Notts Going Strong At Lords

In the latest county championship match at the Lord’s cricket ground, Nottinghamshire are in full control having started their second innings on 6/0 going into day three, after they finished their first innings with a healthy 415 all out before bowling out, the current division two leaders Middlesex for just 195.

Coming into the match nine points behind the north London county, England prospect Haseeb Hameed struck his first century of the season for Notts, who were without their recent bowling hero South African Dane Paterson who was suffering with back problems. Australian fast bowler James Pattinson took his place.

Ben Slater was dismissed in the first over for six, before steady batting from Hameed and Ben Duckett saw the county safely lunch at 104-1. Hameed had reached his fifty off 87 balls, with seven fours, and Duckett was on 42 at the break.

Duckett was dismissed soon after lunch and Joe Clarke followed for a seven-ball duck, as Notts stumbled to 111-3. Former Lancashire opener Hameed however hit a leg-side boundary to reach three figures off 183 balls, and skipper Steven Mullaney played aggressively to compile a 50 off 86 balls.

After a partnership worth 117, Hameed was finally dismissed for 112 with the total at 267, giving ‘keeper John Simpson his fourth catch of the innings. Mullaney stayed till the close unbeaten on 92 off 152 balls, with ten fours and two sixes, with Tom Moores (35 not out), keeping him company.

At the crease on Friday morning, Mullaney was quickly dismissed lbw to the first ball of the second day, and Moores (36), followed soon after. Quick bowler Toby Roland-Jones went on to take four wickets in eight overs as Nottinghamshire slumped to 352-9. However, number 11 batsman Luke Fletcher then smashed five fours and two sixes in making 50 off 54 balls, as he put on 63 for the last wicket with Stuart Broad. Roland-Jones was the pick of the bowlers with 4-64 in 32 overs, but Notts had posted a respectable 415 all out.

Australian Pattinson then bowled both openers, and had the captain, fellow Australian Peter Handscomb leg-before for 48 off 89 balls, as Middlesex crashed to 143-6 having been 27-2 in the 15th over. They were eventually bowled out for a meagre 195, to trail the visitors by 220 runs. Pattinson with 4-49 in 17 overs and England star Stuart Broad (3-39), were the heroes as wickets fell at regular intervals. Martin Andersson swung the bat for 30 off 49 balls late in the innings, before Notts decided not to enforce the follow-on and batted for one over for six runs, to take a commanding lead of 226 into the third day.

It was Pattinson’s first bowl in nearly three weeks, but his fiery spell has given Notts the chance to go for the win and top of the division table. Play resumes Saturday morning at 10:30am.

Meanwhile, at the Notts Sports Club in Nottingham, the Second XI team drew their latest match with their Derbyshire counterparts. The visitors batted first and totalled 291 in their first innings, with Kishen Velani hitting a fluent century of 116 off 161 balls, with 19 fours, before being last dismissed. He featured in a century stand with Zaman Akhter after the team had collapsed to 139-8. Toby Pettman was the pick of the Notts bowlers with 3-43.

The top three Notts batsmen then gave the home side a magnificent start. Ben Martindale (93 off 122 balls, 16 fours), the prolific Sol Budinger (82 off 80 balls, 10 fours & 3 sixes), and Dane Schadendorf (67 with 10 fours), scored the majority of the runs, but the final total of 341 all out gave them a lead of only 50 runs. The first wicket pair had put on 184 runs. After the third day had been lost to rain, Derbyshire batted out the rest of time to reach 304-9 and a tame draw. Harry Finch (106 off 250 balls), and Velani (60 off 132), both gained useful batting practice.