Leicestershire LV= Championship Division 2 at Trent Bridge Win 20 points

After the other games concluded on Day 4 of this round...

Day 3

NOTTS WIN SEVENTH MATCH, WITH DAY TO SPARE IN SPITE OF STICKY FINISH

Notts beat Leicestershire by 241 runs at Trent Bridge with a day to spare as Brett Hutton, Dane Paterson and Steven Mullaney each took 3 wickets. Notts steadily worked through the visitors batting on the flat deck aided it must be said by some pretty soft dismissals. With the score standing at 174-9, last man Mike Finan was dropped first ball by James on the square leg ropes. Amazingly debutant Finan (58 off 46 balls, 11x1, 1x6) then added a very unlikely 83 in 15 overs with his captain Callum Parkinson as Notts rather over did a short ball barrage to Finan. With rain and bad light halting play for 127 minutes the last wicket pair were finally separated 10 balls after the restart at 1759. Notts took 20 points from the fixture to further extend their lead at the top of the table.

Play got under way in morning sunshine with Fletcher and Paterson the opening bowlers. In the 21st over of the innings, Evans (18) was caught behind off Paterson, 34 for 1. The right hander failed to move his feet and a poor shot saw the ball nestle safely into Moores’ gloves. Azad and Kimber added 48 in 15 overs with Hutton replacing Fletcher for the 26th over. There was a further bowling change from the Radcliffe Road End when Patterson-White came on for the 30th over which meant Hutton could change ends and replace Paterson. The bowling was being switched around as Mullaney brought himself on and with his second ball had Azad (35) leg before, 82 for 2 in the 36th over. Kimber played a terrible shot to be caught at wide mid-off by Fletcher off Mullaney for 16, 91 for 3 in the 40th over. Just before lunch, Ackermann became Mullaney's third victim, lbw for 9, 94 for 4 in the 42nd over. Leicestershire got to the break on 97 for 4 off 42 overs with Patel on 5 Swindells on 1. The introduction of Mullaney bowling line and length had changed the course of session.

Rishi Patel fell to catch at mid-wicket by Patterson-White off Fletcher for 7. Another terrible shot. Leicestershire 102 for 5 in the 49th over. Paterson replaced Fletcher for the 53rd over. Another loose shot this time by Swindells (12) saw him caught at mid-wicket by Patterson-White off Paterson, 121 for 6 in the 55th over. Mullaney’s (11-3-29-3) long spell ended as Patterson-White returned for the 58th over. Paterson conceded 15 in the 59th over, Barnes hitting successive balls for 4 and 6 through square leg. His following over went for 11 as this time Walker found the ropes off consecutive balls. Hutton returned for the 62nd over to enable Patterson-White to change ends. A bouncing bomb from Hutton made a Wally of Barnes (37). In moving back to leg and with the ball too close to his body he attempted a pull shot and ended up on his backside with the ball ending up in Hameed’s hands at short leg at 169 for 7 in the 66th over. Walker (18) was caught at deep square leg by James off Hutton, 170 for 8 in the 40th over. Another short ball by Hutton saw Wright (4) attempting a pull shot but only succeeded in hitting the legside delivery to Moores behind the stumps who took a catch low to his left, 174 for 9. Finan was dropped off his first ball by the juggling James at deep square leg who despite three attempts dropped the easy chance off Hutton. Little did we know that the match would not end for a further three hours!

Finan hooked Hutton for three leg side boundaries in the 72nd over. Dane Paterson replaced Hutton and two more legside fours off bumpers meant the 74th went for 11. In the following over, Finan swept Patterson-White for 6 over square leg. Parkinson was dropped on 11 by Mullaney at slip off Patterson-White. With storm clouds gathering to the south west with thunder claps and lightning now visible, Mullaney resisted the temptation to return and continued with the short ball barrage from the Radcliffe Road End, there was a five-minute stoppage as Finan had to replace his helmet after being struck on the head. Finan then hit Paterson for a further three fours in the 80th over. The new ball was taken by Fletcher and Hutton with the floodlights now shining brightly in the gloom and The Foxes standing at 234-9 after 80 overs. Finan was now playing proper cricket strokes hit Fletcher for four through backward point and then played on drive to the ropes reaching his entertaining 50 in 37 balls in the 83rd over. Bad light then stopped play at 1552 with Leicestershire on 251 for 9 after 83 overs. The sky was leaden grey but luckily the heavy storm passed to the west and Trent Bridge was only hit by drizzle, the sun then came out as mopping up operations commenced, play restarted at 1759 with 6 overs remaining in the day, 22 overs having been lost. Most of the crowd had lost patience and returned home.

Ironically, the light drizzle returned just as the players emerged but umpires Illingworth and Pratt clearly wanted tomorrow off. An over from Hutton went for two singles. Paterson’s second delivery was clipped for a legside four by Finan. Two balls later, Paterson found the edge off Finan’s bat as Montgomery took a fine tumbling catch low to his left at second slip. Leicestershire 257 all out off 84.4 overs with Parkinson stranded on a dogged 26. The last wicket partnership showed that Leicestershire had at least some fight, after some very indifferent strokes earlier. Incidentally it was not even their best 10th wicket partnership against Notts this season, Ben Mike and Will Davis having added 89 in the first innings at Grace Road in June. Mullaney had taken the three key wickets before lunch but there were also 3 wickets bags for Hutton (3-51) and Paterson (3-92). The rain got heavier as the players were left the field with Notts now 50 points clear at the top with seven wins, four draws and the solitary loss to Glamorgan. MAG

Day 2

EASED CONDITIONS ENABLE NOTTS TO SET VAST TARGET

At the close of the second day, Leicestershire require a further 479 runs to win with all their second innings wickets still standing. Although there was 11-minute stoppage for bad light in the morning, a full day's play was possible in a day of intermittent sunshine. Notts took advantage of a wayward Leicestershire bowling performance and a considerably easing batting surface to advance to 390 for 7 declared in 82.3 overs. Leicestershire openers Evans and Azad survived 13 overs in the evening sunshine.

Play commenced under heavy cloud cover and after only eight overs had been bowled bad light stopped play at 1109 with Notts 48 for 0 after 10 overs with Slater on 20 and Hameed on 23, they had made relatively untroubled progress. Play recommenced at 1120. In the 20th over, Slater was caught and bowled by Barnes for 39, 87 for 1. Hameed got to his 50 off 80 balls with a single off Finan in the 24th over, a no ball in the same over saw Notts to 100. The left armer having trouble with his run up all day would eventually bowl 10 no balls, making it 17 in the match! The ball unlike yesterday was not really swinging and the surface was now considerably slower, the heavy roller having been applied first thing. At lunch, Notts were 112 for 1 off 26 overs Hameed on 53 and Montgomery on 6.

A poor shot by Hameed (60 off 108 balls, 9x4) saw him top edge Finan to Swindells behind the stumps, 128 for 2 in the 34th over. The 50 partnership between Montgomery and Clarke took 50 balls as both batsmen looked well settled. A four through mid-wicket off Parkinson saw Clarke to accomplished 50 off 45 balls. A four by Montgomery off Finan saw the 100 partnership in 112 balls but in the same over which would cost 17 , a miscued pull shot from Montgomery (44) saw him depart caught and bowled by Finan, 229 for 3 in the 52nd over, the 3rd wicket partnership accumulated 101 runs in 18.2 overs. In the following over, Clarke (67 off 72 balls, 12x4) edged Parkinson to wicket keeper Swindells off Parkinson, 245 for 4. But Finan kept leaking runs, 20 runs came from the following over which contained three no balls and boundaries for Mullaney and James. Kimber came on bowling off spin from the Radcliffe Road End and in his second over had Mullaney caught at slip by Ackermann for 24, 295 for 5 in the 63rd over. Notts went to tea were 296 for 5 off 66 overs with James on 28 and Moores on 0.

A four through square leg off Parkinson saw James to 50 off 69 balls in the 74th over. The 50 partnership between Moores and James took 77 balls. James (61 off 82 balls, 6x4) departed for strangled down the leg side from a delivery from Walker, 347 for 6 in the 77th over; Swindells third catch of the innings. Walker was hit for a straight six by Patterson-White and the new ball was immediately taken at 369 for 6 after 80.1 overs. Patterson-White smashed a Barnes no ball for 6 over square leg as the declaration was imminent. Moores was caught at deep backward point by Ackermann off Barnes for 28 and Notts immediately declared on 390 for 7 off 82.3 overs; Patterson-White with a whirlwind 28 not out off 17 balls. Wright (13-2-37-0) and Parkinson (21-2-68-1) kept a reasonably cap on the run scoring but Finan (14-0-98-2) and Barnes (13.3-0-83-2) proved very expensive.

Leicestershire needed 499 to win, knowing that history was against them, their largest run chase in their championship history stands at 394, achieved with 7 wickets down versus Derbyshire at Grace Road in 1947. Fletcher (Pavilion End) and Hutton shared the new ball and bowled testing spells. Paterson came on for the 11th over and Azad on 1 was dropped by Hutton at third slip, a difficult low chance. Leicestershire closed on 20 for 0 after 13 overs with Evans on 10 and Azad on 4. Heavy afternoon showers are expected tomorrow and on Thursday. MAG

Day 1

MANIC MONDAY AT TRENT BRIDGE

Notts closed a frantic opening day with a lead of 123 runs with all their second innings wickets after a frantic day on a tricky pitch saw 20 wickets crash for 309 runs in 93.2 madcap overs at Trent Bridge today.

Leicestershire won the toss and elected to bowl on a sunny morning. Notts left out Jake Ball from the starting line-up and with Jimmy Pattinson back in Australia it meant last year’s seam trio of Hutton, Paterson and Fletcher were reunited. The visitors were without Wiaan Mulder who has joined the South African Test squad for the Oval and with fellow overseas player Beuran Hendricks back in South Africa it meant they gave a first-class debut to left arm seamer Mike Finan who made his Foxes debut in 50 over game at Grace Road 16 days before. Also missing for the visitors were leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed (injured) and Ben Mike who joining Yorkshire at the end of the season.

Wright (Radcliffe Road End) and Finan opened the bowling. In the fifth over, Hameed (4) edged Wright to Patel at first slip, 9 for 1. In the 9th over Wright got a delivery to move in and removed a shouldering arms Slater's (17) off bail, 26 for 2. After a four over spell from Finan which cost 21 he was replaced at the Pavilion End by Ed Barnes. Walker replaced the impressive Wright (6-4-5-2). In the 14th over, Montgomery on 1 slashing outside off stump to Barnes edged to Patel who dropped the easiest of chances at first slip. Run scoring was proving difficult in ideal bowling conditions, the pitch offering carry and sideways movement and with the ball also swinging in the humid atmosphere. In the 17th over, Montgomery hit Walker for two offside boundaries. In the following over, a leg side four for Clarke off Barnes saw him off the mark after 32 balls at the crease. Notts got to 50 in the 19th over. In the 21st over, Wright returned. Notts got to lunch on 82 for 2 off 29 overs with Montgomery on 32 and Clarke on 20.

Four balls after lunch, Clarke was leg before to Barnes for 20, 83 for 3. The third wicket stand of 57 in 21 overs between Montgomery and Clarke proved the largest of the day. The Notts 100 came up in the 33rd over via a leg side four by Montgomery. In the 34th over, a poor shot from top scorer Montgomery saw him caught at backward point by Evans off Barnes for 43, 104 for 4. James was caught at second slip by Ackermann off Wright for 16, 112 for 5 in the 37th over. Finan came for Barnes in the 42nd over and proved expensive once more. Moores with his feet cemented to floor was caught at third slip by Patel off Walker for 10, 130 for 6 in the 45th over. Parkinson came on for the 48th over with Notts reaching 150 in the following over. Patterson-White on 15 was dropped at third slip on 15 by Patel off Walker, but fell in the same over caught and bowled low to his left by Walker in his follow through for 17 , 168 for 7 in the 53rd over. Mullaney (21) was leg before to a leg stump yorker from Barnes, 170 for 8 in the 54th over. Hutton, who reached the ropes twice in the 55th over bowled by Walker was caught by keeper Swindells off the returning Parkinson for 8, 180 for 9 in the 57th over. A couple of lusty blows from Paterson saw Notts to their solitary batting point. Paterson hit Parkinson for 6 over mid-wicket and then Finan for 4 through square leg. Notts got to 200 via a no ball from Finan. Paterson was caught on the mid-wicket ropes by Kimber off Finan for 16. Notts 201 all out after 61.3 overs with Fletcher on 4. Wright 3 for 26 and Barnes 3 for 32 were the pick of the bowlers on a very helpful deck, Finan bowled seven no balls and finished with figures of 1 for 58 off 10.3 overs. Tea was taken between the innings.

Sam Evans playing his first championship game since mid-May carried his bat with 50 off 71 balls (8x4) as Leicestershire were shot out for 93 in their reply off 29.5 overs. Indeed, no other Foxes batter reached double figures with Barnes being second top scorer with 9 and next up were byes reaching 8 as successive legside deliveries from Paterson evaded Moores behind the stumps in the 27th over.

Azad was caught off at slip off a Fletcher no ball in the opening over, this was first sign that batting was not going to be easy for Leicestershire. In the 5th over, Fletcher had Azad caught behind for 1, 13 for 1. The floodlights came on immediately as dark clouds hovered, a few spots of rain fell but the sun returned about an hour later. Evans was dropped on 13 above his head by Montgomery at second slip off Hutton. Kimber (6) lost his off stump to Fletcher, 27 for 2 in the 9th over. Paterson came on in the 10th over. In the 11th over, Fletcher picked up his third wicket having Ackermann caught at third slip by Hutton, 32 for 3. Rishi Patel was leg before to Fletcher for a two-ball duck, 32 for 4. Today proved a bad day all round for Rishis!

In the next over, Swindells was leg before to Paterson for 1, 33 for 5. Brett Hutton returned for the 16th over to allow Paterson to change ends. Evans with Barnes in tow added 26 for the 6th wicket in 8 overs, which was the highest partnership of the innings. Hutton then had Barnes plumb leg before for 9, 59 for 6 off 20 overs. Walker fell for a 12-ball duck, brilliantly caught by James’s diving low to his right at third slip off Hutton, 65 for 7 in the 24th over. Parkinson (1) was the eighth wicket to fall caught by Moores off Paterson, 70 for 8 in the 25th over. Paterson had reached 100 first-class wickets for Notts in his 22nd match for the County. Wright was caught low down at mid-on by Patterson-White off Hutton for a 12-ball duck, 79 for 9. Patterson-White came on and his first ball was a single for Evans who reached a commendable 50 off 71 balls. Patterson-White removed Finan’s off stump for 6. Leicestershire 93 all out off 29.4 overs. Evans became the first man to carry his bat against Notts since Dom Sibley (215 not out) achieved the feat in 2019 for Warwickshire at Trent Bridge. Fletcher (4-23) led the attack taking the first four wickets to fall and was well supported by Hutton (3 for 32) and Paterson (2 for 25).

Notts had two overs to face in the evening sunshine, Hameed (4 not out) found the ropes off the opening over bowled by Wright and then the following over was bowled by Barnes as Slater (9 not out) hit him for two boundaries. Notts 15 for 0 at the close taken at 1835. For seemingly the first time this season neither team had asked for a ball change!! MAG

04/09

Untypically a squad of just twelve has been announced for this game, as the Seconds also have a match at the same time:

Haseeb Hameed

Ben Slater

Matt Montgomery

Joe Clarke

Lyndon James

Steven Mullaney

Tom Moores

Liam Patterson-White

Brett Hutton

Luke Fletcher

Dane Paterson

Jake Ball

02/09

England have seen fit to call Ben Duckett into the England Test squad for the third Test against South Africa as replacement for Jonny Bairstow who has a "low limb" injury. Is that a leg then? An injury sustained whilst playing golf.

With the Test starting Thursday and Duckett touring Pakistan the following week, this now rules Duckett out of any involvement in Notts' championship run-in and puts us a batsman light, our best batsman! What idiot told Joey Evison that there were no possible opportunities in the Notts first eleven? Myopic advice, myopic management; it's been obvious to anyone bothered to look that Duckett was on the edge of a re-call-up!

Who will replace Bairstow in the opener role at the World Cup should that be necessary, Alex Hales? After Rob Key failed to really explain Alex's absence in the squad "having served his time", it looks like the omission is now a personal slur.

Not even our myopic management can fail now to include Matt Montgomery in the starting eleven against Leicestershire. 

More unbalanced attacks and character assasination of Joe clarke from the Cricketer

01/09

As we countdown to the last three games, I think it's time for some reflection and to concentrate on some positives entering the season's autumnal phase...


As far as Trent Bridge has informed the public/supporters/members, everyone in the squad is fit (other than Lyndon being unable to turn his arm over) and in the case of some of those concerned in the Hundred, well rested too. Notts enter the closing month with a healthy lead in the table as well, with two games on home turf and one away at New Road remaining. So, all on target for promotion to whatever next year brings. All we know is that there's going to be 14 red ball games for each county in 2023. But, no counting chickens...


The first of these three games in this closing phase is Leicestershire.


I would suggest three players, at least, enter this phase in better form than when we last had a championship game- Ben Slater, Brett Hutton and Matt Montgomery. Those three should be the first three names on Peter Moores' team sheet for the Leicestershire game, but they won't be...


Haseeb Hameed, Lyndon James and Liam Patterson-White all had solid one day cups too.


Since last time, the head coach has decided we don't need a fast bowler anymore and has allowed the menacing James Pattinson to go back home to Australia to change nappies, leaving our express pace options limited to the fragile Jake Ball and the forever limping Zak Chappell, neither of which are in the same bracket as Patto for raw speed. Playing either of course would be a risk (if they would go the distance). As mentioned elsewhere, the Patto departure doesn't add up with what we were told following the birth of the little one, but that's par for the course with Trent Bridge - half truths and total balderdash is their usual output. At least that's one disappointing departure that the club has admitted to. There's still at least one outstanding.

Question:

Has Jake Ball in the past 12 months bowled more deliveries for Welsh Firemen, than he has for Nottinghamshire first elevens in any format?


On other matters related to Welshfiremen:


Ben Duckett has maintained his excellent form throughout the Hundred and for the Lions, whilst Joe Clarke has maintained his total lack of form (being only consistent in being inconsistent since he joined Notts) and he should be the one to make way for Matt Montgomery, but does PM have the guts to do it?

Clarke has played in all Firemen games as opener scoring a total of 102 runs from 110 balls. The next active in the Hundred, that's likely to play in this game is Tom Moores who had one innings (6 from 6). Steven Mullaney hasn't played at all.

Joe Clarke will now get a lifeline after this game, if PM does throw him overboard, as Ben Duckett has been selected for the England T20 Tour of Pakistan . - now given a lifeline before he's thrown overboard (see above)

Opponents Leicestershire have had their form player, Wiaan Fox Mulder abducted, not quite in X-files style, by South Africa but have their returning Hundred contingent, all fresh and well rested too.


The weather forecast is showery at best over the four days; if you were a non-member, would you risk it and shell out £20 per day? The pricing is wrong but the financial greed is ravenous.

Another question.

Trent Bridge described the first class eleven as "the red ball renegades" in a recent message on social media, but what do they mean?



Renegade: noun a person who deserts and betrays an organization, country, or set of principles.


Who or what are they suggesting that those players have deserted or betrayed?