Notts' batsmen set up victory
Tue 11 Aug 2015
REPORT | By Pete Johnson
Leicestershire travelled to Nottinghamshire in the final game for each side in the 2015 Second XI Trophy with the home side notching up a resounding victory by 114 runs.
We arrived at Notts Sports Club, at Lady Bay, which backs up to the nearby Nottingham Forest FC, about to be woken from its ‘summer slumbers’ by the visit of Walsall in the first round of the League Cup this evening (Premiership sides do not have to bother with the triviality of the first round).
I had a miserable view from my vantage point, staring directly at the back of the Brian Clough Stand. In the distance, at the Radcliffe Road End is Trent Bridge, taking a well-earned rest after last week's exertions of the test match.
A lovely summer’s day greeted the players onto the field, the boundary being populated by a good number of spectators for a Second XI. There were a few familiar faces of LCCC members in evidence, including, as usual, Rosemary and Chris. Chris sporting a bright red shirt, no doubt as an effort to mix in with the locals.
Dan Redfern won the toss for Leicestershire and invited Nottinghamshire to bat, and bat they did with much aplomb. Our old friend Greg Smith opened up for Notts with Devonian Jake Libby, who was to ‘loch’ himself to the crease. The pair put on 124 for the first wicket.
Smith went to his 50 from 60 balls (9x4) with the score on 102-0 from 17.1 overs, but five overs later went for 60, expertly caught by Wayne White leaping to take a catch above his head at wide mid-on off the bowling of Dan Hampton.
Libby moved to his 50 just afterwards from 60 balls (4x4) with the score on 129-1. Sam Wood had joined Libby and the pair added a blistering 130 for the second wicket. Wood went to his 50 from 57 balls (5x4) with the score on 222-1 from 37.3 overs, and a couple of overs later Libby posted a superb 100 from 97 balls (10x4) with the score on 241-1 from 39.1 overs.
Hampton then came on for a second spell at the Radcliffe Road End. Hampton found his length, and had a bit of a purple patch, snapping up three wickets in six deliveries. He bowled Libby (105), had Wood (75) well caught by White from a ‘mini-skier’, and then saw Dan Christian (4) caught in the deep by Eben Kurtz.
Christian was unable to soldier on unlike the previous batsmen. Any thoughts County had of restricting Notts to a par score were shattered by Billy Root and Will Gidman, the pair adding an unbroken stand of 88 in 7.3 overs.
Billy followed in the footsteps of brother Joe, who did well in this city last week, by smashing 49 from 21 balls. Gidman also plundered 38 from 24 balls as Notts closed on 352-4 from their 50 overs. Hampton was the only bowler to pick up wickets, 4-54 from his 10 overs, a great effort taking into account that 17 went from his last over.
Leicestershire were always well behind the asking rate. Redfern (0) and Michael Burgess (5) both looked a little surprised when they were given out caught behind, Luke Fletcher being responsible for arrowing a couple in at both of them.
Will Hale had opened up the innings and surveyed the damage from the non striker’s end. Hale played a hearty knock, taking the pace off the ball, and had progressed to 26 when he was caught in the deep by Libby off Christian to end the 50-run stand with Tom Wells.
The all-rounder and Tom Cullen then set about rebuilding the innings and did a very good job. Wells, batting very responsibly, was the dominant partner as the partnership progressed. He stroked numerous ones, and twos, before cutting loose with two enormous maximums.
Wells went to his 50 from 72 balls (3x4,2x6), whilst Cullen was taking a single from the majority of the balls he faced. Wells (74) was eventually brought down to earth by Kitt, when he was bowled, attempting to force the pace with 10 an over required from 22 overs. The score was on 131-4 upon Wells’ departure, the pair having shared 73.
Cullen then went from tortoise to hare in the blink of an eye. Having made 20 from 32 balls in his alliance with Wells, he proceeded to take the bowling by the scruff of the neck. He posted his 50 from 53 balls (4x4) with the score on 185-6 after 35 overs.
Rob Taylor (14), White (9), and Kurtz (5), all perished in the chase for runs, when a rate of 11 runs an over was required by the visitors.
Cullen’s fine innings came to an end when he was run out at the bowler’s end, being sent back correctly by Kendall, attempting a second run, that Usain Bolt may have found a little challenging. An excellent ‘trombone time’ knock by Cullen (76).
The innings was quickly wrapped up with the dismissals of Kendall (3), no umbrella field for Kendall though, and Chappell (5). Hampton was unbeaten on 11 as County were all out for 238.
Notts winning by 114 runs thus ensuring there was no ‘Mutiny’ in the dressing room with Fletcher and Christian in the side. If you can follow the logic there, treat yourself to a bar of Bounty!
