v Cambridge MCCU at Fenner's

NOTTS BEAT STUDENTS 

Notts won their first first class game in 50 weeks triumphing at Fenners by 344 runs at 1617 this afternoon. The bad news though was the news that Mullaney is out with a fractured foot for the next month.

The morning session proved to be a very useful net for Libby and Wessels in glorious sunshine. A total of 161 runs were added without loss in 37 overs. Cambridge's bowling was less potent than on Tuesday as Wessels finished on a welcome 90 (107 balls with 10 fours and 2 sixes) and Libby on 79 (204 balls with 7 fours). Notts declaring at the interval on 207 for two.

The students lost their first wicket in the fifth over. Palmer (1) edging Broad to Smith at third slip who took a smart catch at slip. In Broad's next over came the game's champagne moment as a diving Smith took a brilliant catch to his right to dismiss Colverd (0), two for two. Guest (5) got a yorker on his toe from Luke Wood and departed leg before. Wood then joined the injured list going off with a side strain, meaning that Strength and Conditioning Coach Ross Herridge had to do a spot of fielding. Greenidge was next to depart to an excellent running catch low down by Broad at cover for 25. Arif got to an 8 ball duck as he was stumped by Read off Patel bowling from the Pavilion End, A poor waft from the lanky Moses saw him edging Gurney to Read to go for three, 51 for six. Five minutes before tea Patel had Zaidi leg before for one, 70 for seven. Cambridge limped to tea on 73 for seven.

In the first over after tea Luke Chapman edged Gurney to Hales in the gulley to depart for a duck. Gurney  bowling from the Gresham End then had top scorer Tetley taken by Read down the legside. The Sheffield born player had scored 42 off 58 balls with six fours. Fletcher getting occasional lift finally got a wicket having Sam Rippington caught at first slip by Wessels, the fourth duck of the innings. Cambridge 79 all out, Notts winning by 344 runs. Gurney the plus point of the match from a Notts perspective, bowling fast, had innings figures of 4 for 28 and match figures of  eight for 47. Patel had two for seven, with match figures seven for 50. Also worthy of merit was the slip catching of Greg Smith who took two good catches and one quite brilliant one. Libby and Wessels both got useful second innings batting practice on a magnificient sunny day where temperatures got to 21 degrees.

Mullaney's absence has created a big of a headache with the fragile Notts batting line up losing its ballast. A guess at team for Grace Road would be Libby, Smith, Lumb, Hales, Patel, Wessels, Read, Pattinson, Broad, Fletcher and Gurney. MAG

PATEL 5-FER BLOWS STUDENTS AWAY

A better day for Notts as the students, after a promising start, got blown away by Patel and Gurney. However once again the batting looked brittle with Patel and Hales failing and Wessels being badly missed at slip. At the close Notts led by 262 runs.

Play got under way half an hour late due to light early morning drizzle. Mullaney did not field due to a foot injury and Conor Marshall came on as substitute fielder. Wood (Gresham) and Broad (Pavilion) failed to make a breakthrough as openers Colverd and Harrison Palmer added 37. The slimline Fletcher replaced Broad and in his second over got through Palmer's defences and the opener was bowled for 19. Gurney replaced Wood from the Gresham End and in his third over had Colverd edging to third slip where Greg Smith took the catch to his left.  The right hander had faced 60 balls for his 12 an innings which included no boundaries, 51 for two. With the last ball of his next over Gurney induced Akil Greenidge (12) to edge to Patel at second slip Greenidge is the son of former West Indian player Alvin, 54 for three. Fletcher having bowled a six over spell was succeeded by Patel who took a wicket with his fifth ball as Callum Guest (9) edged him and Wessels took the catch running back from slip, 62 for four. Captain/keeper Joseph Tetley became Patel's second victim caught at midwicket by sub Marshall for eight. The students went to lunch on 69 for five.

Fifteen minutes after lunch Arif was caught at silly point by Libby off Patel for nine. Left hander Tim Moses hit Patel for three sixes over midwicket but Samit got his revenge having him caught behind for 25, 109 for seven. Twelve runs later Zaidi (3) was leg before to one that kept low from Gurney. Next over Chapman was caught at extra cover by sub Marshall for 13. Last man Barton was leg before to Gurney for a golden duck. Cambridge 123 all out Gurney four for 19 and Patel 5 for 43. Patel had last taken so many in an innings at the Rose Bowl in 2011. Broad bowled 12 wicket less overs for 21 runs.

Libby and Patel opened up as Notts led by 216 runs. An excellent ball from left armer Rippington removed Patel's leg stump for 13, 20 for one. Five minutes after tea Hales (4) after a lot of playing and missing edged Moses to Palmer who took the catch at first slip, 27 for two. Chapman came on with off spinners from the Gresham End, his mentor Jason Gallian being in attendance. In his first over Wessels was badly dropped by Greenidge at first slip when on three. Shortly afterwards at 1650 the players went off for bad light with Notts on 44 for two with Libby on 16 and Wessels on nine. The players returned 23 minutes later and played for a further 12 minutes Wessels adding a further two to his score. The light had deterioated once more and this time the players never returned.MAG

LABOURED FIRST DAY FOR NOTTS

as debutant spinner Chapman takes 6 

On a bright sunny day at Fenners, Notts won the toss and batted as the fluent Mullaney and the scratchy Libby added 87 for the first wicket in front of a crowd of around 300. The students eleven comprised of 10 students from the Anglia Ruskin  and a solitary Cambridge blue namely opener Tom Colverd from Robinson College. Libby got to 22 off 66 balls before being bowled by debutant spinner Luke Chapman bowling from the Gresham End. Chapman is a former pupil of Felsted School, whose master in charge is Jason Gallian. Notts got to lunch on 107 for one.

Mullaney's was the best innings of the day and it look odds on that he would record another ton at Fenners following last year's effort, but on 89 he was caught at short leg off Chapman, his innings contained 12 fours, Notts 140  for two. 

Hales put bat to ball effectively on the slow deck and got to 35 before edging left Barton to first slip, 212 for three.  Notts then lost their way Wessels carried on his poor form from  last year as he was removed first ball returning the ball to bowler Chapman who had now switched ends. It got worse as Patel also went first ball hitting Chapman straight to Barton at point, 217 for five. 

Greg Smith preferred to Michael Lumb was trying to be positive but never really timed the ball on the sluggish surface and there was also a lot of playing and missing.  Chapman bowling well and getting turn and bounce bowled Smith for 73. Smith faced the most balls in the innings namely 169 and hit seven fours, 246 for six. He had gritted it out. 

Chris Read who announced before play that he would retire at the end of the season to become coach at Uppingham School played a typical fighting innings of 39 off 71 balls before being Yorked by left armer Rippington now with the new ball, 287 for seven. Wood (36) and Broad (18) went for their shots and added 48 in seven overs before Wood departed to catch at short extra off Chapman who picked his sixth wicket on his first class debut. Broad followed next over bowled by Rippington. Gurney did not last long before becoming Rippington's third victim. Notts all out for 339, 200 less than last year. Cambridge had bowled much better than expected with Chapman outstanding with six with 78 off 32 overs. Notts though failed to really impress with the bat and worryingly look a batsman light.

The students negotiated four overs from Broad and Wood as they closed on eight for nought. It was a real throwback as 105 overs had been bowled in the day in idyllic conditions. MAG

Preview:
IN HOPE AS MUCH AS IN EXPECTATION

Having returned from Barbados having lost to the students of Cardiff, following on from relegation from Division 1 in 2016, Nottinghamshire confidence might be expected to be rock bottom. But of course in reality the Barbadian jolly is just that, a jolly with little meaningful cricket taking place, so guarded expectation is high for 2017 as is confidence.

The squad remains virtually the same as from the end of 2016 but is said to be much fitter after the Peter Moores effect over the winter.

Starting the championship campaign with both Broad and Ball available as well as James Pattinson, with a moving ball in April, games won’t come fast enough, hopefully. With momentum generated early doors, this should carry Notts back to the top division by September, in theory.

Players with points to prove against Division 1 players when in the one day formats, might hopefully lead to success in one of those competitions too.

Without wanting to be presumptive, failure to be promoted at the end of this season can only been seen as a disastrous failure of the squad and management or having been particularly unlucky if Notts suffer badly with rain interruptions and abandonments, more so than our rivals.

So who are the rivals?

Kent who fell short last year and have a few decent batters in Billings, Bell-Drummond and Northeast. Will Gidman is now one of their number.

Gloucestershire who through necessity, have dragged themselves from adversity; with a young squad who have development and matured together into what might be a potent unit this year.

Worcestershire, perennial yo-yo county, but the young batsmen of promise from a couple of years ago have now grown and gained experience making them less of a pushover.

In theory Durham are the only county that should rival Notts for potency of bowling attack but their challenge will be handicapped by a ludicrous points deduction.

Derbyshire under the Kim Barnett policy of recruiting from around the globe have assembled a squad. If that squad is of a standard to challenge for promotion or of a standard to challenge for the wooden spoon, we’ll know by June. With Imran Tahir, their games shouldn’t be short of appeals and theatrics.

The season kicks-off proper with a First Class match against another student XI, those of Cambridge MCCU at Fenner's.

Notts have chosen to play a four pronged seam attack including Stuart Broad in a strong XI.

Steven Mullany

Jake Libby

Greg Smith

Alex Hales

Riki Wessels

Samit Patel

Chris Read

Luke Wood

Stuart Broad

Luke Fletcher

Harry Gurney

Absent is injured Brendan Taylor, and Michael Lumb also hasn't been selected.