v Somerset LV= at Taunton

Early promise washed away

The fourth day saw proceedings start so promising for Notts: the last wicket  was taken, the follow-on was enforced, Notts bowled superbly well, but again a slip catch went begging - Patel dropping Trescothick.

After lunch Trescothick did get himself out and Shahzad accounted for Chris Jones however after Nick Compton had reached his fifty, the heavens opened and the outfield was flooded. With no advanced drainage at Taunton, the game was snuffed out as a draw.

v Lancashire Lightning FLT20 at Trent Bridge

 Hales and White star as the Red Rose wilts

A blistering start by Notts in the opening 11 overs of the match (125 for two) ensured Notts claimed a money spinning home quarter final in the Twenty/20.

Notts were unchanged from Friday’s match against The Tykes as Glen Chapple won the toss and inserted Notts in front of another bumper crowd of 8,219.

v Yorkshire Vikings FLT20 at Trent Bridge

Vikings hit to Valhalla by Hales

A heavily under strength Yorkshire team were comfortably beaten with 23 balls unused by an eager Notts team last night who have now qualified for the last eight of the Twenty/20 competition.

On another sunny balmy evening, visiting captain Rafiq won the toss and elected to bat in front of a 10,148 crowd. The pitch which will also used against Lancashire on Sunday was well on Fox Road side of the square. Yorkshire had two Twenty/20 debutants in Alex Lees and Will Rhodes, key men Sidebottom, Gale and Rashid were all rested and Phil Jaques remains injured.

Adam Lyth was dropped off the first ball of the innings by Patel at second slip off Harry Gurney bowling from the Radcliffe Road End. Lees fell in the second over of the innings bowled by Patel; for one. In the fourth over of the innings, Dan Hodgson (8), keeper for the night instead of rested Andrew Hodd was well caught on the square leg ropes by Graeme White in front of Fox Road Stand, 17 for two. 

Left handers Lyth and Ballance added 46 in six overs as Ball’s and Butler’s first overs from the Radcliffe Road End proved expensive going for a combined total of 27 runs. Patel though was proving frugal and was replaced by the equally economical White. In the tenth Ballance holed out to long on off White for a 19-ball 30. Next over Lyth (23) played on to Jake Ball who was getting the ball to move around on the two paced pitch; 66 for 4 in the 11^th. Inexperience pair Jack Leaning (son of former York City custodian Andy) and Nottingham born Will Rhodes got bogged down as only five runs came from two overs. Then came the inevitable mix up as Leaning slipped up and was run out by yards, 71 for five. Pyrah put bat to ball as Yorkshire desperately tried to get to a competitive total. Gurney returned and bowled Rhodes for a 19-ball 13, the sixth wicket having added 37. Pyrah was out in the last over falling to well judged running catch by Mullaney in front of the L+V; his innings of 42 came off just 25 balls. Only two sixes had been hit despite the short boundary as Yorkshire closed on 132 for seven, probably 30 under par. White had figures of 4-0-17-1 and Patel who bowled the last over of the innings 4-0-17-3. Gurney’s last two balls went to the ropes but he still finished with 4-0-27-1.

Notts got off to shaky start losing Lumb (6) and Patel (2) both out to full tosses. Yorkshire though were serving up plenty of pudding bowling, Hales profited and sped to 62 off just 38 balls. At times he was a tad lucky but fortune favoured the brave, having hit Rafiq for two towering sixes off successive balls, he tried again off the next but skied to Ballance at deep mid on. The man of the match innings included four fours and five sixes; the crowd well and truly enjoyed the knock and he left to a standing ovation. It was easy now, Hussey not quite at his best scored 28 off 30 balls. Wessels replacing Titch Taylor, training for a England spot down at Hove, had a chance in the middle to finish on an undefeated 18 and with Read (9*) saw Notts to 133 for four. Mullaney had neither batted nor bowled.

Notts now need to defeat Lancashire on Sunday to get the home quarter final, another large crowd is expected tomorrow despite the indifferent forecast. This was a welcome return to form for Notts albeit against disinterested opponents who have much more things to aim for being top of the championship. The Red Rose will prove much stronger opponents as Notts have home advantage plus knowledge of the pitch to be used as Murdoch TV will come for the second time this week. MAG

.......................................................................................................................................... ECB trade-off following the stealing of James Taylor for the Australian 2nd XI game at Hove, rules have been changed to allow Graeme White to compete for Outlaws if we qualify for the knock-out stages of the FLT20.

A tie against Sticklebacks would be interesting....................................but what is the point of having rules if when they become awkward  you just change them?
.............................................................................................................................



Notts Outlaws with critical weekend fixtures in the FLT20, were given a dramatic boost by Andy Flower as James Taylor, ever-present in each of Notts' recent defeats, was called to play a red ball game at Hove for a Sussex XI against some of the Australian touring squad who will be captained by Eddie Cowan for the three day game starting on Friday.

The Australians who claim to be united and not a split group will have players in both Hove and London for the weekend.

"We want to provide James the best possible opportunity to be prepared to play in the third Test should he be required," said Nottinghamshire's Director of Cricket Mick Newell.

"Whilst clearly he is an important player for us and will be missed in our Friends Life t20 matches on Friday and Sunday we have a proud record of producing players for England.

"We remain in close contact with James and the ECB regarding the situation and hope that he can make a contribution and be selected."

Watch out for a return for Riki Wessels on Friday.

v Derbyshire Falcons FLT20 at Trent Bridge

After a torrential teatime downpour, this game got underway at 2030 as a nine over lottery. Notts won the toss and bowled, but they were hampered by the wet ball as conditions got drier as the night wore on.

v Yorkshire Vikings FLT20 at Headingley

Spin twins win the day for Outlaws as past lessons appear to have been learnrd from

After having posted what appeared to be an inadequate total, Notts triumphed at Headingley by the comfortable margin of 25 runs. After two unsatisfactory performances, Notts finally turned to spin and spin twins White and Patel were the key to the victory.

v Durham Dynamos FLT20 at Trent Bridge

Stokes plunders the Bridgford Road to grab victory

In front of Friday crowd of 9873 Notts suffered their third defeat in a week as Durham recorded a three wicket victory in a game not quite as close as the scorecard suggests.

This was an improvement on the display at Grace Road against stronger opposition but some of the same mistakes were made, the spinners were under bowled, too many extras were conceded and the batting order still needs tweaking with Hussey required to come in above Taylor to provide momentum to the middle overs of the innings. The injury to Wessels has clearly not helped matters, bur Read’s alarming drop in form is compounding the problems.

v Warwickshire LV= at Edgbaston

All too predictable at Birmingham

Gedling Colliery CC - 1st XI vs Belvoir CC - 1st XI

Gedling Colliery CC - 1st XI vs Belvoir CC - 1st XI

v Leicestershire FLT20 at Grace Road

Outlaws lose their way with a poor display

A poor night for Notts as muddled team selection followed by mediocre bowling and abysmal fielding resulted a humiliating seven wicket defeat to a weak Leicestershire outfit.

Logic would suggest that you put the best team out on the pitch in the competition you have most chance of winning; unless Gurney was injured his non-selection was a grave mistake. The idea of resting a player from the rigors of a four over spell do not hold any credence in my eyes.  Instead Notts brought back Fletcher who had an indifferent night and Graeme White also returned, the twirler probably does not know whether he is coming or going, I am not sure who he moonlights for Northants or Notts? Wessels meanwhile is rumoured to have a broken finger.

v Surrey LV= at The Oval

Ponting century frustrates Notts

Day Four

A characteristic gutsy century from former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting frustrated Notts this morning  just as a charge to victory was starting to gather momentum. With only occasional bite for both White and Patel, studious batting was needed by the hosts to stop the rot and that is what Ponting delivered, pushing the Surrey lead beyond 100 with the help of Zafar Ansari.