Nottinghamshire News: Lisa Pursehouse

09/09

According to this article in the Cricketer, Ms Pursehouse will shortly be crowned as Trent Bridge H*ndred franchise club CEO, elevating herself from a director's role, a role for which the Notts CCC Chair is also listed as holding on Companies House. There, obviously, has never been any conflict of interest, not even during the current men's schedule discussions.

07/09

Haseeb Hameed: "I think my ambition to play for England will always be there"

TANYA ALDRED: Nottinghamshire’s County Championship captain on their title challenge this season, his hopes for an England recall, and what he does off the field

Where do you live now?

I've got a house in Nottingham, but it's not ready for me to move into just yet, so I tend to come back up north to see family around games and whenever I get the opportunity. I think it helps as well, it almost feels that when I'm driving across to Nottingham, I'm getting myself ready for work. And then I've got a bit of time to chill out when I get back up here.

How are you finding the responsibility of being club captain?

It's my second season and I'm really enjoying it. It's obviously a huge honour, and until you take on the captaincy, you don't quite see what goes on in the life and role of the captain. It is really important to get your feet properly under the table and understand how you want to go about doing it. I feel like I'm in a better place having gone through the experience of last year.

Was it something that you thought you'd be good at?

It is something that I did a little bit, growing up. I was captain on a few occasions in junior set-ups, I did a little bit for the Lancashire second XI towards the back end of my time there, and England Under-19s as well. I feel like I've always enjoyed responsibility and that feeling of being valued. And there's no bigger way to show that than being named captain. So when I got given the opportunity, I was really excited.

Are you thinking about winning the Championship this year?

If you ask any captain at the start of the season what they want to do, then the aim would be to win trophies, and winning the Championship would be really high up on that list. We find ourselves in a great position, but we recognise there's a lot of work still to do.

This season in particular feels really competitive. It feels like anyone can beat anyone, and I think we've seen that already. So we can't really take our eye off the ball and start looking too far ahead. I think that's something we've done really well so far, hopefully we can keep doing that and find ourselves right up there towards the end of the season.

Can you kind of put your finger on why things have gelled so well this year?

We lost quite a few big players over the last couple of seasons, and naturally, when that happens, there's a bit of a transitional phase. Then both myself and Joe Clarke, who leads the T20 team, came in fresh and new as captains at the start of last season. That also takes a bit of time for people to get used to.

Some of the players that we signed before the start of last season have now had a year of playing for us and getting their feet under the table.

So I think it's a combination of all those things. The most pleasing thing for us is we've had lots of different contributions from all across the board – if you look at the seven games, there's probably been a different player that stood up in different circumstances.

How long did it take you to find your feet after moving down from Old Trafford?

In a weird way, it felt right quite early on. It felt like it was the start of a fresh environment. It was almost like a new chapter in my life.

I'd give a lot of credit to the management and the senior players, the captain at the time [Steven Mullaney], those guys played a huge part in making me feel welcome straight away. And the way Pete [head coach Peter Moores] and Mick [Newell, director of cricket] run the club is something that I think works well for me.

I look back now and I think I've had longer with Notts than I did at Lancs, which is incredible really. It feels like time's flown by, but also feels like I've been here my whole life. So yeah, it's been a nice move. It's something that I've really enjoyed.

How do you look back on the time you had at Lancashire?

I like to reflect on the fond memories that I've got. I joined the club at the age of nine, was involved in some really successful age group teams to begin with and then made that transition into a professional player at the age of 17.

I made my debut at 18 and then at 19, to have the season I did for my first full season at county level and to be rewarded with an England call-up… they're all great memories that I've got playing for the club. Also sharing the change room with some incredible players, playing with the likes of Jimmy Anderson, Jos Buttler, and some great overseas players as well.

Also, some great Lancashire players who had a lot of success playing for the club. So that's what I like to look back on. And I've still got some great friendships from my time there. It's a club that will always hold a special place because it's where I was born and brought up. It's my home club.

Are you actively trying to up your scoring rate to earn an England recall?

I think one thing that's been constant in my development as a player is wanting to improve and not putting a limit on what I can achieve. I certainly think I'm a better player now than I was even two, three years ago.

I've had some 50-over success for Notts over the last few seasons. I think my scoring rate has gone up naturally without me necessarily looking for it too much. I've certainly got the ambition to play T20 cricket as well. There are enough examples out there of players who have been able to improve their scoring rate, and I'd like to do the same.

Do you know what you have to do to get picked by Notts in T20 cricket?

I've had some conversations, and the nice thing is that people don't think it's out of reach. It's something that hopefully is there in my game and my capabilities, which is good. I also recognise that it's a competitive team that I'm trying to break into. Hopefully, that opportunity will come sooner or later for me to showcase my skills in that format as well.

You've said that you're a better batter than you were two or three years ago. Can you elaborate on that?

I think it's a natural evolution of experience and playing more cricket. You become comfortable with who you are as a player and as a person. I'm 28 now, and I've played over 100 games in first-class cricket. I've had the great highs and the lows.

And I think you come to accept that no one's perfect. You're probably a little less hard on yourself as a player. I feel like I'm continually developing my strengths while still working on bits that I can improve on. The last few years have been some of the most successful years of my career so far.

Have you had any contact with England, and do you still have ambitions?

Not recently at all, but I think my ambition to play for England will always be there while I'm playing professional cricket. I'm 28 years old; it's not like I'm 36, where it feels like the end is closer than the start. It feels like, if anything, I'm probably reaching my prime.

The different experiences that I've had of playing 10 Test matches against India and Australia by the age of 24, a lot of them away from home, are all really valuable for me to have under my belt. And that, coupled with my improvement as a player, I like to think that if and when that opportunity comes, I'll be in a better place for it.

If you could go back in time, would you still want to make your England debut as a 19-year-old or would you rather have been picked as a more mature player?

That's really difficult to answer. I don't really fret too much about things that have happened in the past, and I don't like thinking about regrets or anything like that; it's just the way I am. I have incredible memories of my Test debut and how all that came about, and I wouldn't really change that, to be honest.

So, I guess the fact that I was able to do that at such a young age, and the journey I had from a young boy in the local state school in Bolton to come through and make my debut for England at 19, that is really special to me.

Do you think the difficulties with form you went through means that you are able to help young batters going through a rough patch?

I like to think so. We've got some really exciting young players coming through at Notts, and I love chatting to them. I can share some of the experiences that I had. It doesn't necessarily mean that it's going to connect to someone else, but if there's one bit of those experiences that helps any of the players, then that's a win for me.

Batting is a unique thing to do because you probably have a lot more bad days than good; it's a one-ball game. As a top-order batter, you might get one early, and then you're in the changing room for a whole day.

If you weren't a cricketer, what would you be doing?

It's actually a question I've been asked a little bit over the years, and I've never really come up with a proper answer. But I've got a bit of a passion for business, I enjoy the idea of running your own little thing. I like food, so a restaurant or something like that. I'd imagine it can be quite stressful to begin with, but if you get yourself to a place where you're doing all right, and you can start having people run it for you, I think that'd be quite a nice place to be.

05/09

A reccommended interview with Mark Ealham

15/08

Save Clipstone Cricket Club from Relocation

Our beloved Clipstone Cricket Club stands at a pivotal moment in its rich history. Having nurtured talent over the years, our first team now proudly plays at the pinnacle of county cricket. This achievement resulted from unwavering dedication and countless hours of practice by our players and supporters. Our second team, brimming with local talent and emerging young players, is rapidly making strides up the leagues. An additional promotion this year has brought them to where the first team stood just a few years prior. Furthermore, our Sunday side offers invaluable opportunities for developing younger cricketers, our ladies' teams are thriving, and various youth teams flourish under the club’s esteemed guidance.

However, the future of Clipstone Cricket Club is under immediate threat. There is a proposal to build houses on our current premises, threatening the cherished location that has become a cornerstone of our community. For decades, this ground has been more than just a sports venue; it's been a place of gathering, growth, and joy for players and residents alike.

The plans for new housing bring more than just unwanted change to our club—they impose unsustainable demands on village infrastructure. Clipstone is a village with unique character and limited capacity. New housing developments risk overwhelming our roads, schools, and essential services which are already under strain. The absence of our cricket club would see not only a loss of sporting excellence but also a decline in community engagement and youth development.

Preserving our club's location is about more than saving a sports ground; it’s about safeguarding the spirit and fabric of our community in Clipstone. We urge the local council and developers to reconsider the proposal, listening to the voices of the community who passionately oppose this move.

We need your help. Sign this petition to show your support in preserving Clipstone Cricket Club’s home and ensuring the future remains bright for the teams and the community at large. Together, let us protect a vital part of our village's heart and heritage.

To sign use the QR code above or here for a link to the petition

08/08

c/o MAG

Kent (rain reduced)	Trent Bridge	1969	JPL
Yorkshire	Hull	1982	JPL
Worcestershire	Hereford	1983	JPSL
Somerset	Taunton	1998	AXA League
Sussex	Hove	2004	Totesport League
Somerset	Taunton	2014	Royal London Cup
Worcestershire	Welbeck	2025	Metro Bank Cup

Also

Somerset (Somerset won by losing fewer wickets)

Taunton

1964

Gillette Cup

06/08

Notts go "mad" for the One Day Cup with Essex win

DAVID SHARMAN AT NETTLEWORTH: Counter-attacking Tom Moores took the plaudits with a career best, while a new bowling star also shone through the rain

Nettleworth: Nottinghamshire 283-9, Essex 234 - Nottinghamshire won by 51 runs (DLS method)

"We must be mad," proclaims a driver in the overflow car park as he leaves the relative comfort of his vehicle at Nettleworth.

Or is it Sookholme? Or Welbeck? It's somewhere north of Mansfield, near the hamlet of Spion Kop, but the nearest railway station's just over the border in Derbyshire.

Wherever it is, the John Fretwell Sporting Complex, to give it a title almost as grand as The Dukeries that surround it, is where, with little fanfare, we launch the One Day Cup.

An amber and black AA sign on the road between Shirebrook and Warsop Vale guides travellers, mad or otherwise, to "Notts cricket match". A fancier signpost might read that this place is proudly twinned with Au Milieu de Nulle Part, France, and Am Arsch der Welt, Germany.

Notts keep coming back to this windswept No Man's Land, though, and well they might, for is a county cricket club truly a county cricket club if it doesn't, occasionally, try to serve the shire it represents beyond its headquarters?

The local area's mining heritage (the ground's cricket tenants, Welbeck, were founded as a colliery side) makes it an apt choice of venue too, given the calibre of cricketers that industry traditionally produced.

Enough spectators are also here for this to be a worthwhile, if entirely necessary, exercise, for a county whose home ground houses another team for the next few weeks.

They brave the mounds that offer vantage but expose them to gusts. They enjoy the impressive range of treats in the cake tent. They like watching county cricket being played in August.

Clad in the green of Sherwood, which leaves them camouflaged by the copse at the far end of the ground, Notts ought to feel every bit at home here, especially in contrast to the "yer not from round 'ere, are yer?" lilac number sported by Essex.

Despite this, opening bowler Jamie Porter initially makes the ground his own, removing the Notts top four after resuming his spell, following a brief rain interruption during his second over.

Matt Critchley takes the fifth, with the score on 75, at which point Tom Moores decides a counter-offensive is the only way out of this pickle.

He is right in his assessment, and it is a task to which he is well-suited, although a drop by Shane Snater at deep square leg almost brings his mission to a premature end while he has 21 runs to his name.

Moores strikes his way to 100 from just 69 balls, 72 of them made in boundaries, to rescue the innings and record his first List A century. A second downpour, while he was on 80, proved no distraction.

To compound his delight, a swirling miscue is then shelled by Essex captain Tom Westley to allow him to continue the destruction; he requires no second invitation, swiping Noah Thain for six a couple of balls later. Thanks, skip.

Showers number three and four of the day reduce the game to 48, then 46 overs per side, but Moores remains unhindered. He eventually falls for 148 from 93 deliveries, with his team's score 199 higher than when the fifth wicket fell. Duckworth, Lewis and Stern add two runs to Essex's target while more rain falls at the change of innings.

The formula's petty gesture matters not to Robin Das and Westley, who drive their team's chase past 100 in 15 overs as an exciting climax looms at the Complex. That milestone is brought up by a Jack Haynes drop in the deep, which dribbles over the boundary and also denies debutant left-arm spinner Joe Pocklington a maiden professional wicket.

The error is rectified when Das, the reprieved man, clobbers Rob Lord to Haseeb Hameed in the next over. Haynes then moves back to par with a diving effort at short midwicket, again off Lord, that prompts the departure of Westley.

Justice is done for Pocklington when he gets the moment he'll savour for life by knocking back Luc Benkenstein's middle stump; a much more pleasurable way to make your mark. Haynes did him a favour.

"Pocky" (nickname already acquired) doubles his tally of pro wickets by catching Charlie Allison off his own bowling. "Good set, Pockers!" can be heard.

The "new nickname for every wicket acquired" policy was never going to be sustainable, and it seems to stop when wicketkeeper Moores grabs a Nick Browne reverse-sweep that goes back over his head, instead of to the third man boundary. Pocklington has 3 for 53 and a debut to remember.

Lord and Lyndon James take three each for themselves and deliver a 49-run win. Nobody in the crowd is questioning their own sanity now, as the evening sun shines and everything at the Complex seems so simple.

Moores' father, Notts head coach Peter, urged his squad to remember the "great carrot" of a Trent Bridge final before this tournament began.

For now, the county's fans will settle for great carrot cake if they return here, wherever it is, for the Worcestershire game on Thursday (August 7).

Notts youngsters urged to aim for "great carrot" of Trent Bridge final

DAVID SHARMAN: Head coach Peter Moores has outlined his expectations as they launch their One Day Cup campaign

Peter Moores has urged Nottinghamshire's youngsters to use the "great carrot" of a Trent Bridge final to inspire them in this year's One Day Cup.

Notts are due to lose eight players to The Hundred, but Moores has backed young charges including Sam Seecharan and James Hayes to make a name for themselves in this year's tournament.

The club begin their campaign against Essex on Tuesday (August 5) at the John Fretwell Complex, to the north of Mansfield, their favoured outground in recent years, the first of three matches for which Australian allrounder Daniel Sams will be available.

Since the tournament has been run concurrently with The Hundred, Notts have qualified just once for the knockout stage, in 2022.

But Moores, who is delegating the team's running to assistant head coach, Paul Franks, for the tournament, says his staff are aiming to better that record in the coming weeks.

"We always go in the same way and want to win it," he told The Cricketer, following Notts' County Championship draw against Somerset. "Paul Franks is going to take it, instead of me, so it's exciting for him to take it for the first time.

"The great carrot is a final at Trent Bridge for everybody. We want to win but also to create opportunities for our young players.

"It's an opportunity for them to go out and show what they've got."

Moores noted how the One Day Cup had launched the careers of current first-teamers, including Freddie McCann and Farhan Ahmed and highlighted his players to watch this year, including allrounder Seecharan and pace bowler Hayes, who recently completed a loan spell with Sussex.

"We always lose quite a lot of players to The Hundred because we've got exciting young players and very senior T20 players," added Moores. "That has a double-whammy on us really.

"We haven't always gone down the overseas route because we want to create opportunities for our own players. We qualified two years ago and we'll be desperately looking to qualify again."

04/08

Are we to assume that the discussions surrounding the partners for the Trent Bridge franchise has been concluded, as that was Mr Newell's self identified priority.

Alternatively he turned the month over on his calendar and realised there might be a few contract issues that might need his attention. After asking her in next office what his budget was, he threw money at Peter Moores, only to off-set that extra spending by releasing Monty which in turn created a shortfall in numbers for the One Day Cup. So, today he's made a couple of cheap signings from within the greater squad after advice from his staff and negotiated with the overseas player from the failed T20 campaign to hang around and play three One Day Cup matches this week before he is scheduled to fly elsewhere.

The most important matter at Newell's door, the review of the Men's schedule, hasn't been mentioned since, according to the shared timeline, the ECB had been given the County heads' decision.

31/07

Mick Newell has took his eyes off the ball, if the the MailOnline is to be believed, the DoC more concerned with talks about franchise partners than player contracts.

"Meanwhile, the Outlaws’ Germany international all-rounder Matthew Montgomery, restricted to one Championship appearance but a forceful presence in their white-ball teams, is moving down the A52 to Derbyshire, effectively inheriting Samit Patel’s role as a top-six option who bowls spin.

Forty-year-old Patel - who holds the all-time record for most appearances in the Vitality Blast and is in its top 10 for both runs and wickets - left the Falcons at the end of the north group stage, two years after moving from Notts himself."

MM proved to be an important piece of the Outlaws 2025 jigsaw, which still has several pieces already missing. Can they afford to lose more?

"Hampshire seize on Notts uncertainty

The vultures are circling Nottinghamshire pair Joe Clarke and Haseeb Hameed, who are still yet to renew terms at the Championship title chasers - and the delay is understood to be caused by the uncertainty over head coach Peter Moores' future.

In 10 years under Moores, Nottinghamshire have won two Twenty20 titles and a one-day cup, and are second, one point behind champions Surrey, with four rounds of the Championship remaining.

Former England head coach Moores turns 63 later this year, but his love of coaching remains undimmed, as highlighted by him extending his spell with Melbourne Stars by two further winters. He is also in demand with other T20 teams around the world, and is expected to add another overseas posting to his CV in 2025-26.

Aware of the situation, Hampshire have made a lucrative offer to club captain Hameed, whose 900 runs at an impressive strike rate of 61 have been integral to Nottinghamshire’s surprise challenge at the summit."

The policy of keeping selective contracts confidential/secret in order to keep any scutiny at bay, has evidently backfired.

Again Mick Newell has been caught asleep at the wheel...

25/07

Before joining a meeting at Southampton, scheduled for noon today, Mick Newell, DoC joined Dave Bracegirdle for 10-15 minutes.

not verbatim

DB: Thanks for joining us, but you've got to fly off for meeting

MN: Yes there's a lot going on at the moment:

• Sale of the H*ndred
• counties' review of the men's schedule
• the pavilion work
• The Blaze have got a final
• There's under 18s, under 16s

but the most important is the sale of the H*ndred, the game needs the money that that will provide.

DB: Lots have counties have different agendas [surrounding the schedule review]

MN: Yes we await the debate

MN: My job is to give the views of our club, players, staff and operations team

DB: Lots of contracts are up for review, some senior player?

MN: Yes we'll be having appraisals but I'm confident that we'll keep those players that we want to keep.

DB: Kyle Vereynne isn't available next week, returning to South Africa for more celebrations with the whole Test squad.

MN: We have Joe who can keep, or we have Schady.

DB: Wouldn't it be nice to see Notts make an attempt for the One Day Cup, as we host the final?

MN: I think we've made the knock-out stages once in the last four years, but we have a new coach and some very good players, but we've lost a couple of late call-up, which isn't ideal. We will have a overseas player for the competition and Brett Hutton will play some matches.

20/07

The Cricketer magazine writes:

Nottinghamshire could be facing a fight to retain the services of their men's head coach Peter Moores amid contact with other clubs.

Moores, who has been on the coaching staff at Trent Bridge since 2015 and head coach since the end of 2016, is out of contract at Nottinghamshire at the end of the season.

The club are currently second in the County Championship table, just one point behind Surrey with five games to play. The teams play each other at The Kia Oval from September 15.

While Nottinghamshire have confirmed they would like Moores to stay, he has yet to agree a new deal and The Cricketer understands there has been contact with at least one other club.

While Lancashire have denied making an approach to Moores, they don't deny an approach from his representatives. They also stressed their "delight" at the work of interim head coach, Steven Croft, who has guided them to the quarter-finals of the Vitality Blast and overseen their first Championship victory of the season. The club are currently sixth in Division Two. They sacked their previous coach, Dale Benkenstein, in May after 18 months in the role. Croft is still expected to be appointed as permanent head coach.

Moores guided Lancashire to the Championship title in 2011. It was their first outright Championship title since 1934.

If Nottinghamshire were to win the Championship title this year, Moores would become the first coach to lead three different first-class counties to the Championship title. He has previously won with Sussex and Lancashire.

It may turn out that contact with other teams is an attempt to test the market before agreeing the value of a new deal at Trent Bridge. Moores declined to comment.

18/07

Keen observers of all Nottinghamshire's sides over the past week will have noticed an absence of our three year contracted bowling, wannabe all rounder, last winter's signing Conor McKerr. Detective Mike has located evidence that points to an injury of somekind. McKerr pulled out of an over last weekend playing for Clifton Village against Anston in the 2nd Division of the NPL.

Obviously Pravda haven't reported this and knock-on of this will be that the bowlng attack for next month's One Day Cup will almost pick itself now.

09/07

No place for Josh Tongue in the England XI for third Test against India at Lord's, replaced by the super-hyped up returning Jofra Archer.

07/07

Some of the latest Cricket Regulator Adjudications:

The umpires reported Calvin Harrison’s conduct during Notts Outlaws Vitality Blast match against Leicestershire on 6th July 2025. The matter was considered by the Match referee, Dean Cosker, who determined that the offence was at Level 1 of the ECB Professional Conduct Regulations: 1(b) wilfully mistreating any part of the cricket ground, equipment or implements used in the match.

The umpires reported Daniel Sams’ conduct during Nottinghamshire Outlaws Vitality Blast Match against Durham on 4 July 2025. The matter was considered by the Match Referee, Will Smith, who determined that the offence was at Level 1 of the ECB Professional Conduct Regulations: 1 (h) - bowling a dangerous or unfair short pitched delivery and/or accidental non pitching delivery that results in the bowler being disallowed from bowling any further in that innings.

The umpires reported Ben Slater’s conduct during Nottinghamshire CCC’s Rothesay County Championship match against Hampshire on 10th May 2025. The matter was considered by the match referee, Steve Davis, who determined that the offence was at Level 1 of the ECB Professional Conduct Regulations: 1(b) wilfully mistreating any part of the cricket ground, equipment or implements used in the match.

NO MENTION OF PHIL SALT'S OVER-SIZED BAT, yet.

04/07

Josh Tongue cannot survive as a Test bowler purely by mopping up the tail

Tim Wigmore

Opening spell at Edgbaston was a mix of too short, too full and too wide and he is yet to damage India’s top order in this series

The Mop’ is Josh Tongue’s nickname: recognition of his capacity to clean up the tail. Ben Stokes likes to joke about Tongue’s penchant for “rabbit pie”, as he showed by celebrating at Headingley with an impression of the bowler scoffing.

Tongue’s dismantling of the tail in Leeds was instrumental in England’s victory. While England’s bottom four contributed 73 runs in their first innings, India’s mustered nine runs across both innings combined. Five of those wickets fell to Tongue in devastating spells: four for seven in the first innings and three wickets in four balls in the second. Tongue’s method was simple: bowling fast, spearing the ball in either short or at yorker length, and attacking the stumps.

Too often, England have lacked such prowess. In the 2023-25 World Test Championship, the average number of runs that England conceded for the last four wickets was the sixth worst out of nine teams.

Yet however welcome Tongue’s qualities against the tail, Test cricket requires that bowlers can do far more. Twenty20 allows for specialist death bowlers; the demands of Test cricket do not create scope for such a role. Quick bowlers must be effective in all climes – or, at least, maintain control when they are not incisive.

As the clock ticked towards noon on the opening morning at Edgbaston, Stokes handed Tongue the ball. In their contrasting ways – Chris Woakes bowling fuller with more swing, Brydon Carse bowling shorter and with extra pace – England’s quicks both bowled immaculate opening spells. After 11 overs, India had stumbled to 21 for one; both batsmen at the crease had needed an umpire’s call to survive lbw appeals against Woakes.

Tongue needed only three balls to alter the feel of the morning – just not as he had hoped. After his first delivery was tucked away for one by Yashasvi Jaiswal, Tongue then greeted Karun Nair with a pair of half-volleys. Both deliveries met the same fate: Nair caressed the ball through the covers for four.

It set the template for Tongue’s opening spell. Where Woakes and Carse had been relentlessly probing, Tongue was by turns too short and too full – and often too wide to boot. Tongue leaked eight boundaries in his first spell, culminating in three consecutive fours by Jaiswal: an imperious hook through square leg, then back-to-back cut shots, jumping up on his toes like a meerkat peeking over a wall. By the time that Tongue’s six-over spell was over, he nursed figures of nought for 42; India had raced to 91 for one.

While England bowled admirably on a flat pitch for much of the day, Tongue emphatically ranked bottom of the captain’s list of preferred bowlers. Indeed, with England seeking wickets with the short ball when the ball had gone soft, Stokes opted to use himself. Tongue only bowled 10 of India’s first 73 overs.

When he returned, he was given an orthodox field, with two slips. While there was a tantalising hint of reverse swing, Tongue only bowled a perfunctory three overs until Joe Root was whisked on before the second new ball. In the opening day, Tongue conceded 66 from 13 wicket-less overs.

These figures extend Tongue’s travails against India’s top order this summer. Bowling to the top six across the first two Tests, Tongue has now taken one for 188 from 43.3 overs: a record that explains Stokes’ reluctance to bowl him on the first day in Birmingham.

In his first Test appearances, Tongue showed no such struggles against the top order. Indeed, in his second Test, at Lord’s against Australia in 2023, all of Tongue’s wickets were top-order players, including dismissing David Warner and Steve Smith twice apiece. At his best, Tongue’s cocktail of pace approaching 90mph, an awkward angle from wide of the crease and seam movement can trouble the world’s very best.

But after returning from an injury-ruined 18 months this summer, Tongue has only threatened India’s best batsmen for occasional balls, not whole overs or extended spells. And, however brilliant Tongue was against the tail in Leeds, his record there against the lower-order is not sustainable for any bowler.

If he is to enjoy the extended Test run that his talents suggest, then, Tongue will have to be much more than a mop. The sight of Jofra Archer carrying the drinks at Edgbaston showed the alternative that England will soon be able to summon instead.

30/06

7 in a row Ben Slater in most esteemed company (and Luis Reece):

First-Class Most Fifties in Consecutive Innings

10	GE Tyldesley	1926
10	DG Bradman	1947/48 - 1948
10	RS Kaluwitharana	1994/95
9	TW Hayward	1906
9	WR Hammond	1932/33 - 1933
9	VS Hazare	1942/43 - 1943/44
9	RB Simpson	1959/60
9	JH Edrich	1965
9	C Saldanha	1986/87
8	CB Fry	1900
8	CB Fry	1901 - 1902
8	DG Bradman	1937/38 - 1938
8	WJ Edrich	1939
8	B Sutcliffe	1946/47 - 1947/48
8	GS Blewett	2000/01
8	A Flower	2000/01
8	MA Wagh	2007
7	TW Hayward	1900
7	CP McGahey	1901
7	C Hill	1906/07 - 1907/08
7	GE Tyldesley	1919
7	W Bardsley	1923/24 - 1924/25
7	FE Woolley	1924
7	DE Pritchard	1924/25
7	CP Mead	1927/28 - 1928
7	WR Hammond	1930 - 1930/31
7	WW Whysall	1930
7	DG Bradman	1933/34 - 1934
7	AL Hassett	1936/37
7	J Hardstaff	1937
7	DG Bradman	1938 - 1938/39
7	SG Barnes	1940/41 - 1945/46
7	VM Merchant	1943/44 - 1944/45
7	RS Cooper	1944/45
7	WR Hammond	1945 - 1946
7	WJ Edrich	1947
7	AR Morris	1948
7	L Hutton	1948/49
7	L Hutton	1949 - 1950
7	RT Simpson	1949
7	DJ McGlew	1955
7	RE Marshall	1959
7	G Pullar	1959
7	Hanif Mohammad	1961/62
7	PH Parfitt	1962
7	RA McLean	1962/63 - 1963/64
7	RB Simpson	1964
7	AL Wadekar	1967 - 1967/68
7	CPS Chauhan	1971/72 - 1972/73
7	DB Vengsarkar	1977/78 - 1978/79
7	GR Viswanath	1977/78
7	IVA Richards	1979 - 1979/80
7	Sadiq Mohammad	1979
7	HR Fotheringham	1981/82 - 1982/83
7	DW Hookes	1981/82 - 1982/83
7	G Boycott	1982
7	AD Gaekwad	1982/83
7	Zaheer Abbas	1982/83
7	TA Lloyd	1983 - 1984
7	Rizwan-uz-Zaman	1983/84 - 1984/85
7	DB Vengsarkar	1986/87
7	KC Wessels	1986/87 - 1987/88
7	A Kapoor	1987/88 - 1988/89
7	Mansoor Rana	1988/89
7	RB Parikh	1988/89 - 1989/90
7	CS Pandit	1989/90 - 1990/91
7	GA Hick	1990
7	WV Raman	1991/92 - 1992/93
7	MS Atapattu	1994/95
7	RT Ponting	2001 - 2001/02
7	DS Lehmann	2002
7	PA Cottey	2003
7	IR Bell	2004
7	HD Ackerman	2006 - 2006/07
7	PA Patel	2007/08
7	Sarfraz Ahmed	2008/09 - 2009
7	W Jaffer	2009/10 - 2010/11
7	A McGrath	2010
7	Usman Salahuddin	2010/11
7	ME Trescothick	2011
7	MA Carberry	2013 - 2013/14
7	LM Reece	2013
7	DAS Gunaratne	2014/15
7	KL Rahul	2016/17 - 2017
7	R Jonathan	2018/19
7	RJ Burns	2021
7	KND Perera	2022 - 2022/23
7	KNM Fernando	2022/23
7	LM Reece	2023
7	BT Slater	2025

The list shows occurrences of 7 or more

ACS

28/06

PENNINGTON SUSPENSION

Following non-event throw of the ball towards Fin Bean(?) last week, the independent woke committee, otherwise known as the cricket regulator has released this verdict (remember that Notts gave away 5 penalty runs already for the incident). Dillon's first offence was whilst he played for Worcestershire:


Dillon Pennington has received an automatic 2 match suspension having received 9 fixed penalty points within 24 months. Any player who receives a total of 9 or more fixed penalty points is awarded an automatic suspension.

The umpires reported Dillon Pennington’s conduct during Nottinghamshire CCC’s County Championship match against Yorkshire CCC on 23 June 2025.

The matter was considered by the Match Referee, Phil Whitticase, who determined that this was an offence under paragraph 4.5 - Level 2(d) of the ECB Professional Conduct Regulations (‘PCRs’). Dillon Pennington breached Level 2(d) by "Throwing the ball at or near a player, umpire or another person in an inappropriate and dangerous manner.”

The fixed penalty for this offence is 6 points due to this being his second level 2 offence in 24 months. Mr Pennington had received 3 fixed penalty points, on 29/07/2023, for a previous breach of level 2(d). This total of 9 penalty points invokes an automatic two match suspension from 1st XI cricket.

Dillon Pennington is therefore suspended for the next two Nottinghamshire fixtures being the County Championship match away at Somerset starting on 29 June and the Vitality Blast match between the Notts Outlaws and Durham on 4 July.

16/06

Worrying signs at Lady Bay ahead of the Championship return at the weekend

Ben Slater v Denby

Chesterfield spun out by Peter Burgoyne, remember him (briefly for Derbyshire? (now a darts player)

I know I missed one of these. Confirmed on cricinfo, so it must be right just like Sam Hain being out LBW on Saturday.

PCA always having the best interests of its members in mind from a position of knowing all of the ins and outs, even those missed by regular punters.

06/06

Both Josh Tongue and Farhan Ahmed are playing in the England Lions XI against India A at Wantage Road, starting today.

Mick Newell has at last plugged the four game gap in Notts' overseas bowler cover.

Mohammad Abbas will now be available for all seven remaining Championship fixtures.

Expanded Mo on Pravda

No mention if he would be available for the Metro Cup, however.

03/06

Why can't Notts through Pravda do something like this

01/06

The Outlaws next game is at the County Ground Derby.

As you can see this is Derbyshire's premium fixture, looking to cash-in on local rivalry and travelling supporters. £27 represents a 23% price hike on their Wednesday night game against Steelbacks.

Those hoping to sit in the newest stand, thrown-up closed season, where rumour has it that there's better leg room than in the Falcon Permanent-Temporary Stand where comfort has been given zero consideration, you have to reserve your seat.

I have discovered that on the ticket page of the DCCC website for the Notts game you'll see the above clickable options.

Rather than select "Advanced Adult" which will be buy you a general ticket for standing or sitting, select "Place your order" which took me to a ground plan with options to reserve seats in reservable seating areas, such as the Family Stand or this new stand with no attitional cost. I suppose you have to be in the Derby know to realise that the stand is reserved and that booking a seat isn't made clear on the club's ticketing page. I've fallen foul of that before. 

31/05

An honest appraisal of defeat by Moises Henriques

He'll be getting a ticking off in the morning for pointing out the obvious but nevertheless, quite refreshing.

Conor McKerr has so far conceded an average of 2.8 runs off each ball bowled across the two games so far.

James Hayes come on down, Rob Lord come on down, you can't do much worse!

Two big run chases in less than 24 hours, perhaps was one chase too far. In T20 you have to go from the off in over 1 and keep at it relentlessly for scores of 200+ & Notts weren't able to today. The Lightning score was way over par.

30/05

Farhan Ahmed has not been selected for the England Lions starting eleven for the four day fixture against India A, at Canterbury, starting today.

"Ttent" Bridge yesterday evening announced that home Vitality Blast fixtures this season will have new hosts.

Gone are the shouty girl and DJ Prince of Nowheria, in come Andy Collins and Tony Perry. Pravda suggests that the pair will be familiar to the audience - maybe if you engage with Ant and Dec, give one iota about a primetime dancing competition, or care about what football fans sing at Wembley they might be.

Are these two a double act, more like Ant and Decks?

It's probably me, it just brings out my grumpy old gittness having someone instruct me on having fun! Why can't we have someone telling us the teams, that announces the result of the toss, tells us how long the players will be off the field for during a rain break - you might throw in the odd BANG or flamethrower for effect, but why do we need organised jolliness? Let the cricket do the entertaining!

Colin Hazeldine may have been past his sell by date, but his primary error was trying to be fun!

29/05

Peter Moores keeps his cards close to his chest and announces a 15 man squad:

Joe Clarke

Freddie McCann

Ben Martindale

Jack Haynes

Moises Henriques

Daniel Sams

Sammy King

Matthew Montgomery

Lyndon James

Liam Patterson-White

Calvin Harrison

Rob Lord

Conor McKerr

Dillon Pennington

Tom Moores

28/05

Pravda tells us it's 3 days to go...

Moises has landed in the promised land...

Not selected for the first ODI, Luke Wood has been released by England to play for Lightning, so will Josh Tongue also be released?

BBC Blast Preview

Peter Moores on EMT about 16 mins in, followed by a longer look at Derbyshire where I think Samit was a bit cold.

26/05

But what Pravda doesn't say:

Daniel Sams has been here for a couple of weeks warming up with the 2s, but what about Moises Henriques?

Tom Moores' returns don't fill one with much confidence, the Blast being a huge step-up from the 2s or the Derbyshire Prem.

Joe Clarke is carrying a hand injury, but we know that we won't be told about that.

Who will replace Alex Hales opening with Joe Clarke?

We know the kid with the X factor, Farhan Ahmed will be absent on Lions duty.