Essex Specsavers CC1 at Chelmsford Win

Day 4

NOTTS TROUNCE ESSEX BY 301 RUNS

Matt Milnes has Essex on all fours

Notts  took the remaining 6 Essex wickets in just 105 minutes this morning to gain an emphatic 301 run victory over last years champions. Matt Milnes took a further two wickets to finish with figures of 4 for 44, he bowled well throughout the whole game.

Play got under way in bright sunshine and in front of a crowd of around 400. In the third over of the morning Bopara (39) was lucky to survive a leg before decision from Milnes, but next ball he edged Milnes into substitute keeper Tom Keast's gloves, 94 for five. Next over Porter became Keast's second victim as edged Fletcher, 94 for 6. Nightwatch man Porter out for a 27 ball duck. Six overs later Harmer (6) had his stumps demolished by Gurney, 114 for seven. In his next over Gurney got Wheater  (16) to play on to his leg stump, and the fat lady was now singing. Coles then became Milnes second victim of the morning and Keast's third catch departing for 9, 133 for nine. Last pair Wagner and Quinn lasted 67 balls. There was a long hold up after Quinn was hit on the helmet from a delivery from Milnes. Milnes who had fine game finally went off after a ten over spell and on came Carter, Patel then replaced Gurney. It was Samit who took the last wicket as Wagner (5) was dismissed via a sharp slip catch by Taylor. Patel 2 for 1 off 29 balls. Essex 139 all out. Notts had pulled off an emphatic victory with a depleted team. Well done all. MAG

Dat 3

THE NEXT GENERATION TAKE NOTTS INTO A GREAT POSITION

Another good day for Notts as Essex closed on 88 for 4 still needing an unlikely 353 runs to gain a victory. The two Notts stars of the day were Tom Moores and Matt Milnes. Moores carrying an ankle injury on with Libby as a runner batted superbly blasting 87 off 80 balls with seven fours and seven sixes. Most of the sixes were clean straight ones taking advantage of the short straight boundaries at New Writtle Street. At times he looked in great pain, hobbling after playing his shots, but it clearly did not effect his ability to hit the ball. Having come in at 143 for seven Moores took the game away from Essex, the last wicket added 58 with Gurney ending with nought not out. One over from Harmer went for 27 as stand in captain Westley lost his way. Before lunch Notts struggled as Coles, Quinn and in particular, Wagner proved a handful but Notts rode the storm. When Essex batted opening pair Fletcher and Milnes both outstanding opening spells removing three wickets in the opening 11 overs. Milnes removed Cook to a leg before decision and then bowled the ball of the day removing Chopra's middle stump. Just before the close golden arm Samit Patel removed Lawrence via a caught and bowled effort and Essex go into the final day very much on the ropes. The pitch is taking a little turn and their are elements of uneven bounce so Notts will be disappointed if they do not complete victory tomorrow.

The opening session played with a clear blue sky was a struggle for Notts scoring 88 runs for the loss of 4 wickets, no batsman really looked in, playing and missing with regularity. After opening with three successive maidens, Quinn struck with the first ball of the fourth over removing Milnes' (3) off stump, 35 for two. Patel still struggling for form edged a delivery from Coles to Wheater to depart for 15, 83 for three in the 28th over. Taylor (4) yet again played on as Coles bowling from the River End picked up his second wicket, 87 for four. Libby reached his 50 off 88 balls with a single off Wagner. In his next over Wagner comprehensively bowled Libby for 51 (5 x 4), 95 for five. Wessels was then dropped second ball by Harmer at second slip off Neil Wagner. A couple of no balls saw Notts limped to 100 in the 37th over. Harmer came on the River End and his first ball was hit for a straight six by Root. Notts got lunch on 123 for five off 41 overs with Root on 16 and Wessels on 14.

Wessels (14) painful struggle ended in the second over after lunch edging Wagner to Wheater, 123 for six. Wessels and Patel have just three first class fifties between them this season. Twenty five minutes after lunch Billy Root was caught at slip by Cook off Harmer for 28, 143 for seven. Moores came in at number nine after sustaining a suspected sprained right ankle with Libby as a runner. After a marathon 15 over spell from the River End Wagner was replaced by Matt Coles. The limping Moores hit Harmer for a legside four and next ball hit Harmer for a six over mid wicket. Next over Moores played the ball back to bowler Coles who deflected the ball onto the stumps, Fletcher backing up too far run out for 18, 178 for eight. The 200 came up in the 63rd over. Carter (14) then edged Quinn to Chopra at slip, 208 for nine. Porter returned and was hit for six by Moores over midwicket. Moores hit Harmer for six over long off, a straight driven for four, then reverse swept him for four and then a straight six, a six over long on and a single, 27 off the over. Moores had raced to 50 in 63 balls and then Bopara having his first bowl off the game was hit for a six over long on by Moores and then three balls later Moores hit a straight six to bring the 50 partnership, which Gurney had not contributed a run. Moores was finally out caught by Wheater off Porter for 87 (80 balls 7 x 4 7 x 6). Notts 266 all out.

Essex needed 441 to win. Wessels took the gloves for the first 15 overs of the innings until being replaced by Tom Keast. Fletcher (Hayes Close End) and Milnes (River End) took the new ball. Milnes having bowled so well against Cook in the first innings finally got his man with the fourth ball, Cook leg before for a quack, 6 for one. A crackerjack ball from Matt Milnes saw the ball jag back and remove Chopra's middle peg, Chopra gone for 14, 15 for two. Westley (9) got an inside edge as he played on the Bulwell Bomber, 31 for three. After seven over spells Fletcher and Milnes were replaced by Gurney and Carter. Batting became easier as the 50 partnership between Lawrence and Bopara took 18 overs. With six overs remaining Milnes returned from the River End. Then Patel came on for a twirl from the Hayes Close End and removed Lawrence first ball caught and bowled for 30, 86 for four. Essex added a further two runs as they closed on 88 for 4 with Bopara on 33 and nightwatchman Porter yet to score. Another great day with the younger brigade very much to the fore. MAG Day 2

NOTTS BOWLERS TAKE ADVANTAGE

A superb day for Notts saw them 209 runs to the good with nine second innings wickets standing on a wicket with some turn and instances of low bounce. After Notts added 69 runs this morning for the loss of their last four first innings wickets. Essex lost their first three wickets for 26 after an outstanding opening burst from Fletcher and the highly promising Milnes. Cook (33) dropped on 19 by Taylor at slip added 54 with Bopara for the fourth wicket but then edged Gurney to Carter at slip who took a smart catch. Carter once more performed with the ball taking four wickets and Essex despite 69 from Ravi Bopara and a quickfire 37 from Wagner they were bowled out for 204. Notts with a lead of 174 and with the wicket expected to deteriorate sensibly decided to bat again closed on 35 for one.

Notts lasted 19.1 overs of the morning session. Porter bowled the first over from the Hayes Close End and after Fletcher took a single, Moores (28) fell two balls later edging into Wheater's gloves, 312 for seven. Carter came in and hit 4 fours in his 30 ball 19 but then holed out to midwicket ropes off Harmer, 341 for eight. An edged four by Milnes off Wagner followed by two by Fletcher off Harmer saw Notts to the fourth batting point. Next ball Fletcher hit Harmer out of the ground over mid wicket. Notts 358 for eight off 110 overs. Fletcher (19) was dropped at backward point by Chopra off Wagner but off the very next ball he was caught ballooning the ball to Coles at mid wicket, 362 for nine. Milnes then hit Harmer for a straight six. A two followed and then an offside four, 12 off the over. There are not many better sights in cricket than Wagner being hit for six over mid wicket by Harry Gurney, but after this delight. Matt Milnes was out in identical fashion to Carter, caught Wagner at deep midwicket bowled Harmer 22, Notts 380 all out off 115.1 overs.. Harmer the pick of the bowlers with 4 for 78.

Essex having 74 overs to bat lost Chopra leg before for a duck in the fifth over of the innings bowled by Fletcher from the Hayes Close End, 6 for one. Milnes bowled a good three over spell before lunch as Essex got to the interval on 18 for one with Cook on 10 and Westley on 8.

With the fifth ball after lunch Matt Milnes had Westley plumb leg before for 8, 19 for two. In the 13th Lawrence (1) edged Fletcher on to his pad the ball then balloning to Nash in the gully, 26 for three. In the next over Milnes had Cook dropped on 19 at third slip by Taylor. After conceding 21 runs in a nine over spell either side of lunch Milnes was replaced at the River End by Matt Carter. Gurney replaced Fletcher. Cook and Bopara raised the 50 partnership in 16 overs. Gurney a Bertie Bassett as ever got Cook to edge one in his sixth over and Carter took a smart catch low down at second slip, Cook gone for 33, 80 for 4. The Essex 100 came up in the 36th over via an edged two off Patel ball that turned considerably. Patel had replaced Carter who had gone off the field temporarily. Bopara reached his 50 off 69 balls. On the stroke of tea Wheater (24) edged Fletcher to Moores who took an easy catch, 124 for 5. Matt Carter returned for the last over before tea and with his second ball had Harmer leg before. Essex 125 for six at the interval Bopara 50 not out.

Four balls after tea, Coles became the fourth leg before victim of the innings as Fletcher removed him for 4, 130 for seven. Bopara decided to attack and hit Carter for four, a six over mid wicket and a legside four, 15 off the over. Bopara though did not last much longer, attempting to pull Carter he was bowled for 69, 156 for eight. Gurney returned from the Hayes Close End and was hit for for consecutive boundaries and then two successive leg side sixes, 21 off the over. Wagner (37) then hit Carter for a low straight six but perished next ball skying Carter to Fletcher in the covers, 185 for nine. Quinn and Porter got Essex to a single batting point. Carter picked up the last wicket as Quinn (16) was caught on the mid wicket ropes by Libby. Carter outstanding once more with 4 for 34.and Fletcher 4 for 43 was equally superb. Essex 206 all out.

With a lead of 174 Notts did not decide to enforce the follow on. Notts had 12 overs to bat and took 14 off Porter's opening over from the Hayes Close End. Nash (8) lasted 25 balls before edging Quinn to keeper Adam Wheater, 21 for one. Milnes came in as nightwatchman and was unbeaten on 3 and with Libby on 20, Notts 35 for one. MAG

Day 1
BIG ROSCOE CENTURY FINDS THE NOTTS ROOT TO PROSPERITY AT CHELMSFORD


Ross Taylor was the star man today at Chelmsford with a chanceless 146 as Notts had a good day closing on 311 for six.

 After electing to bat, stand in skipper Nash was badly dropped third ball at first slip and cashed in by scoring his second consecutive first class half ton. Taylor after a tentative start grew in confidence and was particularly strong square of the wicket, through extra cover and through the vacant third man area. After losing Libby and Patel relatively early, Nash batted the morning session but departed for a well made 51 in the second over after lunch. The key partnership of the innings was between Taylor and Billy Root who finally got more time to build an innings by being promoted up the order to number five and justifying it. They added 122 runs in 36 overs to put Notts in the ascendancy on a wicket where off spinner Simon Harmer is already extracting turn. Essex bowled well and were unlucky not to pick up more early wickets. Root was dismissed soon after tea and Wessels followed half an hour later. With 21 balls remaining Taylor was dismissed having made Notts highest individual score of the season. With Notts having a long tail Essex will be hoping to mop up Notts quickly tomorrow morning.

On a sunny morning Notts elected to bat. The only change from Taunton was Gurney coming in for Mullaney. Captain Chris Nash was dropped off the third ball of the innings, Jamie Porter bowling from the Hayes Close End got him to edge to Chopra at first slip who put down a regulation chance.Matt Quinn playing his first championship match of the season opened up from the River End and claimed the first wicket in the tenth over, Jake Libby (5) inexplicably shouldering arms and losing his off stump, 26 for one. The Notts 50 came up in the 17th over via a streaky looped four over the slips by Patel off Wagner. The Kiwi left armer who had replaced Porter was giving Samit a torrid time with a barrage of short pitched balls. Patel never looked settled batting too high at three and fell plumb leg before to Coles for 20, 60 for two. Ross Taylor came in and took advantage of the vacant third man area. Just on the stroke of lunch Harmer replaced Coles from the River End. The Notts 100 came up in the 29th as Taylor once more edged Coles through third man. Notts got to lunch on 109 for 2 after 30 overs with Nash on 48 and Taylor on 32. The feature of the session was the large proportion of the runs scored behind the wicket.

Nash was out in the second over after lunch, leg before to Quinn for 51 off 84 balls (10 x 4), 113 for three. Root surprisingly came in at number five. An hour after lunch Taylor got to his 50 in 73 balls. Harmer then returned at the River End and in his second over was hit for a straight six by Root. The 200 came up in the 54th over via a pulled four through square leg by Root off Matt Coles. A pulled four through mid wicket off Neil Wagner saw Ross Taylor get to his first Notts ton off 124 balls with 18 fours. The middle session was won by Notts who had added 120 runs for the loss of Nash. At tea Notts 229 for three off 64 overs with Taylor on 110 and Root on 32.

In the fourth over after tea Simon Harmer got a ball to turn and Root (32 off 112 balls 4 x 4 1 x 6) edged him to Chopra at first slip. The fourth wicket had added 122 runs in 36 overs. In the 75th overs Notts reached their second batting point. Two overs before the new ball was due Wessels was leg before to Harmer for 13, 257 for five. Captain Westley took the new ball late at 84.2 overs with Porter bowling from the Hayes Close End. Quinn only had two overs with the new ball as Harmer returned. Next over the 91st of the innings saw Notts reached 300. Keeper Wheater dropped Moores on 26 off Harmer who was getting the odd ball to turn. Next over with 21 balls remaining Taylor edged Porter to Wheater. Taylor out for 146 made off 208 balls with 23 fours. An excellent effort. Moores batted responsibly to finish with 28 and was joined by Fletcher with two as Notts closed on 311 for six. MAG



Jake Libby
Chris Nash
Samit Patel
Ross Taylor
Riki Wessels 
Billy Root
Tom Moores
Luke Fletcher
Matt Carter
Matt Milnes
Harry Gurney