Yorkshire Specsavers D1 at Trent Bridge Draw

Day 4


EXPERIENCE STEERS GAME TO STALEMATE

Ultimately the pitch was the only winner today as Gary Ballance and Joe Rout used all their experience to share an unbroken third wicket partnership of 253 in 67 overs to save the game for Yorkshire. The sun came out during the morning session and remained out for the rest of day; helping to make batting conditions the easiest of the contest. The new ball attack of Ball and Broad looked threatening early doors and were unlucky to only pick up two wickets but once the ball became softer, batting became a lot easier. Mullaney rotated his bowlers and tried various tactics but despite a few alarms Root and Ballance both made centuries as the draw was agreed after Ballance hit Patel for six over mid wicket to bring up his century. Notts take 12 points and Yorkshire nine points from the fixture.

Notts declared overnight and Ball (Radcliffe Road End) and Broad (Pavilion End) bowled well. In the seventh over, Ball found the edge of Brook's (2) bat and Nash took the chance at third slip, 19 for one. Lyth was leading a charmed life surviving leg before shouts and constantly playing and missing. Off the last delivery of Ball's sixth over Adam Lyth shouldered arms as his stumps detonated. Lyth bowled Ball 21, 24 for 2. Next over a brute of ball from Broad struck Root on the helmet, there followed a stoppage of a few minutes as per the concussion protocol. Fletcher and Coughlin replaced Ball and Broad. Coughlin bowling briskly could not find a consistent length. Fletcher after a three over spell was replaced by Samit Patel from the Radcliffe Road End. Yorkshire stood at 72 for 2 at lunch with Ballance on 21 and Root on 22.

After lunch Patel bowled from the Pavilion End and skipper Mullaney tried Ball, Fletcher and then Coughlin from the Radcliffe Road End. The latter was probably unlucky as Root on 46 appeared to edge him into Moores gloves who took the “catch” down the leg side, but umpire Millns did not agree. Next over, Coughlin was hit four boundaries in five balls by Root. Coughlin was bowling short of length deliveries in the hope of Root would fall in the leg side trap. With 40 minutes remaining of the session, the final die was rolled as Broad replaced Patel. He had another duel with Root but could not dislodge him. Tea was taken with Yorkshire 181 for 2 off 59 overs with Root 86 and Ballance 59.

Thirty five minutes after tea Root reached his century off 145 balls with a driven four off Ball but by then the match had became comatose. Fletcher bowled two overs off a short run from the Pavilion End and then on came Duckett for three overs of flighted filth. The over rate was now on par but instead of shaking hands at 1700 another two balls were bowled by Patel to ensure Ballance got his ton and the 250 stand was achieved. Yorkshire 277 for two. Ball was the pick of the attack with 2 for 73. Broad who had an interesting contest with Root was limited to 11 overs for 20 and was unlucky not to get a wicket in the morning. For the record at the close Root was unbeaten on 130 off 189 balls (18 fours) and Balance 101 not out off 224 balls (17 fours and one six). 

Ridiculous regulations

With the ridiculous uncontested toss rule remaining and with new regulations concerning the use of the heavy roller, Notts had clearly put a pitch out to negate the visitors seam attack. I expect little change for the Somerset match starting this Thursday. MAG
Day 3
PATEL & CLARKE SHINE THROUGH THE GLOOM

Notts ended day 3 of their contest, with Yorkshire, in a very strong position leading by 446 runs after Yorkshire lost five wickets while adding 85 runs this morning. The bowling hero was Samit Patel who picked up three wickets in successive overs, all caught by Steven Mullaney at first slip. The first of those scalps was Joe Root who charged the slow left armer but only succeeded in edging the ball to the Notts skipper. Notts went on the attack with the bat. Despite losing Slater early, Duckett sped to 61 and went past 400 first-class runs for the season. Chris Nash made a welcome 75 but the star of show once more was Clarke who after his 112 in the first innings, finished the day on 97 not out, being denied the strike for the last five balls of the day.

Gloomly Morning

Play got underway on time in very gloomy conditions with the floodlights on. In the fifth over  of the morning Tattersall (9) drove Fletcher (Radcliffe Road End) for four. Going for repeat next ball Fletcher hit the stumps for the third time in the innings, 215 for 6. Ball replaced Broad and then on came Patel and getting the ball to really spin, picked up three wickets to completely turn the game. In his second over he got the key wicket of Root who edged him to Mullaney at first slip, 253 for 7. Root had charged down the pitch but the unexpected turn found his edge and the skipper took a smart catch; he had scored 73 off 138 balls with nine fours. Samit got a wicket in his next over in identikit fashion with this time Waite (22) edging to Mullaney, 256 for eight. Lightning struck three times as once again the Patel-Mullaney combination came into play as Patterson fell for 4, Patel had three wickets in three overs. Coad hit Patel for successive sixes and with the score on 290 for 9, Broad replaced Patel from the Pavilion End as the new ball was taken after 82 overs. With his third ball Broad got Olivier (7) to edge into Moores' gloves. Yorkshire 291all out. Coad 26 not out. Broad 3 for 36, Fletcher 3 for 56 and Patel 3 for 31, Notts led by 117 runs.

With the first ball of the third over Slater (2) fell to catch at second slip by Lyth off Coad (Radciiffe Road End), 6 for one. Duckett found the ropes three times prior to lunch as Notts got to the interval on 17 for one after 4 overs with Duckett on 13 and Nash on 0.

Sun show its face after lunch
Having been very cool and dank before lunch the sun came out after lunch with Duckett looking in fine fettle. The 50 partnership between Duckett and Nash came off 72 balls. A swept four for Duckett off Root saw him reach 50 off 52 balls. Olivier returned from the Pavilion End and a swift delivery found the edge of Duckett's bat as Lyth took the catch at second slip, 94 for two. Duckett's 61 off 69 balls with nine fours. Chris Nash was becoming more settled, he hit Waite for successive fours. An offside two off the same bowler saw him to his fifty off 104 balls. Notts got to tea on 160 for 2 off 38 overs with Nash on 60 and Clarke on 28.

Dark and gloomly post-tea
Dark clouds were hovering to the east when the players returned from tea and the run and over rate slowed down as the floodlights came on. Conditions remained gloomy for the whole of the session which mercifully was not curtailed. A four through mid wicket by Clarke brought the third wicket stand up to 100 in 164 balls. Olivier returned and Nash pulled him to square leg where Root took the catch. Nash out for 75 off 152 with ten fours, 196 for three. 

Notts step on the gas

Notts then put the foot on the accelerator, Joe Clarke brought up 50 with square leg four off Patterson. Root came on from the Radcliffe Road and Mullaney tucked in. A six by skipper into the Fridge brought the 50 partnership with Clarke in 48 balls. A straight six followed into the Radcliffe lower tier. After getting to his 50 a slower ball from Waite removed Mullaney's middle stump for 52, 278 for 4. Mullaney had given the innings impetus; his 50 ball knock included six fours and two sixes. Moores (1) lasted two balls going for pull shot he edged Waite into Tattersall's gloves, 300 for 5. Clarke pushed on but after getting a single of the first ball of the last over could not regain the strike. Clarke 97 not out off 125 balls and 14 fours and Patel 23 not out. Clarke had scored 209 runs on his Notts championship debut and no doubt impressed the England skipper who had to depart the field with a finger injury.

Notts 329 for five off 70 overs must now declare overnight. The Yorkshire target of 447 in 96 overs should not be realistically attainable; Notts scoring at 4.7 RPO today have given themselves every chance of forcing victory having the added bonus if required of 16 overs with the second new ball tomorrow. Olivier bowled with pace today but Notts bowling line up to now appears to have more all round menace. A sunny day is promised by the Met Office; a very interesting day is on the cards. MAG
Day 2
ROOT SURVIVES INTO DAY 3 BUT NOTTS HOLD THE EDGE, JUST!

A determined Notts bowling performance on a flattish deck ensured they closed the day “ahead on points” with Yorkshire trailing by 202 with five first innings wickets still standing.

 Notts batted for 105 minutes this morning on another cold day adding 84 to their overnight score. Clarke was out early doors for 112 after having his middle peg removed by the rapid Olivier who finished with five wickets. Broad bowled excellently to pick up 2 for 46 and was well supported by Luke Fletcher with 2 for 42, who bowled both Ballance and Leaning. Joe Root dropped at slip by Nash off Coughlin when on 8 was still there at the premature close on 56 not out. Later, Coughlin just failed to catch Root at deep square leg diving full length after a mistimed pull by the England skipper off Broad.

Off the first ball of the fourth over of the morning a peach of a ball from Olivier removed Clarke's middle stump. The right hander out for 112 off 190 balls with 17 fours, 329 for six. The sixth wicket stand between Clarke and Moores had added 80 runs. Olivier bowling very briskly from the Pavilion End picked up his fourth wicket when Moores (27) drove him straight to Gary Ballance at cover point, 358 for seven. Broad lasted two balls, as Oliver went nap, Broad leg before to a well pitched up ball that beat him for pace. Notts got to 110 overs on 368 for 8 and therefore gained four batting points. The runs though were drying up as Patterson and Waite turned the screw. In the 117th over, Fletcher edged Patterson (Radcliffe Road End) to Tom Kohler-Cadmore who took the catch at first slip, 375 for nine. Fletcher had faced 27 balls for his three. Coughlin was putting bat to ball effectively and the 400 came up in the 120th over. The ex Durham man had a wild swish outside off stump and edged to keeper Tattersall as Patterson picked up his 4th wicket. Coughlin 46 off 73 balls with 6 fours. Notts 408 all out off 120.3 overs. Thirty-three runs had been added for the last wicket with Jake Ball who left unbeaten on 15. Olivier 5 for 96 and Patterson 4 for 78. Yorkshire faced two overs before lunch and stood on 8 for 0 at the interval.

Dropped catch

After lunch, Ball was having trouble with his line. Broad off a shorter run was proving more of handful and in his fifth over of his spell from the Pavilion End had Brook plumb leg before to a full length delivery for 30, 39 for one. After seven over spells Broad and Ball were replaced by Coughlin and Fletcher. It was the later who picked up the second wicket as he removed Ballance's (7) off stump, 70 for 2. Joe Root was given a life when he was put down at third slip by Nash off Coughlin when on 8. Mullaney and Patel were rotated from the Pavilion End but Notts could not make another breakthrough as Yorkshire got to tea on 137 for two after 37 overs with Lyth on 71 and Root on 26.

After tea Ball and Broad returned. An attempted lofted drive by Lyth off Ball went to the safe hands of Fletcher at mid off. Lyth's 81 included 13 fours and came off 129 balls. The third wicket stand between Lyth and Root had added 83 runs in 20 overs. Root survived once more after mistiming a pull shot to short Broad ball, Coughlin diving in just failed to get his hands to the ball at deep square leg. After running repairs to Coughlin's hands a couple overs later Kohler-Cadmore (22) pulled Broad to same player who this time took the catch at deep mid wicket, 194 for 4. The floodlights then were switched on with the light deteriorating. The next over Fletcher removed Leaning's off bail who departed for a three ball duck having played no shot to the delivery, 195 for five. At 1811 with 10 overs still to be bowled the umpires took the players off for bad light, Yorkshire 206 for five off 59 overs with Root 56 and Tattersall on 4. Notts bowlers on the whole had been more attacking than their Yorkshire counterparts.MAG 

Day 1
CLARKE RECORDS FIRST TON, ON SOUND START BY OPENERS

Notts had the better of the opening day of the 2019 championship season closing on 324 for 5 after being inserted by Yorkshire after an uncontested toss. Star of the show was Joe Clarke who coming in at number 4 scored a magnificent chanceless unbeaten 109 off 181 balls with 17 fours with shots all round the wicket in front of crowd of around 2,000. He was well supported by Ben Slater who batted well for his 76 and looked set to emulate his century against The Tykes last year, until losing his wicket to a poor shot against the brisk South African Duanne Olivier. Notts crucially built partnerships on what appeared to be an easy paced pitch. Firstly Slater and Duckett added 75 and saw off the new ball; batting for 21 overs. Slater and Chris Nash (preferred to Jake Libby) then added 50 for the second wicket. Then 50 partnerships were raised for the fourth and sixth wicket.

Uncontested Toss

Notts were put in following an uncontested toss. Broad replaced Wood from the Fenner’s line up. The visitors had Joe Root in their eleven but Rashid and Bresnan were injured and Bairstow is currently playing in the IPL. After a sunny morning the clouds appeared just after the 1100 start. Yorkshire opened up with Coad (Radciiffe Road End) and Olivier (Pavilion End) but Duckett and Slater saw them off with relative ease as in particular Kolpak signing Olivier was wayward with his line. They were replaced by Yorkshire skipper Steven Patterson and Matthew Waite. The 50 partnership between Duckett and Slater was achieved via a four through third man by Duckett off Waite, it came off 81 balls. A poor shot from Duckett saw him pull a short ball from Patterson straight to Waite at long leg. Duckett out for 43 off 51 balls off seven fours; 75 for one in the 21st over. His current first-class run tally for week stands at 341! Ben Coad and Olivier returned but from different ends. Root came on for the 28th over from the Pavilion End and four byes saw Notts over the 100. Notts 112 for one off 31 overs with Slater on 42 and Nash on 16. The brown coloured pitch had played well, and the Notts batsman had looked comfortable despite the overhead conditions.

A four through third man off Patterson got Slater to 50 off 112 balls. Nash (21) fell in the next over plumb leg before to Waite; the second wicket had added exactly 50. Slater (76 – 163 balls (10x4)) who had played patiently gave it away. Trying to hook a short ball from Olivier he got a top edge and was caught behind by keeper Tattersall, 172 for three. The 200 came up in the 58th over. Dark clouds were hovering as the 50 partnership between Clarke and Mullaney was brought up in the last over before tea as Notts got to the interval on 222 for 3 off 64 overs with Clarke on 40 and Mullaney on 31.

In the second over after tea with the light now much better, Mullaney (31 off 44 balls (5x4)) edged Olivier to Lyth at second slip who took a smart catch, 226 for 4. Samit Patel (11) played a poor shot to bad ball from Patterson as he guided the ball straight to Harry Brook in the covers. Yorkshire took the new ball after 80 overs with Notts 272 for five. But the sixth wicket stand between Clarke and Moores added an unbeaten 75 to frustrate the visitors. A beautiful straight drive from Clarke off Coad brought up the Notts 300 in the 87th over. The former Pears right-hander moved in the 90s with successive pulls off Olivier bowling from the Pavilion End. Off the first ball of the 92nd over a four through mid wicket off Waite (who had replaced Olivier) saw Clarke to his ton on his championship debut for Notts off 165 balls with 16 fours. He received a deserved standing ovation. Stumps were drawn at 1811 with Notts on 324 for five with Clarke 109 not out and Moores playing a very unusual circumspect innings of 11 off 75 balls. Yorkshire had toiled manfully all day in the cloudy conditions, but it was advantage Notts who will hope for a score of 400 plus tomorrow morning. A very pleasing start to the competitive season. MAG



















GAME ON

Have Nottinghamshire assembled a squad to challenge Surrey in the One Day Cup? 

Will Notts be strong enough to go the distance in the championship, to challenge Surrey in that format or will we limp through the final couple of months as per...?

Should this squad takes us to Finals Day in the (insert whatever sponsor) T20 Blast competition? 

Whatever the answers are, this is a one season shot at it because in 2020 all normal thoughts of squads are to be thrown into the air; to land in whatever chaotic mess the idiots in charge of the asylum deem fit, player priorities and loyalties confused, and existing competitions pushed aside to favour of the shadow of that white elephant that is hanging over everything even now, six months away from the damaging, divisive player auction.

So let's make the most of it (2019), Notts have recruited well; we have several batsmen now equipped to score big and to score quickly. Both one day competitions should be firmly in our sights, we have the players to win both competitions, just as in 2017 and we have James Pattinson back (as in 2017) as a good omen too. The only spanners might be: the weather, individual brilliance of an opposition player on one particular day (can/could/probably will happen in any of the 17 possible T20 games necessary for the trophy), injuries to key players, call-ups by England and England Lions if players like Duckett continue to rack-up the stellar performances and of course Surrey.

The Championship is a different kettle of fish; with Pattinson, Broad, Chappell and Ball we have the fire power to roll sides over but without them it's going to be much, much harder. The early season fixtures have perhaps been unkind to Notts as well, too many home games where we're going to be batting first against teams, such as Yorkshire. that we will be expecting to challenge with in the pursuit of the Surrey juggernaut.

Joe Root and Yorkshire are the visitors for Notts' 2019 season opening fixture. Stuart Broads availability has altered the dynamics of the squad with Footitt and Wood being loaned out to get some game time. Zak Chappell isn't yet ready... but Notts have plenty of options even before Patto lands from Australia.

Notts Squad:

Jake Libby
Ben Slater
Chris Nash
Ben Duckett
Joe Clarke
Samit Patel
Steven Mullaney
Tom Moores
Paul Coughlin
Stuart Broad
Luke Fletcher
Jake Ball