Notts held on to reach victory on the final day. |
Nottinghamshire claimed a 45-run victory
over Lancashire in the first match of the season despite a creditable fight
back from the visitors on the final day at Trent Bridge.
Lancashire stunned the hosts with a 147-run
stand for the seventh wicket partnership as Ashwell Prince (100) and Tom Smith (76)
batted the game to a thrilling conclusion, but the Nottinghamshire bowlers held
on to secure victory.
After losing five wickets for 36 runs,
Lancashire appeared to be heading for defeat, despite Paul Horton (41) and
night watchman Simon Kerrigan (33) offering strong resistance for most of the
morning session.
But once their 70-run stand was ended, the
floodgates opened and Lancashire’s innings capitulated much like the
first. Horton was dismissed by Jake Ball
(2-44) and the loss of a further three wickets for six runs reassumed
Nottinghamshire’s dominance.
Samit Patel’s (2-72) introduction saw the
end of Andrea Agathangelou (4) and overnight batsman Kerrigan, and when Luke
Procter fell without troubling the scorers the match rested safely in
Nottinghamshire’s grasp.
At 95-5 the visitors had lost the edge of
confidence, which had been clear to see in the first hour of the day, and the
dismissal of Alex Davies (13), who was caught behind off Harry Gurney shortly
after the lunchtime interval, exacerbated the situation further.
But the efforts of Prince and Smith proved
to be enough to carry Lancashire to tea, by which time they required 131 runs
to win, with all three results still possible.
The introduction of the second new ball
proved to be the turning point, claiming Smith, Wayne White and Kabir Ali as
Gurney finished with figures of 4-81.
Prince made his century in 176 balls, but
the task was yet to be completed in his eyes with 46 runs still to go.
Anderson and Prince put on 25 for the last
wicket, but it wasn’t enough to seal a thoroughly deserved victory for the home
side, one which will dishearten the visitors after they put up a good fight,
Points: Nottinghamshire 21, Lancashire 3.
Man of the match:
With 93 in the first innings, Samit Patel’s
knock proved to be the difference. In a match where batting proved to be
difficult for both sides at times he gave Notts hope and his figures of 2-72 on
the final day was part of the hosts’ come back after defiance from Horton and
Kerrigan this morning.
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