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Notts' season is as good as over with this disappointing 8 run defeat against Northants in the baseball semi at Edgbaston yesterday.
A team built on a shoestring defeating a high budget team with an enormous backroom staff; the neutrals loved it. Despite a fine all round performance from Andre Russell too many players under performed in front of the big crowd. Hero for Northants was Ben Duckett who cashed in on a couple early Chinese cuts to play the innings of the match, full of innovative shots; he is certainly one for the future. Lumb, Christian, Wessels and Mullaney all gave their wickets away as Notts batsman felt the pressure of the chase in front of the 25,000 crowd. Russell and Ball apart, the bowling was disappointing and the ground fielding on the large playing surface was of a much lower standard than the other three sides on show.
After heavy morning showers play got under way 30 minutes late. Dan Christian's luck with the toss continued inserting Northants. The team picked itself with Broad, Hales and Russell coming in for Luke Wood, Smith and Tahir. Notts got off to great start reducing Northants to 15 for three after the first 14 balls. The first over was bowled by Andre Russell from the Pavilion End and off the fourth ball Levi went for a risky single and non striker Adam Rossington was run out by Dan Christian for a single, four for one. Gurney bowled a no ball and Cobb hit the free hit for six. Gurney bowled another no ball and then he got a wicket of last ball of the over via a leg side strangle; Cobb gone for seven, the former Leicester man was later to pick up the man of the match award in Northants subsequent victory over Durham.. Levi (3) fell leg before to a full toss from Russell, Northants 15 for three. Duckett after a couple of streaky fours off Ball played a fantastic innings with shots all round the wicket and no real slogs with Alex Wakely playing a fine supporting innings 123 runs were added in 13 overs. Notts had a scare when Russell pulled up stopping a ball on the boundary, after treatment on the side of the pitch he returned to the action. Ball bowling well (4-0-24-2) bowled Duckett for 84 removing his leg stump. His innings was off just 47 balls with 12 fours and two sixes; he picked up a fully deserved man of the match award. Russell came on the next over and removed danger man Kleinveldt caught on the boundary by Hales for a duck. Russell picked up his third wicket when in the same over Crook (1) also found Hales at deep mid wicket. Russell left the field for further treatment with 4-0-20-3. Keogh holed out to extra cover off Gurney who later missed a certain run out whilst fumbling the ball, Wakely the lucky batsman but he was run out in the same over via an underarm throw from Read. Wakely's 53 came off 45 balls with four fours. Northants 161 for eight. Broad on the losing side for Notts once more; only bowled two overs for 18 and Mullaney and Patel proved expensive going for 63 in their six
Northants total was no more than par, but Notts made a poor start after a 25 minute stoppage between innings for a heavy shower. Lumb perished to a catch at third man by Crook off Sanderson for two. Hales lasted two balls before being bowled by Kleinveldt for a duck, five for two. Although Stokes had a good day with the bat, all the current England boys on show Ballance, Root and Broad and Hales had a bad day. Notts were completely tied down; Azharullah replaced Kleinveldt from the City End and Christian skied an attempted pull shot to Cobb at fine leg to depart for a 7 ball 2, 15 for three off 3.4 overs. Patel and Wessels made a partial recovery but Wessels then played a switch hit off Graeme White and was caught in front of the Rae Bank for 24 (21 balls with three fours), 45 for four in the eighth. Enter Russell. He started slowly then hit White for two sixes in over 10 both over deep mid wicket. In the next over Azharullah was hit for six and three fours by the Jamaican as the over went for 20, 89 for four off 11 overs. Two more overs of Russell and Notts would have been in excellent position. However a quite stunning diving catch by Keogh on the deep mid wicket boundary off Kleinveldt turned the game. Russell gone for 39 off 18 balls with four boundaries and three sixes. Despite being a hired gun he put in a very committed performance, clearly a man of great talent and large personal pride, a sad loss though to test cricket. When Patel was well held by Crook off his own bowling in the next over the game was as good as over, with Notts' long tail. Samit 21 off 21 balls. Notts 93 for six.
Mullaney (10) hit Crook for a straight six but perished next ball pulling a ball to deep mid wicket where Duckett took the catch low down, 107 for six in the 15th over. A clearer head with have seen a more sensible shot. The last two balls of the next over bowled by Graeme White were hit for fours by Read as Notts now needed 41 off the last four overs. Broad twice and Read were lucky to survive in the 17th over bowled by Kleinveldt. Levi dropping an easy one back pedalling. The clock was ticking and Crook tried to get through an over in double quick time. Read hit him for 12 in four balls followed by a dot ball. The last ball of the over saw Read hit the ball to long on where White took the catch; Read's 30 came off 20 balls with four boundaries. Notts now needed 21 runs off two overs but with just the rabbits left. Stuart Broad was caught behind off the fourth ball of the next over bowled by Sanderson. Gurney managed to last out the over. Notts needed 15 off the last over but only managed a paltry six including an edged four of Gurney. Notts 153 for nine. Sanderson finished with four overs two for 21, Kleinveldt two for 24 and Crook three for 28. Notts had crashed landed. Another bad defeat in a distressing season.
Northants were deserved winners of the final, contested against fellow paupers Durham; up yours Colin Graves, stick franchise cricket up where the sun doesn't shine! Mark Wood was very impressive for Durham bowling with great pace. If he stays fit he should be certainty for India and Bangladesh tours this autumn. The weather was much better than forecasted and the crowd was generally well behaved; and unlike at Trent Bridge the vast majority were actually watching the cricket. There was however a general lack of juniors not helped by the pricing structure and the very long day 1130 to 2200 hours. MAG
After heavy morning showers play got under way 30 minutes late. Dan Christian's luck with the toss continued inserting Northants. The team picked itself with Broad, Hales and Russell coming in for Luke Wood, Smith and Tahir. Notts got off to great start reducing Northants to 15 for three after the first 14 balls. The first over was bowled by Andre Russell from the Pavilion End and off the fourth ball Levi went for a risky single and non striker Adam Rossington was run out by Dan Christian for a single, four for one. Gurney bowled a no ball and Cobb hit the free hit for six. Gurney bowled another no ball and then he got a wicket of last ball of the over via a leg side strangle; Cobb gone for seven, the former Leicester man was later to pick up the man of the match award in Northants subsequent victory over Durham.. Levi (3) fell leg before to a full toss from Russell, Northants 15 for three. Duckett after a couple of streaky fours off Ball played a fantastic innings with shots all round the wicket and no real slogs with Alex Wakely playing a fine supporting innings 123 runs were added in 13 overs. Notts had a scare when Russell pulled up stopping a ball on the boundary, after treatment on the side of the pitch he returned to the action. Ball bowling well (4-0-24-2) bowled Duckett for 84 removing his leg stump. His innings was off just 47 balls with 12 fours and two sixes; he picked up a fully deserved man of the match award. Russell came on the next over and removed danger man Kleinveldt caught on the boundary by Hales for a duck. Russell picked up his third wicket when in the same over Crook (1) also found Hales at deep mid wicket. Russell left the field for further treatment with 4-0-20-3. Keogh holed out to extra cover off Gurney who later missed a certain run out whilst fumbling the ball, Wakely the lucky batsman but he was run out in the same over via an underarm throw from Read. Wakely's 53 came off 45 balls with four fours. Northants 161 for eight. Broad on the losing side for Notts once more; only bowled two overs for 18 and Mullaney and Patel proved expensive going for 63 in their six
Northants total was no more than par, but Notts made a poor start after a 25 minute stoppage between innings for a heavy shower. Lumb perished to a catch at third man by Crook off Sanderson for two. Hales lasted two balls before being bowled by Kleinveldt for a duck, five for two. Although Stokes had a good day with the bat, all the current England boys on show Ballance, Root and Broad and Hales had a bad day. Notts were completely tied down; Azharullah replaced Kleinveldt from the City End and Christian skied an attempted pull shot to Cobb at fine leg to depart for a 7 ball 2, 15 for three off 3.4 overs. Patel and Wessels made a partial recovery but Wessels then played a switch hit off Graeme White and was caught in front of the Rae Bank for 24 (21 balls with three fours), 45 for four in the eighth. Enter Russell. He started slowly then hit White for two sixes in over 10 both over deep mid wicket. In the next over Azharullah was hit for six and three fours by the Jamaican as the over went for 20, 89 for four off 11 overs. Two more overs of Russell and Notts would have been in excellent position. However a quite stunning diving catch by Keogh on the deep mid wicket boundary off Kleinveldt turned the game. Russell gone for 39 off 18 balls with four boundaries and three sixes. Despite being a hired gun he put in a very committed performance, clearly a man of great talent and large personal pride, a sad loss though to test cricket. When Patel was well held by Crook off his own bowling in the next over the game was as good as over, with Notts' long tail. Samit 21 off 21 balls. Notts 93 for six.
Mullaney (10) hit Crook for a straight six but perished next ball pulling a ball to deep mid wicket where Duckett took the catch low down, 107 for six in the 15th over. A clearer head with have seen a more sensible shot. The last two balls of the next over bowled by Graeme White were hit for fours by Read as Notts now needed 41 off the last four overs. Broad twice and Read were lucky to survive in the 17th over bowled by Kleinveldt. Levi dropping an easy one back pedalling. The clock was ticking and Crook tried to get through an over in double quick time. Read hit him for 12 in four balls followed by a dot ball. The last ball of the over saw Read hit the ball to long on where White took the catch; Read's 30 came off 20 balls with four boundaries. Notts now needed 21 runs off two overs but with just the rabbits left. Stuart Broad was caught behind off the fourth ball of the next over bowled by Sanderson. Gurney managed to last out the over. Notts needed 15 off the last over but only managed a paltry six including an edged four of Gurney. Notts 153 for nine. Sanderson finished with four overs two for 21, Kleinveldt two for 24 and Crook three for 28. Notts had crashed landed. Another bad defeat in a distressing season.
Northants were deserved winners of the final, contested against fellow paupers Durham; up yours Colin Graves, stick franchise cricket up where the sun doesn't shine! Mark Wood was very impressive for Durham bowling with great pace. If he stays fit he should be certainty for India and Bangladesh tours this autumn. The weather was much better than forecasted and the crowd was generally well behaved; and unlike at Trent Bridge the vast majority were actually watching the cricket. There was however a general lack of juniors not helped by the pricing structure and the very long day 1130 to 2200 hours. MAG
Amazing how in this form of cricket a slice of luck can change the match but full credit to the team spirit of Northants. Instead of the multitude of Notts coaches, we need some fitness instructors so that we excel in the field, and some sports psychologists to help get over the loser syndrome that seems to have taken hold of the dressing room. IMO of course.
ReplyDelete...and thanks Andre Russell, a true professional.
bws
Chris S