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DURHAM OLD HEADS TOO CANNY FOR GUNG-HO OUTLAWS
Another poor Trent Bridge batting performance saw Notts collapse from 67 for 0 after 4.5 overs to 150 all out off 18 overs and a resultant 34 run defeat against visitors Durham. Notts surprisingly inserted Durham, Notts being far stronger defending rather than chasing a total. The visitors were indebted to a splendid innings of 98 (off 55 balls with 8 fours and 3 sixes) from Captain Tom Latham; the left handed innings was more a result of excellent placement rather than power hitting. Durham eventually reached what looked like a slightly over par score of 184. Notts bowling was mixed with Gurney, Fletcher and Ball, only given eight overs between them, the latter though looked rusty following a long spell with England spent mostly carrying drinks. The fielding performance left a lot to be desired with too many fumbles in the field. In front of a crowd of 10012, Mullaney and Wessels got Notts off to a rapid start but they were then dismissed on consecutive overs. The mid order of Moores, Patel and Root struggled as Weighell, Tahir and Collingwood turned the screw. With the inexperienced Fraine at seven and then the long tail to come it was a case of Christian or bust. The skIpper got to 32 off 21 balls before holing out; with it the match had gone. Notts are badly missing the experienced Alex Hales and Chris Nash. In addition with Coughlin struggling for fitness the balance of the team is not what it should be. Sodhi had another poor game at Trent Bridge and the decision to not go for two overseas batters for the T20 could yet come back and bite Notts on the bum. Some would argue that Matt Carter could be performing Sodhi’s role.
Jake Ball who came in for Paul Coughlin bowled the first over from the Radcliffe Road End and conceded six. The other change saw Wessels come in for Libby. Gurney was hit for three fours in four deliveries by Clark in an over costing 14. Christian replaced Ball and conceded eight runs. Ball came on for the fourth over and his last three balls were hit for four by Clark, Durham 41 for 0 after four overs. Ball (2-0-19-0) did not bowl again. Fletcher bowled the fifth over and a Yorker removed Clark leg before for 33 off 20 balls (6 x 4), 50 for one. Christian then went for eight, 58 for one at the end of the power play.
Patel came on from the Radcliffe Road End and conceded four. Sodhi bowled over number 8 and a full toss was hit for six by Latham, 11 off the over. Patel conceded eight, 81 for one off 9 overs. Latham hit Mullaney for six over square leg, Mullaney ten off his solitary over. Collingwood started slowly but hit Sodhi for six over mid wicket. Sodhi got his revenge next ball as Collingwood (15) was caught on the square leg ropes by Patel, 99 for two. A single for Latham saw him to 50 off 27 balls. Latham was dropped at mid wicket off Gurney for 50, a very difficult chance to his right by the skipper. Next ball Weighell departed leg before for a three ball duck, 102 for three. Gurney conceded four off the over. Will Smith (5) holed out to Jake Ball at deep square leg as Patel picked up his first wicket,109 for 4 in the 13th over. Christian bowled the next over, Durham 117 for four after 14 overs. Patel (4-0-21-1) conceded four off the bat in his last over. Latham hit Christian for four through third man and then a six over backward square leg. An edged four followed and then a four through extra cover, 20 off the over, Christian 4-0-42-0. Sodhi bowled the 17th over and his Kiwi compatriot reverse swept him for four. Davies then hit Sodhi for six as Patel failed to hold on to the catch on the ropes, Sodhi 3-0-35-1 a poor second best to Tahir who put in a much more better spell after the interval. Latham and Davies had added 50 in 26 balls. Latham lapped Fletcher for four, 10 off the over. Davies (16) fell to good diving catch on the run by Tom Moores, Gurney the bowler, 168 for five. Gurney 3-0-23-2. Poynter hit Fletcher (3-0-31-1) for a leg side four as Durham closed on 184 for five. Latham 98 not out off 55 balls; an innings which saw him later named man of the match.
Smith's first two balls were deposited for four through the covers by Mullaney who then lofted him for four over long on. Wessels hit Smith through extra cover, 19 off the first over. Rushworth was hit for a four through square leg by Wessels, second ball was dispatched through the covers for four, 29 for 0 after 2 overs. Wessels hit Weighell's second ball for four, but the rest of the over were dot balls. Wessels then hit Rimmington for six over long on and next ball Wessels pulled him for four. The 50 was brought up in 22 balls as a Rimmington full toss went for six into The Fridge. Wessels followed it with ramped four, 22 off the over. Rushworth's return saw him blasted for a massive six over mid wicket by Wessels. Wessels then hit a four off Rushworth on the leg side backward of the wicket. Wessels was then bowled by Rushworth for 42 off 20 balls with five fours and three sixes, 67 for one off five overs. Notts had the perfect platform but then collapsed spectacularly. The impressive Weighell (3-0-19-2) yorked Mullaney for 25 off 12 balls with five fours. Patel then hit Weighell through the covers for four, 73 for two at the end of the power play.
Collingwood bowled the seventh over as Moores hit him for an offside four, nine off the over. Imran Tapir conceded two off the ninth over as Moores struggled to read him. Patel going for an expansive drive was bowled by Collingwood for a seven ball seven, 86 for three. Moores then inside edged Collingwood for four, Notts 91 for three off nine overs. Smith returned and conceded six. A perfect Yorker from Rimmington removed Moores for 15, 97 for four. Nathan Rimmington went for six off the over. Tahir then returned and Root was caught at short cover by Latham for six, 103 for five. Dan Christian should have been run out on 5 as he hesitated over a single with Fraine, the keeper missing an easy chance to hit the stumps after Christian was sent back, 105 for five after 12 overs. Fraine was leg before to Collingwood for a 4 ball single, 106 for six. Collingwood going for three off the over. Christian hit a straight six off Tahir. Christian was then dropped at long off by Weighell off Tahir when 14. Fletcher perished caught at long on by Weighell off Collingwood for three, Notts a batsman light 120 for seven off 15 overs. Collingwood three for 25 in his 4 over stint. Sodhi (3) fell to catch at long off as Tahir picked up his second wicket, 129 for eight. Christian hit Weighell for a straight six. But then fell to catch at long on, Christian 32 off 21 balls with two sixes. Tahir bowled 4-0-20-2. Ball hit Rimmington for six over long off. Gurney was caught behind off Rimmington (2-0-21-1) for a golden duck. Notts 150 all out with 12 balls unused. Ball 8 not out. Notts’ home record remains far inferior to their very impressive away form, Notts will be hoping for a much improved effort against Leicester on Friday. MAG
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| Outlaws on the ropes! |
YES, interesting that Jimmy boy is happy to practice in a second team game(and hastily arranged not on the fixtures), whilst Stuart THE Broad seems to be happy experimenting in the Notts first eleven and of course, the DOC is more than happy to let him do that(well, at least whilst he was committed to England)Also, shows what a strange game T20 really is, a weak Durham hit 220 and will it ever RAINE smacks a hundred off nothing for the foxes - a very hard game to call me thinks
ReplyDeleteDear Peter
ReplyDeleteStop playing Sodhi at Trent Bridge please
Your sincerely
10012 Outlaws fans
Short boundaries and a flat track at the HOME OF CRICKET, certainly do not assist Mr Sodhi, who has bowled well so far this season, generally, but as the no1 world rated spinner(?), surely must have more to offer in games? Usual protagonists billy roooooot and will fraine seem to have little to offer in most games and yet again we were relying for Dan the Man to produce something heroic, which he cannot be expected to produce every time he goes to the wicket. The ridiculously long tail for t20 is not helping us. Superb spell of bowling by Samit, but a weak batting line up is relying for his usual impact with the willow and he is chronically out of touch at the moment. Of course if we had managed to strengthen the squad over the winter and even possibly signed a DREADED team KOLPAK player we might have more options, but our ex England selector the DOC himself doesn't seem to think there's any out there good enough, so instead let's sign an unproven, inexperienced club cricketer instead. No need to panic Mr Jones, still think we will finish in the top four, a lot of t20 is just on the day after all, but not sure those short boundaries and tactics from previous campaigns will be quite as effective with a much weaker batting unit
ReplyDeleteIt's a power game, T20, and beyond Riki, Mull, Young Moores and DC there ain't much of it in the batting that remains.
DeleteFair to say that our performance against Durham will not live long in the memory.Last season is almost beginning to seem like a distant dream. Whilst it's true we should qualify for the quarters it could well be as the away side.
ReplyDeleteMaybe that's not a bad thing given the way we are playing at home,Too many times we seem to take the gung-ho approach in the belive that if one fails someone else will step in and do the necessary All very well when you are at fuĺl strength. Sadly that's not likely to happen any time soon .
Our biggest problems seem to be a lack of batting depth in our squad ,Something which hopefully our highly paid DOC
Is planning to remedy very soon
Yes, as per MAGs report,in hindsight could/should we have gone for Carter and signed another batsman to go with DC? Wouldn't normally agree with Gnasher walking straight back given the form he is in, but, we need his experience and that also allows Mull to return to his usual place in the order.Desperately unlucky with Hales unavailability due to both the England itinerary and now injury.As one of the previous comments mentions today's t20 has become a power game and the more players in your side that can biff it over the ropes so much the better.There may still be room for a touch player like Rootdog and his batting craft but you've got to be exceptionally good at it when often faced chasing targets down of 180plus
ReplyDeleteUsually in T20, a batsman only gets himself out; bowlers keep 'em guessing with a variety of deliveries but the batter is always looking to take the calculated risk and gets it wrong and gets out. As Outlaws are failing at the top of the order and that is trickling down to added pressure on the lower order, why doesn't one ofthe opening batsman take the responsibility, have the job to stay in, rotate the strike with singles but stay in until over number 15 or so. Losing both openers inside the powerplay, rarely leads to success when compared to not losing an opening bat in the PP.
ReplyDelete