Moores happy with Lancashire side despite defeat.

Lancasire coach, Peter Moores, was proud of the
way his team fought back against Nottinghamshire.

Lancashire coach Peter Moores insists that the county are in a good place this season and the determination showed by his side to fight back at Trent Bridge demonstrates good character for the season ahead.

His side were beaten narrowly by 45 runs, giving Nottinghamshire a victory they seemed to be heading for much sooner, but the efforts of Ashwell Prince and Tom Smith meant that they had to work hard for their win.

Moores said: “It was a very good game of cricket, great advert for cricket at the start of the season. It was a great knock by Ashwell and it was a great partnership with Tom Smith. 

“We thought we could be on for the win all day. We talked this morning and we felt that it was very much a possibility because the wicket had flattened out a little bit, which we saw for a bit in their second innings. 

“We just felt we had to bat. We didn’t think the run rate was a problem on a quick scoring ground, we just had to have wickets in hand.” 

Prince and Smith shared 147 runs for the seventh wicket to defy Nottinghamshire an easy ride, but once this stand was broke it exposed the tail order who failed to support Prince, despite the South African making his century. 

“I think when Tom [Smith] and Ash [Prince] were together we knew it was going to be tight. We knew we would have to play well because we were six down and it ended up a very tight game.

“When we look back we will be disappointed. In that middle session they played very well but we didn’t bowl as well as we could have done and they cashed in, making 120 for 1 and looking back they were probably 50-60 ahead of where we would have liked them to be.

Smith and Prince added 147 runs
for the seventh wicket.

“For a lot of the game we knew the wicket was going to get better and we were confident if we could have kept it competitive but then they got away from us a bit.”

After being bowled out for 144, nobody expected Lancashire to be in a position where a draw was even possible, so to get close to victory was commendable by the visitors. 

“We obviously didn’t bat as well as we should have done in our first innings and that became the difference between the two sides come the end of the game. 

“This time of year you are always trying to go out and get a score, get off and running and get your confidence up.” 

Lancashire were without three key players for this match, but Moores believes that they should all be fit to face Warwickshire in their next match at Emirates Old Trafford.

“Glen [Chapple] has been with us he has bowled about 12-13 overs today and he looks fine. Kyle Hogg’s calf strain, is a little bit behind that but we expect him to be fit for Warwickshire and Jos [Buttler] is just having a week of really to recharge his batteries.

“Hoggy picked it up last week and we weren’t sure what it was so we got it scanned and it revealed a little tear in his calf, so unfortunately he was out. Some things you can have a go with but calves it is difficult.

“Sam the physio is pretty confident he will be fit but like most things you can never be certain.”

Lancashire’s position was aided by a remarkable spell of bowling from Tom Smith (5-54), who was unfortunate to end up on the losing side after a fine all-round display.

Smith's all-round contribution gave Lancashire
a fighting chance of winning the match.

“We had a remarkable spell of bowling by Tom Smith and Jimmy [Anderson] backed it up, which kept us in the game. We came here with a real strong intention to try and win the game and we got close, but credit to how the players went about it.

“Tom’s a good cricketer and I think he was unlucky not to get a wicket in the first innings. He beat the bat quite a bit and we missed a few chances off him so it seemed right that he got five-for in the second innings.

“Batting wise I think he showed the bonus that if you get runs in the first innings then it helps you to be more fluid in the second innings and I thought he played really well the whole way through.”