Nottinghamshire 400/5dec v Worcestershire 80 & 150 (County Championship Group One)
*Nottinghamshire win by an innings & 170 runs
20.05.21 – 23.05.21
A career best ten match wickets for Luke Fletcher and a fabulous first innings 177 not out by Ben Duckett helped Nottinghamshire to a third successive County Championship win as the side top the table of Group One by nine points after six games played.
A rain ravished couple of days wasn’t the start Notts needed as Trent Bridge welcomed fans back for the first time in two years with Notts sitting on 51/3 on Friday night with just two days of the contest remaining and a draw looking likely.
A stunning Saturday however saw Ben Duckett in sensational form with help from Lyndon James (78 from 162 balls) and Steven Mullaney (88 from 73 balls), Duckett scored 177 from 196 balls as Notts bat in white ball style to declare with a first innings lead of 400.
Notts weren’t done there either. Quick to work late Saturday afternoon Luke Fletcher took the early wicket of ex-Notts team-mate Jake Libby and then Fell, fell to Broad with Mitchell & D’Oliveira quickly taken care of by a hot on fire Fletch before Wessels went first ball to the Bulwell Bomber on a hat-trick.
Worcestershire 21/5 ended the day on 53/6 with another wicket for Fletcher and on Sunday morning, the green and golds continued their sensational stuff as Fletcher took his second six for in as many games before another, with Broad knocking the last two over with the visitors all out for 80.
Career best 16 overs 7 wickets for 37 for Fletcher with Broad taking three for 28 with Worcestershire forced to follow on, and Fletcher straight back to business with an early wicket of Mitchell.
The away side did have a resurgence in the second innings, from 7/1 they rallied to 63 before Fell this time went to the bowling of Fletcher who then took Haynes shortly after and then a big wicket, Jake Libby who had battled his way to 64, taken by Stuart Broad thanks to a diving Dane Paterson catch, Worcestershire 103/4 trailing by 217 would soon start to fall away.
The final session of the match after Sunday Tea saw Lyndon James remove Wessels for his first wicket of the match before Paterson got in on the act bowling Cox LBW for a duck.
D’Oliveira having 31 followed to the South African before Broad took Joseph for 4, Tongue and Leach fell quickly to Paterson who’s second innings 4 wickets for 49 ensured a win wrapped up with a good hour to play.
Quite stunning from Notts who score maximum points, next up is Warwickshire at Edgbaston on Thursday.
*Main image @TrentBridge Luke Fletcher in career best form for the second match running.
