Nottinghamshire 355 & 97 v Yorkshire 264 & 278 (Bob Willis Trophy North Group)

*Yorkshire win by 90 runs.

08.08.20 – 11.08.20 (match played over 4 days)

For the second successive week in the Bob Willis Trophy Nottinghamshire again fell to defeat having seen victory in sight as a second innings final day collapse needing just 188 to win saw them fall short by 90 runs.

After a cracking start for Nottinghamshire’s bowlers on Saturday that saw Yorkshire at one stage 44/4 a middle order resurrection by first Brook and Tattersall and then Brook and Thompson helped the visitors towards 200 and eventually the White Rose county ended their innings on 264 as Chris Nash took three wickets for twenty runs including the capture of Brook for 68 with his first ball bowled in over three years and the taking of Thompson on 98 to close the innings.

That score left Notts a competitive start to catch and the home team lost their first wicket before the close of play when Nash went for just 8 with just 13 on the board overnight.

Sunday didn’t get Notts off to the greatest of starts either and when Duckett and Hameed went with the side 55/3 it was left to Joe Clarke and Steven Mullaney to see the side into three figures. Clarke eventually made 35 whilst the skipper hit 50 before falling LBW to the bowling of Lyth.

After a decent chip by Trego (39) and with Notts at 187 for 6 it looked all on to get close to Yorkshire’s target but up stepped Tom Moores who produced only his second first class century as he hit 105 ably assisted by initially Samit Patel (38) before a last wicket partnership of 61 with Matt Carter took the green and golds into a 91 run lead by the close of play.

If Monday morning had Nottinghamshire favourites by the afternoon session Yorkshire were right back in the match again as after losing Kohler-Cadmore early doors Lyth and Bairstow put on 131 but three quick wickets to spin saw things sway again the way of Notts before Brook and Tattersall once again steadied the ship.

Once again it was the middle order that saved Yorkshire with Brook a healthy 33 before Patel took his wicket with Tattersall hitting 50 and Thompson a further 33 as the away side ended the evening 259/7 and 168 runs in the lead.

The morning of day four however saw Yorkshire add just 19 more runs and set Notts a target of 188 to win with Carter taking 4/76, Chappell on 4/59 and Mullaney equalling the club record for seven catches in a match.

In reply Notts stumbled to 46/3 before lunch after losing Hameed, Nash and Duckett and following the interval things didn’t get much better either. Clarke and Mullaney went in quick succession with Moores and Trego out next Notts on 82/7. When Chappell went seven runs later it all looked a formality with Carter and Clarke the last two to go with Notts on 97.

A disappointing innings that lasted little more than three hours (including lunch) from believing Notts had a chance to win to being blown away in an act of self-destruction… Lessons must be learned if Notts are to improve on not just recent misfortunes but in following on a trend that long set in last season.

*Main image @TrentBridge Haseeb Hameed and Chris Nash will be disappointed with their run scoring.