adams fell caught and bowled by the Bulwell Bomber. Next ball Dawson was removed by Fletcher leg before for a golden duck, 60 for three. Ervine survived the hat trick ball. Hampshire got to lunch on 66 for three with Will Smith nine not out and Ervine one not out.

Heavy rain started just before the end of the lunch interval and lasted an hour. Play eventually restarted at 1615 with 27 overs lost. Ball and Fletcher opened up and in the 39th over with the floodlights now on Ball had former Notts man Smith leg before for 16, 84 for 4. A further 22 runs were added in five overs when further heavy rain arrived. Hampshire 106 for four off 44 overs. The two left handers Ervine and Alop unbeaten on 18 and nine respectively. Mercifullying the rain relented and the sunshine made a surprise appeared. Play recommenced at 1755 with a further 12 overs lost.

Despite using Gurney, Christian, Patel and Mullaney in the remaining 13 overs, Notts could not make any future inroads as Hampshire added a further 43 runs. The wicket lacks any real pace. Sean Ervine in his benefit year was unbeaten on 38 and Alsop was on 32. Thirty nine overs were lost in a day of bland and rather featureless cricket. Hopefully tomorrow's play and weather will be much better. MAG

LIBBY RECALLED

Jake Libby has been recalled from Northampton to slot into the Notts opening position. Significantly Dan Christian has been listed in preference to  an injured Jackson Bird in the overseas role. Bird had had a previous contract at Hampshire.


Hampshire squad announced on Friday, a mix of experience and youth. 

Adams, Carberry, Alsop, Smith (c), Dawson, Ervine, Wheater, McLaren, Andrew, Best, Crane, Tomlinson, Wheal.

24 hours later Notts have announce their squad, 12 and a half men as Jake Ball is only available for two days.
 Chris Read, 
Jake Ball, 
Matt Carter, 
Dan Christian, 
Luke Fletcher, 
Harry Gurney, 
Brett Hutton, 
Jake Libby, 
Michael Lumb,
Steven Mullaney, 
Samit Patel, 
Brendan Taylor, 
Riki Wessels

Greg Smith will feel unlucky to miss out, considering the inclusion of Brendan Taylor but clearly Taylor's blocking against Warwickshire was enough to tip the balance; that or else they are job sharing - BT doing F/C whilst GS does the one day stuff. Odd that, as Notts signed BT on the back of his performances for Zimbabwe at the last World Cup.