Hampshire Metro Bank Cup at Welbeck CC Loss

 

NOTTS GET A REALITY CHECK

Out Bowled and Out Batted by Hampshire

on a seamers wicket and with a Gubbins ton

Hampshire cruised to an emphatic 91 run victory at Welbeck today. Defending what looked like an over par total on a slow seaming pitch where timing of the ball was sometimes difficult, the Hampshire bowlers stuck to simple line and length. Notts never recovered from losing Slater and James in the first four overs of the reply with only Matt Montgomery (42 off 45 balls, 5x4, 1x6) playing an innings of any substance.

Notts won the toss and elected to bowl on a intermittently sunny and warm day but with a strong south westerly wind blowing. Hampshire elected to recall Hundred benchwarmers Brad Wheal and Mason Crane back to their line-up, Notts stuck to the same eleven that had performed well at Chelmsford and Leicester.

Hutton (Charlie French End) conceded a single off the opening over. Paterson struck with his second delivery bowling Middleton (1), the ball jagging back in, 1 for 1. In the 8th over, Prest (10) edged a rising delivery from Paterson with Harrison taking the catch to his left at second slip, 27 for 2. In the 9th over, Gubbins played the fourth delivery of new bowler Loten’s over to backward square leg and Patterson-White ran out non-striker Brown (4) with a direct hit as the pair attempted a risky single, 31 for 3. Hampshire ended the 10 over power play on 34 for three.

After a six over spell from Paterson, Hutton replaced him from the Spion Kop End. Loten who had been guilty of pitching the ball too short, too often, bowled Donald (18), attempting a drive, via a nip backer from Loten, 62 for 4 after 15 overs. Loten bowled a 5 over spell into the wind and was replaced by Harrison. Loten immediately changed to the Spion Kop End. An edged four by Albert off Loten took Hampshire past 100 in the 22nd over, a further four followed from Albert’s bat in the same over, Hameed failing to stop an off drive. Notts’ fielding on the bumpy outfield was at times disappointing, with too many runs given away as the fielders kept diving over the ball.

Paterson was reintroduced for the 24th over and Patterson-White came on to bowl in the following over, but Gubbins and Albert were now constructing a useful partnership. Harrison changed to the Spion Kop End for the 28th over. The 5th wicket partnership added a match changing 88 in 16 overs, with Notts paying the price on a seamers pitch of only having three seamers available, with James still on his fortnight bowling embargo.

Patterson-White took two wickets in four balls in the 31st over. Albert, backing away attempting a cut shot, was bowled by Patterson-White for 44 (off 47 balls, 6x4). Three balls later, Patterson-White picked up his second wicket of the over removing the sweeping Holland leg before for a duck, 150 for 6. A bit of a howler from umpire Jack Shantry with the ball looking like it was going down the legside. Four overs later, Patterson-White removed Currie, another lbw victim, this one a straightforward decision, Hampshire 161 for 7. Notts though let Hampshire off the hook allowing them to add 93 in the remaining 15.4 overs with the patient Gubbins accelerating to a fine ton.

Hameed kept switching his bowlers from the Spion Kop End, Hutton bowling over 38, Loten over 40 and Harrison over 42. Hampshire standing at 190-7 off 42 overs. Patterson-White (3 for 43) finished his 10 over spell conceding eight off his last over. Gubbins got to his 100 off 113 balls with a single to short third man off Harrison (10 0 45 0) who went for two singles off his last over. Montgomery was surprisingly thrown the ball for the 45th over, his sole over going for 15 runs, Crane hitting him for two sixes (straight, mid-wicket). Hutton went for 9 in the 46th over. Loten bowled the 47th over and Gubbins hit him for six over square leg and after a wide a six over long on. Gubbins (119 off 123 balls, 13x4, 2x6) going for a straight six fell to well-judged catch on the run by James on the ropes, a second wicket for Loten (9-1-60-2) in an over that cost 15 runs, 239 for 8 off 47 overs. The 8th wicket stand between Gubbins and Crane was worth 78 in 12 overs and put Hampshire in a strong position. Crane (31 off 48 balls, 1x4, 2x6) was caught on the deep point ropes by Slater off Paterson, 241 for 9 in the 48th over. Hutton (10-0-48-0) conceded nine off his last over. Wheal, going for a legside hit was bowled by Paterson (9.5-0-41 -4) for 8. The second four wicket haul for Paterson in this year’s competition, following his 4-30 at Chelmsford. Hampshire 254 all out off 49.5 overs with Jack 4 not out.

With an extra seamer in the attack, Hampshire were favourites and the game was virtually sealed inside the first 20 balls as Notts stood at 8-2. Wheal (Spion Kop End) had Slater (1) caught at second slip by Currie off the fifth delivery of the innings, 2 for 1. Holland had then had James (4) caught behind by keeper Brown, 8 for 2 in the 4th over. Loten (4), surprisingly promoted to number 4, was bowled through the gate by Holland, 29 for 3 after 10 overs.

Eddie Jack came on for the 11th over and the tall 17-year-old right armer from Canford School, immediately impressed as he generated pace and bounce. Martindale and Hameed became entrenched with the scoreboard at an almost standstill. It was a surprise when in the 15th over, Hameed cover drove Jacks to the ropes. Notts crawled to 50 in the 18th over. Crane came from the Spion Kop End in the 19th over and Hameed (13) attempting a leg side shot was lbw to his second delivery, 51 for 4. Currie came on for the following over replacing Holland who had been outstanding bowling through for 9-1-19-2.. Martindale (28 off 72 balls, 2x4) tamely hit Currie (7-1-23-1) to Gubbins at mid-off, 61 for 5 in the 22nd over. Martindale a fast scorer in the seconds could not time the ball throughout his innings, as Hampshire bowlers stuck to the plan of bowling exactly on the spot. A great learning experience for the 20-year-old opener.

Montgomery, a good player of spin swept Crane for successive fours in the 27th over. His innings was only fluent innings we saw today from a home batsman. Off-spinner Prest came on for the 28th over. In the following over, Montgomery launched Crane for a huge six over square leg. The Notts 100 came up in 30th over with a single for Montgomery off Prest.

Jack returned for the 31st over and Montgomery hit him for four through mid-wicket but in the same over, Patterson-White (13) played on to his stumps, 105 for 6. The first ever wicket for Jacks in professional cricket and richly deserved. The stand of 44 between Montgomery and Patterson-White was the largest of the innings.

Schadendorf drove Prest (3-0-14-1) straight down Donald's throat at long to depart for a 4-ball duck, 110 for 7 in the 32nd over. It was cue for well over half the crowd of around 1,800 to leave the ground, the game well and truly over. Currie returned for the 34th over. Montgomery (42) beaten for pace lost his off stump to Jack (8-0-28-2), 124 for 8 in the 35th over. Crane came back for the 39th over and had Harrison (17) caught by 17-year-old substitute Dominic Kelly, right on the mid-wicket ropes. The Millfield School youngster making sure he caught the ball by parrying the ball back to the himself and catching the ball at the third attempt, 142 for 9. The last wicket added 21 in 23 balls. Hutton hit Wheal (7-0-33-1) for a mid-wicket boundary and then Paterson hit the same bowler for a straight six. The fun ended when Hutton (15) skied Crane (8.2-0-38-3) to Jack who took a excellent diving catch diving across from long off. Notts 163 all out off 42.2 overs (Paterson 11 not out) had been well beaten by a side that had out batted, out bowled and out fielded them. Hampshire 3 wins from 3 and Notts having 5 points from 4 games.

Will Notts, clearly missing a big hitter in their batting line-up, be tempted to call-up Tom Moores for the next match at the same venue against Surrey on Sunday? MAG

The squad remains the same:

Ben Slater
Ben Martindale
Matt Montgomery
Lyndon James
Haseeb Hameed
Liam Patterson-White
Dane Schadendorf
Sam King
Calvin Harrison
Tom Loten
Brett Hutton
Fateh Singh
Toby Pettman

Dane Paterson

Tomorrow sees the first of the three scheduled fixtures in this competition at the Northern Outpost of Nottinghamshire cricket.

In all honesty, the novelty of playing at the John Fretwell Sports Complex has probably worn off now and the lies about the necessity to play away from Trent Bridge during the H*ndred has been shown to be just that, lies.

The rained off family day at Trent Bridge was scheduled after the first of the parasite Rockets' "home" events, showing that the schedulers believe the "impossible" is indeed possible and it's just Trent Bridge being petty not hosting Nottinghamshire matches over the rest of August there at HQ.

So what's the matter with the Sookholme venue?

Location is the main problem. If the don't have a car to get you there, then unless you're one of the few locals, you're dependent on the scarse public transport. What would happen if 200 people were stood at the bus stop on the main road leading back to Mansfield? Any bus would just drive passed, it would have to.

As it is, we're all in the Welbeck routine now. The club have stopped running a coach to the venue from Trent Bridge, another step in their cause of down playing the competition and showing scant regard for their members! But, we're getting used to that as well now! Remember the Welbeck Weekender, when it was exciting to play games away from Trent Bridge? Like I say, the novelty is wearing off.

When the list of benefits to playing at Welbeck CC start with the cake stall, you know that there's little else on offer there.

As delicious as the cakes are, facilities remain that of a Notts Premier League club, limited although there's always been adequate toilets and places to whet your whistle.

Fingers crossed that it doesn't rain, because then it's your vehicle remains the most reliable place to shelter.

Tomorrow's opponents are likely to put out a strong eleven of mostly first eleven players that have soundly beaten Notts twice in 2023 already. The wicket at Welbeck will suit their attack as well, more than Notts' spinner heavy attack.

Keep an eye out for Duncan too.