Derbyshire Falcons RLODC at Pattonair County Ground Win

MULLANEY TAKES CHARGE

As Notts fight back after bright start by hosts

Notts beat Derbyshire by the comfortable margin of 6 wickets with 29 balls to spare at sunny Derby today. After an efficient bowling performance on a sluggish pitch with no terrors, Notts got off to the perfect start as Clarke and Slater added 74 in 11 overs. Notts then surprisingly lost the in-form Clarke and Duckett in successive overs. Slater though played sensibly against his former employers and with Libby nudging and nurdling to good effect, 93 runs were added in 17 overs. Gleadall dismissed both batsmen in the same over to give Derby hope. However the aggressive pairing of Moores and Mullaney added an unbroken 126 in 15 overs smashing the ball to all parts. The ever confident Moores using his feet well against the spinners blasted 52 off 46 balls with five sixes and a single four. Mullaney more circumspect at first accelerated to 68 off 47 balls with 6 fours and three enormous sixes over mid wicket. Earlier Derbyshire failed to accelerate after being at one stage 224 for one in the 40th over. 

Career Best

With the ball not coming on to the bat, Pattinson was only given five overs and Jake Ball dropping his pace to good effect and in tandem with Fletcher, strangled Derbyshire in the later overs. Fletcher finished with career best figures of 5 for 56; hitting the stumps four times, thrice in the last over of the innings. Skipper Billy Godleman top scored off 116 off 148 balls and was well supported by Luis Reece who made 88. The left hander Reece also bowled well in Notts reply until Moores and Mullaney tucked into him in his later overs.

Derbyshire won the toss and inserted Notts who brought in Carter for Chappell. The opening bowlers were Carter (Racecourse End) and Fletcher (City End). These two bowled relatively tidily with Pattinson replacing Carter for the ninth over. After the first power play Derbyshire stood at 46 for 0. 

After a four over spell for 26, James Pattinson was replaced by Patel. Reece got his 50 off 52 runs. Mullaney came on from the City End as the Derby 100 came up in the 22nd over. The 150 was achieved in the 29th over. Two overs later, Mullaney made the breakthrough with Reece (88) top edging to Fletcher at short fine leg, 153 for one. Godleman and Madsen added 71 in nine overs for the second wicket.

Game Changer

 A slower ball bouncer from Ball was pulled to Duckett at mid wicket by Madsen who departed for a 31 ball 38. From this point onwards Derby lost their way somewhat. Godleman got to his ton off 131 balls with a single off Ball. In the same over Critchley played on to Ball for 8, 236 for three after 42 overs. Left hander Leus du Plooy (12) was bowled off stump by Fletcher, 256 for 4 in the 46th over. The anchorman Billy Godleman (7 x 4, 1 x 6) was caught behind off a short ball from Fletcher for 116, 269 for five. Ball and Fletcher bowled the last five overs. In the last over after bowling successive wides, Fletcher bowled Lace for 7. Off the fifth ball Hosein making room was bowled by Fletcher for 1 and then off the last van Beek was bowled for a golden duck. Derbyshire closing on 297 for 8. Fletcher finished with a List A best of 5 for 56; well supported by Jake Ball 2 for 55. Pattinson 5-0-38-0. Notts had fought back well with the ball, there remains some work to do with the fielding which remains under par.

Madsen (Racecourse End) and van Beek (City) opened the bowling with Notts only scoring three runs off the first three overs. Scottish left arm spinner Mark Watt replaced Madsen for the seventh over. Slater was dropped on 21 in the eighth over by Critchley at mid wicket a sharp chance off van Beek. Notts got to 70 for 0 off 10 overs; an ideal platform. 

In the 12th over Clarke who looked in fine touch fell to a catch on the deep square leg ropes by Reece off Alfie Gleadall's second ball, 74 for one. In the same over Duckett was dropped on 2 by keeper Hosein diving to his left. Duckett though did not capitalise on his good fortune; trying to hit the ball to leg he fell lbw to Luis Reece for 4, 79 for 2. In the 17th over Notts got to 100, two overs later Slater got to his 50 in 62 balls.

Good running

Slater and Libby added 93 in 17 overs for the third wicket, the feature of the stand being the excellent running between the wickets. Slater was out driving Gleadall to Critchley at extra cover, his 83 included nine fours and came off 100 balls; he is turning into a fine signing for Notts. Three balls later Gleadall got one to pop up and Libby hit him to Critchley at mid wicket, 173 for 4 off 30 overs. Libby had played his role well on the turgid surface 41 off 45 balls (2 x 4). Six runs were added in the next three overs as Notts paused for breath. Then in the 34th over Gleadall was taken for ten including a huge straight six for Moores. Next over Moores cleared the ropes off slow left armer Watt. In his next over the Scotsmen was hit for four and six by Mullaney. Mullaney repeated his six off his next over, the ball hitting the hospitality tent at mid wicket. Moores then hit two enormous sixes off the following over bowled by Gleadall; the youngster on his competition debut 3 for 43 off 7 overs. Notts now only needed 56 off the remaining 10 overs and they galloped to victory at 1804 with Mullaney hitting Alex Hughes for an offside four. The captain along with pugnacious Moores had batted superbly. A good proportion of the bumper bank holiday crowd went home happy driving back on the A52. The hosts will be kicking themselves for not building on a solid platform with the bat, the experienced Notts bowlers holding them back. Two out of two, Edgbaston next on Tuesday. MAG

Easter Sunday at the Pattinson County Ground sees the same Notts 14 listed as against Lancashire, so no Coughlin (finger) or Hales (____).

Ben Slater
Joe Clarke
Ben Duckett
Steven Mullaney
Tom Moores
Samit Patel
James Pattinson
Luke Fletcher
Jake Ball
Zak Chappell
Jake Libby
Chris Nash
Matt Carter
Luke Wood

Tomorrow should be a whole different ball game, and the inclusion of Carter ought to be considered more closely. Raw pace at Derby often pays dividends so Chappell could be safe. Will Libby play for his fielding again or will his swifter drinks service be required.