Emphatic Notts Beat Sussex

Nottinghamshire 240 & 301 v Sussex 143 & 142 (County Championship Division Two)

26.07.22-28.07.22

*four day match Nottinghamshire win by 256 runs.

A superb all-round bowling performance from the Nottinghamshire pace attack helped the county achieve an easy three-day win over Sussex in the latest County Championship game, bowling out the visitors twice cheaply at the Trent Bridge cricket ground.

On an eventful first day, Nottinghamshire were bowled out for a disappointing 240 after being put into bat. The record breakers from the last game Haseeb Hameed and Ben Duckett both went for single figure scores to the returning Ollie Robinson as the county struggled to 41-3.

Opener Ben Slater kept things together with 55 including eight fours and one six, but after he was fifth out at 102, it was left to skipper Steven Mullaney to make a crucial 70 off 109 balls, with eight fours and two sixes. James Pattinson again added some late order runs, with seven fours in a 56-ball 39 as the total went past the 200 mark.

Robinson finished with four wickets, but his side were soon in trouble as the two overseas bowlers, Pattinson and Dane Paterson ripped through the Sussex top order. The Australian claimed three scalps, including two lbws, and the South African picked up two victims as the visitors fell to 49 for 5 in the 16th over. They rallied to reach 94-5 at the close.

Next day, Pattinson knocked over two more batsmen and Paterson also claimed a five-for including top scorer Cheteshwar Pujara for 49, as Sussex were eventually dismissed for a paltry 143. Leading bowler Paterson had figures of 5-43 in 15.2 overs, and the aggressive Pattinson captured 5-56 in 16 overs.

Leading by 97 runs, Notts applied the pressure with opener Hameed scurrying to a superb 94 off 115 balls with 15 boundaries, despite losing both Duckett and Joe Clarke for ducks. Lyndon James (56) helped add 138 for the fourth wicket after the county fell to 40-3.

Mullaney then added another 42 as the lead went past 300, and with Liam Patterson-White (30), and Pattinson (20) once again adding vital runs, both remained unbeaten at the close as Notts finished the day on a comfortable 284-7 for a massive lead of 381 runs.

Notts were eventually bowled out for 301 early on the third day, leaving the visitors needing a huge 399 runs to win. Luke Fletcher struck early and despite Ali Orr (34), and Pujara batting well again, it was the combined efforts of the county’s potent seam attack which again took wickets at regular intervals and easily bowled out Sussex for 142 runs.

Pujara remained unbeaten on 46, but Fletcher (2-45), Pattinson (3-47), and one of the player’s of the season, Paterson, with 3 for 14 in 12.3 overs, did all the damage in yet another sterling performance with the ball. Both the overseas stars finished with eight wickets apiece in the match.

With the 256-run win, Nottinghamshire extended their lead at the top of the Division Two table to 30 points over second placed Middlesex, having drawn their previous three games. They now have three matches remaining, including two at home, as they look to secure the title and a place back into Division One.

Meanwhile, the Second Eleven team played a 50-over friendly but were well beaten by close neighbours Leicestershire. The visitors amassed 398 for 5 in their allotted overs with Louis Kimber (65 off 50), Lewis Hill (84 off 66), Arron Lilley (109 off 74, seven fours and five sixes), and Harry Swindells (70 not out off 43 balls), making hay at the Lady Bay ground.

Nottinghamshire were never in the hunt being bowled out for 283 in 39.5 overs despite a superb opening stand of 131 in just 12 overs between Ben Martindale (50 off 42), and Sol Budinger, who made a stupendous 76 off 34 balls, with eight fours and six sixes.

Nottinghamshire XI: Slater, Hameed, Duckett, Clarke, James, Mullaney (c), Moores, Patterson-White, Pattinson, Fletcher, Paterson.

Sussex XI: Orr, Clark, Hudson-Prentice, Pujara, Carter, Coles, Lenman, Robinson, Karvelas, Hunt, Currie.

Venue: Trent Bridge, Nottingham