Leicestershire CC2 at Trent Bridge

NOTTINGHAMSHIRE WRAP-UP EMPHATIC VICTORY

Notts had the easiest of victories today bowling Leicester out at 1401 this afternoon to win by an innings and 280 runs. It was the sixth largest innings victory in Notts’ history and the biggest since Glamorgan lost by innings and 327 runs at Trent Bridge in 1929.

The maximum point victory was the fifth of the season, Notts having won all four that James Pattinson has played. The Fox Hunt was though a very much a team performance over weak opponents who succumbed to Notts for the second time this season. The floodlit game next Monday against Kent still remains pivotal to the whole season.

Play got under way under blue skies, Horton got a two and a four off Pattinson's first two balls, but three balls later Horton edged to Read, six for one. Ball opened up from the Pavilion End and with his fifth ball had Dearden caught by Brendan Taylor at third slip for a duck, 6 for 2. Pattinson was replaced after five overs by Fletcher and the Bomber struck with his fifth ball getting Cosgrove leg before for 22, 49 for three. With the second ball of his next over Fletcher removed Ackermann (18) leg before, the South African was shocked to see umpire Paul Pollard raise his finger, 51 for four. The Metronome struck again in his third over when Pettini (2) edged to Mullaney at second slip, 61 for five. Broad bowled one over for eight from the Pavilion End and went off the field and Mullaney replaced him. Broad never returned; his long standing heel injury being the reason for his absence. Fletcher had both Eckersley (8) and Hill (14) dropped by Lumb in the gulley. Pattinson replaced Fletcher from the Radcliffe Road End, Fletcher's six over spell cost 16 runs and he had taken three wickets. Mullaney got the third leg before of the innings with Eckersley gone for 20, 91 for six. McKay had a bit of fun hitting Mullaney for consecutive sixes in an over costing 18. In the last over before lunch there was a stoppage as Hill was hit on the head following a bumper from Pattinson. In the same over and softened up, he edged to Taylor at third slip, Hill had made 15. Leicester 119 for seven at lunch.

It was the case of getting out the dust pan after lunch. With the eighth ball post interval Pattinson bowled the perfect Yorker to Klein (1) who had his middle stump detonated. McKay on 33 was then dropped at first slip by Wessels off the rampant Aussie. Three overs later Griffiths (0) edged Ball to second slip with Mullaney holding on. Raine wisely chose not to bat. Leicestershire 134 all out for a second time. McKay 41 not out off 24 balls. Samit Patel who needed just a further 22 to defeat the combined total of Leicestershire two innings led the team off. Notts the winners by an innings and 280 runs. Pattinson finished with eight wickets in the match and is without doubt the premier bowler in the Division. He currently has 28 wickets at 10.50; not since the days of Rice and Hadlee has Notts had such a spearhead with such pace and coupled with prodigious swing he will prove a handful in the upcoming Ashes encounter. The likes of Adams, Sidebottom and Stephenson were all outstanding but not as fast.

Attention Trent Bridge Tally

There remains confusion to exactly how many dismissals Chris Read requires to beat Tom Oates county record, Chris Read currently standing on 958 dismissals. The Cricket Archive site has 960 as the target to beat, however it appears that there are errors on this site and by the season by season breakdown Oates has in fact has 967 dismissals, some games it appears do not have Oates as keeper. Peter Wynne Thomas also has 967 in his paper records stored in the Bat Cave at Trent Bridge. The Notts annual quotes an incorrect total of 957. More detective work is needed checking the old scorebooks against what is stored on the internet to get the definitive answer. MAG
RECORD MAKING PATEL AND PATTINSON DOMINANT OVER FOXES


James Pattinson showed what Notts have missed during the last four championship matches by blasting half the Leicestershire batting line up away taking five for 33 as the visitors had a soul destroying day at Trent Bridge. 

Yesterday's heat wave was replaced by cloudy conditions, the forecast sun never appearing. The weather though was the only thing that did not go to script. Notts as expected scored plenty of runs today and then Pattinson proved too good for Leicester's batting line up. The visitors will start their second innings tomorrow a massive 414 runs in arrears. Samit Patel was eventually out for 243 becoming the first Notts batsman to score consecutive double tons in first class cricket.

Play got under way in cloudy conditions and in the second over Wessels (30) edged Klein to Horton at first slip, 352 for five. The fifth wicket had added 113 runs. Klein took his fifth wicket when Read edged him to keeper Lewis Hill. Read out for a 26 ball 7, 370 for six. Notts achieved maximum batting points with five balls to spare. Patel then got to consecutive double tons off 262 balls with a four through point off Ackermann and with Pattinson raised the fifth 50 partnership of the innings. The stand eventually reached 82 when Pattinson top edged Ackermann to be caught at first slip at Horton. Pattinson had scored 33 off 55 balls with six fours. Notts got to lunch on 473 for seven with Patel on 228 and Broad on 6.

Notts batted for 30 minutes after lunch. Patel and Broad added 51 for the eighth wicket, the sixth 50 partnership of the innings. Finally Patel was caught on the square leg ropes by Klein for a mammoth 247 off Colin Ackermann. Patel faced 305 balls with 29 fours and two sixes. He left to a standing ovation; another marvellous innings. Fletcher was out first ball caught behind off Klein, 504 for nine. There was still time for Broad and Ball to add unbroken 44 for the last wicket. Broad got to 50 off 51 balls with a six into the Fox Road off Ackermann. Notts 548 for nine declared off 134 overs. Broad 50 not out and Ball six not out. Dieter Klein finished with six for 142. Broad had hit four fours and three sixes.

Leicestershire lost their first wicket in the third over as a brisk delivery from James Pattinson (Radcliffe Road End) hit the seam and the extra bounce was too much for Dearden (6) who edged until Read's gloves, nine for one. Broad bowled three overs and was replaced by Fletcher who with his third ball had Ackermann caught behind for eight, 22 for two. Pattinson gave Cosgrove (9) a working over and it was no surprise when in the eleventh over the Aussie edged Pattinson and Read took his third catch of the innings, 35 for three. Pattinson bowled a seven over spell taking two wickets for 15. He was replaced by Jake Ball and in his second over had Eckersley caught by Read for three, 51 for four. Meanwhile Horton (31 off 66 balls, 5 x 4) was still hanging in there but then edged Ball to Taylor at slip, 75 for five. Leicestershire limped to tea on 76 for five with Pettini on five and Lewis Hill on 0.

After tea, Ball and Broad came on and Hill and Pettini were struggling. Pattinson replaced Ball from the Radcliffe Road End and bowled a corker that removed Hill's middle stump, 98 for six, the keeper had made 10. Pattinson was bowling at great pace, Pettini (14) turning his back edged the Victorian to Taylor at third slip, 103 for seven. Mullaney replaced Broad and removed Klein's off stump, the South African had made one. Griffiths edged Pattinson for four through the slips then drove him for four. The Australian then removed the former Lancashire's players leg stump, 113 for nine. Raine with a side strain came in with a runner and with the floodlights on and the light fading; Notts had to turn to an attack of Mullaney and Patel. Raine added 21 with McKay and Ben Raine clearly struggling with his injury edged a short delivery from Mullaney to Taylor who took a diving catch at slip. Leicestershire 134 all out; Pattinson 12-3-33-5 another top class bowling effort. Read finished with four catches and now stands on 957 dismissals just three behind Tom Oates Nottinghamshire record.

Read enforced the follow on but the light was too poor to continue so Leicestershire were saved from a further four overs of misery. Notts as expected dominated the day. MAG
SAMIT PATEL SHINES AGAIN


On a hot and oppressive day with temperatures reaching 29 degrees Celsius, Notts closed on a commanding 345 for four at TB today. Hero of the day once more was Samit Patel who carried on his rich vein of form to finish on 157 not out off 222 balls with 17 fours and one six. 

Samit is in the form of his life and this was another superb and responsible innings; with shots all around the park it was a joy to watch. Pity on Leicester who decided against having a toss and put Notts in on a pitch with green tinge. With a boiling day guaranteed it was somewhat ironic that their day was a made a lot harder by a short burst of Raine. The North Easterner breaking down with a side strain after bowling just 20 balls. Without the veteran Shreck and promising youngster Chappell they were on a hiding to nothing. McKay bowled economically and left armer Klein took three wickets, but expect Notts to bowl with much greater effect.

Leicestershire put Notts in without a toss. In the fifth over Libby (7) was strangled down the leg side off Dieter Klein, keeper Hill taking the catch; a very soft dismissal, 21 for one. Notts had a stroke of luck when Ben Raine pulled up lame mid over. Mullaney and Taylor added 55 runs for second wicket. Gavin Griffiths bowling from the Pavilion End bowled a well pitched up ball to Mullaney that swung in and removed Mullaney's middle stump. Notts 76 for 2, Mullaney 40 off 59 balls. Notts got to lunch on 105 for two with Taylor on 42 and Patel on 11.

It was slow going in the middle session as Notts added 107 runs for the loss of a single wicket. Taylor and Patel batted a further 75 minutes after lunch. Taylor got to his 50 via three overthrows as he and Patel had another miscommunication a la Chelmsford. Patel had a reprieve when he edged a ball behind, umpire Paul Pollard confirmed from square leg that the catch was taken via a bump ball. Taylor was eventually dismissed when he edged Klein to Hill behind the stumps. Taylor had scored 61 off 130 balls with nine fours; a good innings the Zimbabwean looking in no trouble until his dismissal. The third wicket had added 80.in 24 overs. Patel was then joined by Lumb as Notts made untroubled progress getting tea on 212 for 3 with Patel on 70 and Lumb on 26.

Notts made hay in the final session adding a further 132 runs for the loss of Michael Lumb. Lumb survived two confident leg before appeals from Klein bowling from the Pavilion End. It was third time lucky for the South African left armer as Lumb played on for 36 (72 balls; 3 x 4), 239 for four. Eighty three had been added for the fourth wicket in 25 overs. Patel then went to overdrive. He reached his ton in 172 balls with three runs off Ackermann towards the long leg side boundary on the Bridgford Road side. It took him only another 44 balls to reach 150. Leicestershire delayed taking the new ball until 86.4 overs had been bowled. McKay's first ball with the new cherry was deposited into the Fox Road Stand by Patel. The ball was damaged and replaced shortly afterwards. With Wessels on 28 not out at the close; the partnership with Patel is so far worth 106. Notts on 345 for four will be looking for a total of 450 to 500 to put pressure on the Foxes. Patel 157 not out has now scored 602 runs in red and white ball cricket in the last nine days for once out. Astonishing. The visitors put a spirited fielding and bowling display today but probably fear the thought of facing Pattinson, Broad and Ball tomorrow. The pitch on the Fox Road side of the square is playing relatively well but is on the slow side. Interesting Griffiths with the second ball got a couple to lift off the seam. Notts should be looking for another dominant day tomorrow. MAG

Peter Moores has a near full deck to choose his hand from for the first entirely mid-week Championship game of 2017, starting on Monday. Heroes Mullaney and Taylor might find themselves separated when Championship opener Jake Libby returns. How Moores decides will be interesting because in losing Alex Hales and Jake Ball's probable availability he can recall upon Lukes Fletcher and Wood or Brett Hutton.  Regardless of who Peter picks, the eleven have to take 20 Leicestershire wickets and win to get the Nottinghamshire promotion train back on the mainline after three draws on the bounce have taken Notts into a siding, waiting to be passed by the likes of Kent or Worcestershire.

Jake Libby

Steven Mullaney

Samit Patel

Michael Lumb

Riki Wessels

Brendan Taylor

Chris Read

Stuart Broad

James Pattinson

Luke Fletcher

Harry Gurney

Jake Ball

Luke Wood

Greg Smith

Brett Hutton

Billy Root