Lancashire Specsavers CC1 at Trent Bridge Loss

Day 3

ONIONS ROOTS OUT NOTTS

A poor defeat that Notts shallot forget in a hurry but should chive to learn from.

Notts offered little fight this morning, losing their last five wickets in 63 minutes at Trent Bridge as Lancashire gained a comprehensive victory by an innings and 67 runs. Graeme Onions with 6 for 55 and James Anderson 4 for 26 bowled unchanged this morning. Both probably consider Trent Bridge to be their favourite venue making it slightly mystifying that Notts decided to produce a green wicket for this fixture. Ultimately Notts were outclassed with both bat and ball, but they wIll be satisfied with three wins from their opening five fixtures. Their championship destiny is going to hinge on Broad's availability over the last nine fixtures,; with the home games against Worcester and Surrey likely to be the matches he will be allowed to play in. The batting remains the most obvious concern with only Billy Root in reserve. Chris Nash has yet to fire and the last five in the order appear to offer little in terms of crease occupation. The availability of Coughlin for the last six weeks of the season could prove crucial.

Onions (Radcliffe End) ane Anderson (Pavilion End) opened the bowling in bright sunshine. In the seventh over of the morning, a truly awful shot by Moores (9) chasing a very wide delivery from Onions saw him edge to keeper Vilas, 118 for six. Broad lasted eight balls before falling leg before as Onions picked up his fifth wicket, 126 for seven. Fletcher lasted two balls before falling leg before to Anderson, 127 for eight. Libby was next to go edging Anderson to Livingstone at second slip. Libby 46 off 144 balls. He batted grittly in both innings. Jake Ball was last to go holing out to the deep square leg ropes, Onions sixth wicket, Notts 138 all out. Mr Extras on the honours board with a solid 24. NOTTS THRASHED MAG

Day 2

RED ROSE RAMPANT

A Jennings ton and key wickets for Onions & Anderson almost seal Nottinghamshire's fate on Day 2

Notts still need another 99 runs with only five wickets standing to avoid an innings defeat after another poor day at Trent Bridge. A Keaton Jennings inspired Lancashire first innings saw them achieve 338 all out to bat Notts out of the game. Stuart Broad was by some margin Notts best bowler putting in a wholehearted bowling effort; thoroughly deserving his four wickets. Experienced pair Jimmy Anderson and Graeme Onions reduced Notts to 1 for three and 24 for 4 as they tore into the Notts fragile top order with the new ball. Notts have looked second best throughout this game with top batter Ross Taylor bagging a pair. New signing Chris Nash continues to struggle and will hope to find form in the next three weeks playing 50 over white ball cricket. Notts can take heart from two gritty innings from Jake Libby but precious little else.

On a sunny morning Broad (Pavilion End) and Ball (Radcliffe Road End) opened the bowling. In the seventh over of the morning, Dane Vilas drove Broad who took a good caught and bowled low to his left, the Kolpak keeper gone for 20, 180 for five. Four overs later, Croft (5) flashed at a wide delivery from Broad and Moores took the catch, 196 for six. Lancashire reached 200 in the 53rd over via a slashed four by Jordan Clark. Gurney replaced Ball and his length and line went awry, Clark swishing him for six over point. Samit Patel came on and Jennings on 95 charged down the pitch and was beaten in flight, Moores behind the wicket snatched at the ball and missed an easy stumping chance. The 50 partnership between Jennings and Clark came up in 62 balls. A two for Clark off Mullaney saw Lancashire to their second batting point in the 65th over. A leg side single off Mullaney saw Jennings to his ton off 214 balls. Jake Ball tempted Clark with a series of short balls and after a couple of leg side boundaries he top edged Ball to Fletcher at third man who took the catch. Clark out for 40 off 65 balls with 4 fours and 1 six. Ball’s 150th championship wicket. Lunch was then taken with Lancashire 281 for seven with Jennings on 111. They had scored 124 runs for the loss of three wickets in the morning session.

The Lancashire 300 came up in the 78th over. Next over a short leg side delivery from Ball saw Bailey (11) tickle the ball to Moores, 301 for eight, Notts took the new ball with Lancashire 320 for eight after 80 overs. Fletcher conceded three, then with his first ball with new Cherry, Broad dismissed Jennings. A superb ball jagged in as Jennings shouldered arms and lost his off stump. Jennings out for 126 off 247 balls with 21 fours, 323 for nine. Jennings seems to reserve his best for Notts. Onions and Anderson added an unlikely 15 for the last wicket. Lancashire 338 all out, Broad the standout bowler with 4 for 41 in for once an indifferent bowling performance from the Green and Gold.

Notts needed 205 to avoid an innings defeat. Another airy fairy shot saw the end of Mullaney dragging on to Anderson off the last ball of the first over, 0 for one. The skipper needs to tighten his game against the new ball, he is currently being far too cavalier. Nash's woes continued playing down the wrong line to Onions and being out for a five ball duck, one for two. Taylor was out first ball leg before playing back, another wicket for Onions. Taylor's third consecutive duck versus Lancashire this season. Patel averted the hat trick. Patel hit four fours in his 15 ball 16 but became Anderson's second victim hitting him to Davies at backward point, 24 for four. Notts limped to tea on 47 for 4 with Libby on 15 and Wessels on 13.

After tea the light started to deteriorate and the floodlights came on as Notts showed some fight. The 50 partnership between Wessels and Libby was achieved in 116 balls. A well pitched ball from Onions kept a bit low and saw Wessels depart leg before for 35 off 68 balls (6 x 4). The fifth wicket had added 68 runs in 26 overs. With light rain falling and the light getting worse, skipper Livingstone had to put himself on and in his first over the 37th of the innings the Notts 100 came up via a two for Libby. Jennings came on from the Pavilion End. Rain stopped play at 1743 with 11 overs unbowled with Notts 106 for five; Libby on 38 and Moores on 5. Play was called off shortly afterwards. It looks a hopeless cause for Notts when play resumes at 1100 tomorrow. MAG

Day 1

LANCASHIRE ASSUME CONTROL 

Notts finish day one with it all to do

Lancashire finished the first day of this fixture in a strong position. Having bowled Notts out for a meagre 133 they closed with a lead of 24 with six first innings wickets still standing. Notts who were inserted on a cloudy morning with the wicket giving the bowlers some assistance. However their total was well under par as once again too many batsmen threw their wickets away. Jake Libby the top scorer was out on the stroke of lunch with 34 to his name and Notts never recovered. Samit Patel looked the most comfortable of the batsmen but once again was involved in a run out, this time running himself out following a miscommunication with Tom Moores. Notts were poor with the new ball and Lancashire capitalised getting off to a lightening start. Gurney and Fletcher slowed the run rate down but the visitors showing greater discipline at the crease ended the day in pole position.

An unchanged Notts were inserted on a green pitch following an uncontested toss. It must have been an easy decision for Lancashire captain Liam Livingstone to make. The visitors were without Aussie Joe Mennie. Off the 11th ball of the day a terrible waft outside off stump by Mullaney (3) saw him caught at second slip by Livingstone off Onions. Anderson bowled an eight over spell from the Radcliffe Road End costing 11 runs and he was replaced by the returning Onions. In the second over of his new spell Nash (16) guided Onions to Croft at backward point, 46 for two. Onions got his third wicket bringing the ball back in and rapping Taylor on the pad. The Kiwi gone for a seven ball duck, 50 for three. Notts were making slow progress and on the stroke of lunch Jake Libby was caught at second slip by Livingstone for 34 (85 balls, 6 x 4) off Clark. Notts 80 for 4 off 29.4 overs at the break with Patel on 14. Very much Lancashire's morning and it was going to get a lot worse for Notts.

Twenty minutes after lunch Anderson got a ball moved away from Wessels (9) and he edged it into Vilas gloves, 99 for five. The 100 came up for Notts in 36th over via a leg glanced four by Patel off Clark. Another run out involving Patel saw him run out for 27, 104 for six. It was another yes, no, wait situation, this time Samit running himself out. Tom Moores was easy pickings for Anderson, edging to Vilas with a single to his name, 106 for seven. Broad survived a confident leg before shout, then the following ball was dropped by Jennings at first slip, then was dropped again next ball at second slip by Livingstone, Anderson the unlucky bowler. Broad went for his shots hitting Bailey for six over extra cover, but next ball Bailey got his revenge as Broad put the ball straight down deep square legs throat. Broad gone for 20, 128 for 8. Ball (2) lasted nine balls then nibbled Bailey to Vilas, 132 for nine. Ball the leading wicket taker in the First Division had earlier been named Notts player of the month. Fletcher was last man out comprehensively bowled by Bailey for five, 133 all out off 47.1 overs. Three wickets apiece for Bailey and Onions and two for Anderson. They had bowled well as a unit but were aided and abetted by poor Notts batting.



Ball (Radcliffe Road End) and Broad (Pavilion End) opened the bowling but openers Davies and Jennings got off a lightening start against wayward bowling, Lancashire 39 off six overs. Fletcher replaced Ball and had Davies caught at first slip by Taylor with his first ball, unfortunately it was a no ball. Davies hit the next ball for four through the covers. The 50 partnership came up in just 46 balls. At tea, Lancashire 73 for 0 off 14 overs with Davies on 46 and Jennings on 17. Notts were to have a better closing session.

Davies got to his 50 off 39 balls with a four through the covers off Fletcher. Next ball Davies was bowled by Fletcher for 50 (9 x 4),77 for one. The floodlights were then switched on. Hameed looked a player lacking confidence and he was out strangled down the leg side by Fletcher for a 13 ball duck, 87 for two. Liam Livingstone (8) became the second batsman caught down the leg side. Moores taking a good catch diving to his left, Gurney the bowler, 96 for three. Mullaney after three weeks absence from bowling came on to bowl the 33rd over from the Radcliffe Road End. Chanderpaul hit Mullaney for three successive fours in Mullaney’s second over. The over cost 14 as Lancashire took the lead with seven wickets in hand. Mullaney got his revenge by getting Chanderpaul completely plumb leg before for 23 in his next over, 143 for four. Patel came on at the Pavilion End and was hit for a leg side four by Jennings who reached his 50 (9 x 4) in 126 balls. Play was suspended for bad light shortly afterwards at 1831 with Lancashire 157 for 4 off 41 overs, with 5 overs unused with Jennings on 52 and Vilas on 9. Notts will have to bowl like demons tomorrow morning to stay in the game. Rain is forecast tomorrow from mid afternoon onwards. MAG





























Steven Mullaney (c), 
Jake Libby, 
Chris Nash,
Ross Taylor, 
Samit Patel,
Riki Wessels,
Tom Moores (wkt), 
Stuart Broad, 
Luke Fletcher,
Jake Ball,
Harry Gurney, 
Matt Milnes, 
Billy Root.

Haseeb Hameed scored a half century for the seconds this week in a Trophy match..

The Lancashire squad is Liam Livingstone (c), James Anderson, Tom Bailey, Shiv Chanderpaul, Jordan Clark, Steven Croft, Alex Davies, Haseeb Hameed, Keaton Jennings, Graham Onions, Stephen Parry, Matt Parkinson, Dane Vilas