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KENT ESCAPE WITH DRAW
as weather is the only winner
Notts were frustrated by persistent light drizzle as their game with Kent was declared a draw at 2035 with only 18.2 overs possible during the day. Having dominated the game victory seemed assured until rain reappeared at 1800 and never ceased. Ironically, if the game would have been a normal red ball fixture considerably less cricket would have played in this match; the general consensus though that this first pink ball game a very much a miss rather than a hit. A lot more work needs doing on improving the balls viability in the twilight and also keeping its shape. The game at times bordered on the farcical.
After drizzle for most of the day, play finally got under way at 1630 with 66 overs remaining. Mullaney and Gurney bowled six overs with the old bowl without carrying too much of threat. Fletcher (Pavilion) and Pattinson (Radcliffe) took the new ball, conditions being wet under foot. In the fifth over with the new ball Milne when on 37 was dropped by Taylor at third slip off Fletcher, a hard chance diving to his right. Adam Milne got to his 50 with two off Fletcher but next ball he edged to Read who took his fourth catch of the innings, 246 for eight. Milne had scored 51 off 88 balls with eight fours. There was a stoppage when Claydon was hit on the helmet by Fletcher. Mullaney came on to get the final wicket. Having been hit for six of mid wicket by Rouse, next ball Rouse went for another big hit and was caught on the deep square leg ropes by Patel as golden arm picked up another wicket. Rouse out for 35 Kent 265 all out at 1746. Gurney three for 63.
Notts needed 75 and just as the players came on the field of play with Hales and Mullaney to open, the drizzle started and never stopped. Notts had done precious little wrong in the game, although they had some degree of luck with Billings withdrawn and Darren Stevens picking up a concussion and therefore not been able to bat. Kent though can count their lucky stars and picked up five undeserved points. More crucially Notts were denied 11 of their own. Just as Derbyshire were robbed three weeks before, the same applied to Notts here. The cricketing gods evening out the luck. Notts now have to wait five weeks until their next championship game in Derby. Promotion will be either dependent on Pattinson unlikely return or of Notts finding a way of winning games without Broad and Pattinson; the championship availability of Jake Ball will be pivotal. MAG
NOTTS CHIP AWAY BETWEEN SHOWERS
Troubles with the pink ball!
After 15 hours of continuous rain up to 1500, play started at 1745 with 41 overs lost. Weatherley took the place of the Worcester bound Billings at the crease. Notts opened with Fletcher (Pavilion) and Pattinson (Radcliffe) but they could not make a breakthrough. The pink ball was misshapened and had to be replaced after repeated complaints from the Notts fielders. When the opening pair were succeeded by Mullaney and Gurney. Golden arm Mullaney struck with his sixth ball bowling Will Gidman for 26, 130 for five. Light rain stopped play at 1852 with Kent 137 for five.
An early tea was taken and play resumed at 1925 with a further three overs lost. Stevens was dropped by Fletcher off Mullaney a skied effort at mid off that Fletcher never really looked like catching. We were now in the twilight zone; batting was now getting more difficult. There was a long stoppage when Stevens was hit on the head from a short ball from Gurney; he clearly lost sight of. Pattinson returned from the Pavilion End and yorked Weatherley for 16. The youngster on loan from Hampshire had lasted 57 balls, 167 for six. Stevens was still feeling groggy and retired hurt on 31 at the same time as the Weatherley dismissal. Coles lasted two balls edging Gurney to Read behind the stumps who took a regulation catch, 167 for seven. There was yet another stoppage as for third time in the match the pink ball was out of shape. Rain stopped play once again at 2026 with Kent 186 for seven. Play recommenced at 2110 with 12 overs left but with floodlights now have taken over the light, batting had been become far easier and the crowd once again virtually nonexistent. Notts used Pattinson, Fletcher, Patel and Mullaney but Milne (27no) and Rouse (18no) added an unbroken 47 for the eighth wicket as stumps were drawn at 2145 with Kent 214 for seven. Notts had slowly chipped away at Kent and with the new ball only six overs away will now by very disappointed if they do not win this fixture. MAG
MULLANEY'S BEST GIVES NOTTS THE ADVANTAGE
The forecast rain never arrived but there were gloomy conditions overhead throughout an uninterrupted day. This was reflected by the attendance which was no more than typical; furthermore after 1800 the crowd were drifting away in their droves, a day to be endured rather than enjoyed, tickled pink they certainly weren’t. The highlight was a career best innings of 168 by Steven Mullaney who featured in a fourth wicket partnership of 222 with Alex Hales; he had no after effects from his bout of sickness yesterday. As we discovered yesterday, batting in the twilight is not easy against the pink ball and Notts tail did not wag. Kent struggled early in their second innings but as the floodlights took full effect batting became a lot easier. Notts should be well pleased with their efforts, the visitors undoubtedly have had, based on total respective batting time, the easier conditions to bat in. Worryingly, Jake Ball went off injured having bowled 13 balls, he never returned.
Play got under way in cloudy conditions. Batting was easier than yesterday as Mullaney over his sickness bug and Hales put bat to ball. Mullaney got to his ton in 173 balls with eighty percent of his runs on the offside, 41 runs behind the wicket on the offside and no runs at all through mid on. It appeared Kent Captain Northeast had not calibrated his fielding compass correctly. Gidman came on for four expensive overs for 26 runs. Both players went out on all out attack. Hales hit part time spinner Denly over long on for six. But he went for one big hit too many and in the same over Hales was caught at long off by Dickson. Hales out for 85 (149 balls 9 x 4, 1 x 6), 274 for four. The fourth wicket had added 222 runs. Notts got to the interval on 278 for 4 after 72 overs with Mullaney on 134 and Wessels on 1.
Dark clouds appeared during the first interval but play continued with the floodlights now beaming bright. The scoring rate slowed during the twilight. Kent took the new ball after 80 overs but it took them until its eleventh over before Mullaney was finally dismissed. After hitting Gidman over his head for a straight six to achieve a career best he was dismissed next over edging Coles into Rouse's gloves. Mullaney had made 168 off 276 balls (23 x 4, 2 x 6) Notts 326 for five; a fine innings from a player who is making valuable contributions every game. He left to a standing ovation. Riki Wessels was completely bogged down and mistimed a leg side hit off Gidman only succeeding in top edging to Adam Rouse. Wessels had made 17 off 72 balls, 336 for six. Pattinson did not last long playing on to Coles for 4, 345 for seven. The collapse continued as Fletcher edged Gidman to substitute Tredwell at second slip, Fletcher gone for a 2 ball duck, 346 for eight. Darren Stevens had left the field and did not bat in the Kent top six. Jake Ball thrashed a quick 19 through fours in the third man region. Northeast moved Gidman to short third man and next ball Gidman took the catch as Claydon took the wicket, 366 for nine. Read desperate to keep the strike ran for a leg bye of the last ball of Claydon's over, Gurney not running in a straight line failed to make his ground, yet another duck for Gurney. Read 20 not out. Notts 371 all out led by 191 runs. Notts had lost their last six wickets for 45 as they struggled with the twilight and the new ball. Coles finished with figures of three for 99.
WIth tea taken between the innings 34 overs remained. With the 16th ball of the innings Bell-Drummond was comprehensively bowled by Jake Ball for six, nine for one. Ball though shortly after left the field with a leg injury, Fletcher completing his over. Dickson had a bit of a torrid time against Pattinson, but with the floodlights now taking over, batting appeared to be getting easier again. However Fletcher struck with Denly (19) edged to Read who took the catch down the leg side, 41 for two. Gurney replaced Pattinson after the Victorian had a four over opening spell. In his second over Northeast edged the left armer as Read to his second catch of the innings, the Kent captain out for an eight ball 4, 47 for three. Sean Dickson (12) struggled all innings and was finally put out his misery when he edged Gurney to Mullaney at second slip, 63 for four. That was the last wicket to fall as Mullaney had a five over spell for eight. Pattinson returned but Gidman and Billings stood firm. When play resumes Billings on 39 morphing from a horse to a lion will be replaced by Joe Weatherley. Gidman unbeaten on 12 as Kent closed on 105 for four at 2145. By this stage the ground was virtually empty. Heavy rain is predicted throughout today with Thursday better but with heavy cloudy cover. MAG
HEROIC AILING MULLANEY TAKES NOTTS TO STUMPS
After helping dismiss Kent for 180
Notts had the better of the first day in their historic first ever floodlight championship match against Kent at Trent Bridge. They closed 45 runs behind with seven first innings standing.
Kent won the toss and elected to bat. Hales and Gurney came in for Lumb and the injured Broad. Pattinson bowling from the Radcliffe Road struck twice in the fourth over. Off the first ball Dickson was leg before for a 4 ball duck. Two balls later Denly was beaten for pace and departed for a blob, six for two. In his next over Pattinson got Northeast to edge to Mullaney at second slip. This time it was a five ball duck, six for three. Sam Billings only playing the first two days of the game before going on Lions duty rode his luck. A couple of edges just fell short of slip and he twice Chinese cut Pattinson. Pattinson's opening spell was 5-2-15-3. Fletcher replaced Pattinson and in his third over Billings played on to him for 30, 52 for 4. Star man Darren Stevens (10) edged Fletcher into Read's gloves, 70 for 5 in the 20th over. Former Notts man Will Gidman given a good ovation on his arrival to the crease gave a couple of chances at two and six; being dropped in slips by Mullaney and then by Read, Fletcher and Pattinson the unfortunate bowlers. Kent got to first interval on 101 for five with Bell-Drummond on a relatively untroubled 49 and Gidman on 7.
Pattinson and Ball opened up after the interval. Ball having bowled three overs from the Pavilion End was replaced by Harry Gurney. The left armer's first ball of his spell was a fast yorker that took out Gidman's middle pole. The sixth wicket had added 55, Gidman gone for a 47 ball 25. Gurney was subsequently replaced by Mullaney who had Rouse (22) caught by Wessels at first slip in his first over, 163 for seven. The Mullaney and Wessels combination struck again, Matt Coles gone for 4. Next ball, debutant Kiwi Adam Milne lost his off stump to Mullaney; the fourth duck of the innings, 173 for nine. Ball picked up the last wicket as Claydon was the final Kent batsman to leave without troubling the scorers, comprehensively bowled by the Welbeck Wizard. Daniel Bell-Drummond carried his bat for a superb 84 off 169 balls with 10 fours. Apart from the first few overs from the fiery Pattinson he unlike the rest of his colleagues looked relatively secure. Pattinson too fast for the White Horse has figures of three for 30 and Mullaney sweeping up the tail with 3-1-2-3. Tea was taken between the innings.
Notts made a steady start scoring 30 off the first seven overs, but the scoring rate slowed to a crawl as conditions became tricky in the twilight. In the fifteenth over, Libby (16) edged the wily Stevens to Dickson at second slip, 36 for one. An extremely quick shortish ball from Adam Milne was too hot to handle for Brendan Taylor (6) who left his bat up and edged to Rouse, 45 for two. Patel when on 0 was then dropped off the Kiwi in the gulley by Joe Denly. However he did last long being bowled middle stump by Coles for 4, 52 for three after 20 overs. Both Mullaney and Hales were playing and missing quite a lot but rode the storm as batting became easier as the lights started to take over and the pink ball got older. Notts physio Jamie Pipe was a regular visitor to the middle as Mullaney appeared to have some kind of sickness, as he receiving treatment with a towel. All the stoppages meant close of play was not until 2140. The crowd earlier on the day was well above average as many people took the offer of a free ticket; however they started to drift away long before the close. Mullaney was dropped bu Dickson at third slip off Darren Stevens when on 50. Notts closed on 135 for three with Mullaney on 63 (118 balls – 10 x 4) and Hales on 28 (73 balls – 3 x 4), 42 overs have been bowled. Stevens was economical with his 15 overs costing 22 runs along with the wicket of Libby. But it was very much Notts’ day and Mullaney and Pattinson in particular. Dark clouds linger however; the weathermen are predicting very little play in the next two days. MAG
A pink ball and games starting Monday at 14:00. it's the day/night trial round of the Championship. Nottinghamshire play Kent, rivals towards the top of Division 2, so a loss in this potential lottery could be a huge set-back for either side.
Pink ball testing has gone well, they say - they won't need changing every 20-something over because it's got dirty and made invisible. An Australian round of games with the pink ball gave result to suggest that a new ball lasts 10 overs and then loses any swing until it gets proper dark and is under the influence of the floodlighting. Well we're playing this round of games at a point of the calendar where we have the longest days and darkness falls fully after the scheduled close of play, but we live in an upside down world so we'll have to wait and see.
It remains an exciting experiment and in being an experiment, there's bound to be some unexpected results with the form book temporarily put to one side possibly.
Is this the first time since the County Championship went to two divisions in 2000, that all 18 counties are due to play a CC game at the same time?
Notts are without Stuart Broad so you'd expect Harry Gurney to return from bar duties, swapping with his partner.
One L of a dilemma for PM
Who will make way for Alex Hales, Libby or Lumb?
Jake Libby
Steven Mullaney
Samit Patel
Brendan Taylor
Riki Wessels
Michael Lumb
Chris Read
James Pattinson
Luke Fletcher
Jake Ball
Harry Gurney
Brett Hutton
Alex Hales
Expect the weather to be annoyed and produce dry morning with wet afternoons and evenings next week.
Play got under way in cloudy conditions. Batting was easier than yesterday as Mullaney over his sickness bug and Hales put bat to ball. Mullaney got to his ton in 173 balls with eighty percent of his runs on the offside, 41 runs behind the wicket on the offside and no runs at all through mid on. It appeared Kent Captain Northeast had not calibrated his fielding compass correctly. Gidman came on for four expensive overs for 26 runs. Both players went out on all out attack. Hales hit part time spinner Denly over long on for six. But he went for one big hit too many and in the same over Hales was caught at long off by Dickson. Hales out for 85 (149 balls 9 x 4, 1 x 6), 274 for four. The fourth wicket had added 222 runs. Notts got to the interval on 278 for 4 after 72 overs with Mullaney on 134 and Wessels on 1.
Dark clouds appeared during the first interval but play continued with the floodlights now beaming bright. The scoring rate slowed during the twilight. Kent took the new ball after 80 overs but it took them until its eleventh over before Mullaney was finally dismissed. After hitting Gidman over his head for a straight six to achieve a career best he was dismissed next over edging Coles into Rouse's gloves. Mullaney had made 168 off 276 balls (23 x 4, 2 x 6) Notts 326 for five; a fine innings from a player who is making valuable contributions every game. He left to a standing ovation. Riki Wessels was completely bogged down and mistimed a leg side hit off Gidman only succeeding in top edging to Adam Rouse. Wessels had made 17 off 72 balls, 336 for six. Pattinson did not last long playing on to Coles for 4, 345 for seven. The collapse continued as Fletcher edged Gidman to substitute Tredwell at second slip, Fletcher gone for a 2 ball duck, 346 for eight. Darren Stevens had left the field and did not bat in the Kent top six. Jake Ball thrashed a quick 19 through fours in the third man region. Northeast moved Gidman to short third man and next ball Gidman took the catch as Claydon took the wicket, 366 for nine. Read desperate to keep the strike ran for a leg bye of the last ball of Claydon's over, Gurney not running in a straight line failed to make his ground, yet another duck for Gurney. Read 20 not out. Notts 371 all out led by 191 runs. Notts had lost their last six wickets for 45 as they struggled with the twilight and the new ball. Coles finished with figures of three for 99.
WIth tea taken between the innings 34 overs remained. With the 16th ball of the innings Bell-Drummond was comprehensively bowled by Jake Ball for six, nine for one. Ball though shortly after left the field with a leg injury, Fletcher completing his over. Dickson had a bit of a torrid time against Pattinson, but with the floodlights now taking over, batting appeared to be getting easier again. However Fletcher struck with Denly (19) edged to Read who took the catch down the leg side, 41 for two. Gurney replaced Pattinson after the Victorian had a four over opening spell. In his second over Northeast edged the left armer as Read to his second catch of the innings, the Kent captain out for an eight ball 4, 47 for three. Sean Dickson (12) struggled all innings and was finally put out his misery when he edged Gurney to Mullaney at second slip, 63 for four. That was the last wicket to fall as Mullaney had a five over spell for eight. Pattinson returned but Gidman and Billings stood firm. When play resumes Billings on 39 morphing from a horse to a lion will be replaced by Joe Weatherley. Gidman unbeaten on 12 as Kent closed on 105 for four at 2145. By this stage the ground was virtually empty. Heavy rain is predicted throughout today with Thursday better but with heavy cloudy cover. MAG
HEROIC AILING MULLANEY TAKES NOTTS TO STUMPS
After helping dismiss Kent for 180
Notts had the better of the first day in their historic first ever floodlight championship match against Kent at Trent Bridge. They closed 45 runs behind with seven first innings standing.
Notts will be particularly pleased as Kent had far better batting conditions having won the toss. The visitors had the advantage of batting in the sunshine, although cloudier conditions appeared towards the end of the Kent innings. Meanwhile Notts had a tricky period for about an hour batting in the twilight; where conditions facing the pink ball were somewhat farcical, with fielders as well batters struggling to pick it up. The pink ball appeared to be swinging most of the day. James Pattinson filleted the Kent top order and excellent team bowling effort meant that Kent could only total 180 despite Daniel Bell-Drummond carrying his bat. Notts lost three wickets in the twilight with the pace of Adam Milne proving testing. However at present he does not have accuracy of Pattinson to go with his pace. Mullaney despite struggling with sickness put on an unbroken 83 in 22 overs with the returning Alex Hales as Notts finished on the ascendancy; Mullaney having earlier taken three for two to wipe out the Kent tail.
Kent won the toss and elected to bat. Hales and Gurney came in for Lumb and the injured Broad. Pattinson bowling from the Radcliffe Road struck twice in the fourth over. Off the first ball Dickson was leg before for a 4 ball duck. Two balls later Denly was beaten for pace and departed for a blob, six for two. In his next over Pattinson got Northeast to edge to Mullaney at second slip. This time it was a five ball duck, six for three. Sam Billings only playing the first two days of the game before going on Lions duty rode his luck. A couple of edges just fell short of slip and he twice Chinese cut Pattinson. Pattinson's opening spell was 5-2-15-3. Fletcher replaced Pattinson and in his third over Billings played on to him for 30, 52 for 4. Star man Darren Stevens (10) edged Fletcher into Read's gloves, 70 for 5 in the 20th over. Former Notts man Will Gidman given a good ovation on his arrival to the crease gave a couple of chances at two and six; being dropped in slips by Mullaney and then by Read, Fletcher and Pattinson the unfortunate bowlers. Kent got to first interval on 101 for five with Bell-Drummond on a relatively untroubled 49 and Gidman on 7.
Pattinson and Ball opened up after the interval. Ball having bowled three overs from the Pavilion End was replaced by Harry Gurney. The left armer's first ball of his spell was a fast yorker that took out Gidman's middle pole. The sixth wicket had added 55, Gidman gone for a 47 ball 25. Gurney was subsequently replaced by Mullaney who had Rouse (22) caught by Wessels at first slip in his first over, 163 for seven. The Mullaney and Wessels combination struck again, Matt Coles gone for 4. Next ball, debutant Kiwi Adam Milne lost his off stump to Mullaney; the fourth duck of the innings, 173 for nine. Ball picked up the last wicket as Claydon was the final Kent batsman to leave without troubling the scorers, comprehensively bowled by the Welbeck Wizard. Daniel Bell-Drummond carried his bat for a superb 84 off 169 balls with 10 fours. Apart from the first few overs from the fiery Pattinson he unlike the rest of his colleagues looked relatively secure. Pattinson too fast for the White Horse has figures of three for 30 and Mullaney sweeping up the tail with 3-1-2-3. Tea was taken between the innings.
Notts made a steady start scoring 30 off the first seven overs, but the scoring rate slowed to a crawl as conditions became tricky in the twilight. In the fifteenth over, Libby (16) edged the wily Stevens to Dickson at second slip, 36 for one. An extremely quick shortish ball from Adam Milne was too hot to handle for Brendan Taylor (6) who left his bat up and edged to Rouse, 45 for two. Patel when on 0 was then dropped off the Kiwi in the gulley by Joe Denly. However he did last long being bowled middle stump by Coles for 4, 52 for three after 20 overs. Both Mullaney and Hales were playing and missing quite a lot but rode the storm as batting became easier as the lights started to take over and the pink ball got older. Notts physio Jamie Pipe was a regular visitor to the middle as Mullaney appeared to have some kind of sickness, as he receiving treatment with a towel. All the stoppages meant close of play was not until 2140. The crowd earlier on the day was well above average as many people took the offer of a free ticket; however they started to drift away long before the close. Mullaney was dropped bu Dickson at third slip off Darren Stevens when on 50. Notts closed on 135 for three with Mullaney on 63 (118 balls – 10 x 4) and Hales on 28 (73 balls – 3 x 4), 42 overs have been bowled. Stevens was economical with his 15 overs costing 22 runs along with the wicket of Libby. But it was very much Notts’ day and Mullaney and Pattinson in particular. Dark clouds linger however; the weathermen are predicting very little play in the next two days. MAG
A pink ball and games starting Monday at 14:00. it's the day/night trial round of the Championship. Nottinghamshire play Kent, rivals towards the top of Division 2, so a loss in this potential lottery could be a huge set-back for either side.
Pink ball testing has gone well, they say - they won't need changing every 20-something over because it's got dirty and made invisible. An Australian round of games with the pink ball gave result to suggest that a new ball lasts 10 overs and then loses any swing until it gets proper dark and is under the influence of the floodlighting. Well we're playing this round of games at a point of the calendar where we have the longest days and darkness falls fully after the scheduled close of play, but we live in an upside down world so we'll have to wait and see.
It remains an exciting experiment and in being an experiment, there's bound to be some unexpected results with the form book temporarily put to one side possibly.
Is this the first time since the County Championship went to two divisions in 2000, that all 18 counties are due to play a CC game at the same time?
Notts are without Stuart Broad so you'd expect Harry Gurney to return from bar duties, swapping with his partner.
One L of a dilemma for PM
Who will make way for Alex Hales, Libby or Lumb?
Jake Libby
Steven Mullaney
Samit Patel
Brendan Taylor
Riki Wessels
Michael Lumb
Chris Read
James Pattinson
Luke Fletcher
Jake Ball
Harry Gurney
Brett Hutton
Alex Hales
Expect the weather to be annoyed and produce dry morning with wet afternoons and evenings next week.
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