Nottinghamshire 422 & 82/1 v Durham 294 & 329 (Bob Willis Trophy North Group)

*Match drawn

06.09.20 – 09.09.20 (match played over 4 days)

The final match of what seems to have been a successful shortened format of four-day cricket ended in another draw for Nottinghamshire as they were held by a resilient run scoring innings or two of table propping Durham who finished bottom of the North Group table after five matches played.

Notts will be happy with a fourth placed finish having two sides finish below them in the table but might rue missed chances in the group stages having failed to win a match (again) for the second successive summer.

Without harping on about points lost and previous games this match against Durham provided Notts with a chance to at least put things right, improve their form and win a game of four day cricket which they hadn’t done since June 2018, yes really that long ago.

Durham opened their innings on Sunday and ended 275/8 on a first day that was largely in the balance. Zak Chappell (ending with 4/92) and Jake Ball (2/58) did the damage on Monday morning to give Notts a chase under 300 and after the early loss of Slater and Hameed it was a stunning performance by Ben Duckett and Joe Clarke that saw them towards target.

Duckett eventually went for 150 on Tuesday morning with Clarke totalling 133 with Notts eventually bowled out for 422 (128 runs in the lead) as Durham bat the afternoon session in order to save the game.

Save it they did, by stumps on Tuesday, Dickson (56) and Jones (82 not out) had helped Durham to a three run lead with eight wickets in hand as they started today on 131/2.

In bright conditions the visitors eventually reached 329 all out with 4/80 by Samit Patel and 3/34 Pater Trego impressive for Notts but leaving it perhaps too little too late.

Notts were set 202 to win in little under an hour of the final session and despite an entertaining knock from Ben Duckett (36 from 28 balls) the two sides shook shortly after the first wicket loss of Trego (34) with Joe Clarke on 8 not out.

Notts finishing 82/1 off 9.2 overs which at least is good practice before they restart their Vitality Blast season up once again.

Next up is Lancashire on Friday where Notts will resume their T20 campaign as table topping leaders of the North.

*Main image @TrentBridge Joe Clarke hit a fabulous first innings century.