v Leicestershire Foxes RLODC at Grace Road

OUTLAWS SLIP-UP AGAINST WEAKENED FOXES

Notts slipped to a humiliating 50 over defeat at Grace Road today losing by eight runs against a team who rested key men Cosgrove, Dexter and Clint McKay. They now need to beat Worcester tomorrow and hope both Warwickshire and Durham do not win. Thankfully the last game is at Trent Bridge, Notts have yet to win on the road in either championship or 50 over cricket this season.

Leicester won the toss and elected to bat. Gurney opened up from the Pavilion End and Luke Wood appearing for the first team for the first time since Fenners in early April took a wicket with his third ball as Horton (2) edged to Read, three for one. In his next over Kevin O'Brien played on to the left armer for three, 10 for two after four overs. Fletcher replaced Gurney and in his second over Lewis Hill (10) edged him as Read took a diving catch in front of first slip, 27 for three. Delport and Pettini then added 58 in ten overs, the left handed South African dominated the scoring with 46 off 45 balls with eight fours taking advantage of the poor balls he faced. Wood after seven overs two for 33 was replaced by Gurney from the Bennett End, he had probably been given in an over too many. Fletcher after six overs for 25 was replaced by Patel who took a wicket with his fourth ball as Delport was leg before, 85 for four.

Pettini finally got to his 50 his 34th over but then was out caught at mid wicket by Wessels off Mullaney. His 50 came off 79 balls with three fours and one six over long on off Mullaney, 151 for five. The fifth wicket partnership with Niall O'Brien had added 66 in 15 overs. Burgess was lucky to survive a mid wicket confusion with O'Brien a poor throw from Luke Wood over Read's head meant the former Loughborough University man survived. Gurney was bowling erraticly, three wides being delivered in one over. Mullaney was also expensive from the Bennett End, Read turned to Christian to bowl the 44th over and it proved an inspired choice as it went for only three as he picked up top scorer Niall O'Brien caught by Wessels at mid off for an 81 ball 82 including nine fours and one straight six off Mullaney, 215 for six. Burgess and Sayer put bat to ball Fletcher and Christian both being hit for sixes. Some of the strokes from Burgess were more suited to the centre court at Wimbledon than on a cricket pitch but he hit out effectively and got to 36 before being bowled by Christian. Gurney returned for the last over from the Bennett End and picked up wickets with successive balls having Sayer (26 off 19 balls) caught on the far and distant deep mid wicket boundary by Smith and then next ball Raine (7) was caught behind for seven. Freckenham survived a confident leg before shout off the next ball and Leicester scrambled a further eight runs as Sykes was run out off the last ball going for two. Leicester 279 all out off the full 50 overs, a competitive score against a Notts attack that had not bowled to potential. The wickets had been shared around but nobody had bowled particularly well. Notts had struggled defending the large outfield but luckily no catches had been put down.

Lumb hit Freckingham for four boundaries in his first two overs, but the medium pacer got his revenge having Lumb caught behind for 19, Notts 24 for one in the fifth over. Notts were then bogged down by accurate bowling by Freckingham and Raine, Wessels tried to put the foot on the pedal but was caught at deep cover by Sayer off Raine for a 28 ball 21, 53 for two in the 12th over.

Kevin O'Brien replaced Freckingham after a six over spell from the Pavilion End and Patel played down the wrong line to the Irishman to depart bowled for four, 66 for three in the 17th over. Four overs later Christian (12) hit a ball from O'Brien straight to Delport at extra cover he juggled it but held on, 86 for four. Taylor and Smith added 39 in eight overs then Taylor lost to off stump to a straight ball from Raine. Taylor out for 44 off 65 balls with four boundaries, 125 for five. Mullaney put bat to ball hitting 30 off 26 balls but clearly frustrated with too many dot balls played by partner Smith was bowled going for a big shot off Freckingham, 175 for six off 37 overs. Read was then caught at extra cover by Pettini off Delport for six, 185 for seven. Smith was still becalmed and could not rotate the strike, there were far too many dot balls. Finally he was out missing a reverse sweep, leg before to Sayer for a 69 ball 49, an innings with one four and one six. Notts now 204 for eight in the 44th over. Luke Wood making his List A debut though ensured that Notts did not go down without a fight hitting a rapid 52 off 31 balls with five fours and two sixes, a player of great promise, criminally left out the team earlier this year before having back problems. Notts though needed 13 off the last over and after Fletcher (21 not out) ran a single off the first ball, Wood was Yorked off ball two by Delport who had excellent game for the Foxes. Gurney though after getting a two wafted at balls four and five and missed and a leg bye off the last ball as fell eight runs short on 271 for nine.

 Notts had earlier not bowled well but 280 was a very gettable target against the mediocre attack,. At least on a day of little cheer the performance of Luke Wood gave the visiting supporters in a sparse crowd some entertainment. It begs the question "Who would you rather have your team, Luke Wood or Jackson Bird".....answers on a postcard please Mick. MAG