Nottinghamshire Story

[DaveK93]

NEW SEASON

Notts vs MCC

We start the season with the traditional curtain raiser for the champions. Arif is out for 6 weeks, so misses the start of the season. Kieswetter, Morgan and Mascarenhas are all in the IPL so miss the start of the season as well. As many of my new players as possible will start this game, although it doesn’t necessarily reflect the team that will play the first proper match of the season.

The team selected is:
A Hales
J Denly
J Taylor
S Patel
M Lumb
R Wessels
P Trego
B Rankin
A Carter
K Mills
A Ireland

A strong line-up, and should comfortably win this. Not going to do a match report though, as it is only a friendly, but I have provided the scorecard.

[DaveK93]

Notts vs Cambridge UCCE

Another friendly, the same team plays.

The team selected is:
A Hales
J Denly
J Taylor
S Patel
M Lumb
R Wessels
P Trego
B Rankin
A Carter
K Mills
A Ireland

Same again, no match report, but a scorecard. Next up for us, it’s the first game of the season.

[Dick Van Dykes Disco Dog]

Transfers

OUT:

B Phillips (RET)
A Adams (RET)
A Voges
J Ball
B Hutton
G White
W Osmond (YTH)

IN:
Eoin Morgan
Craig Kieswetter
Dimitri Mascarenhas
A Ireland
N Arif
B Rankin
P Trego
J Denly
Kyle Mills (NZ, full Overseas)
Andre Russell (WI, T20 only)

More than happy with the players I’ve brought in. Morgan and Kieswetter are both big signings, on surprisingly cheap wages, so it seemed logical to have them, as they will add strength, even if they do get the odd call up.

Mascarenhas is an impressive T20 player, and will strengthen the bowling, alongside Ireland, Rankin and Arif, who all had good seasons in the four day game. Trego provides back up as an all-rounder, and Denly will step in for Alex Hales when on international duty.

The overseas players are both bowlers, as that area looked weaker, despite the new additions, because of the guys retiring, so Mills will provide an experienced head, and Andre Russell is a capable T20 bowler, so can hopefully produce some calm, economical bowling.

Trego always does the business for me as either a first change bowler or batting as an opener for the limited over game or middle order for the longer format - top signing !

[DaveK93]

Trego always does the business for me as either a first change bowler or batting as an opener for the limited over game or middle order for the longer format - top signing !

That's good to know, not brought him into the team yet, but with Broad usually on international duty, I desperately needed another solid all-rounder. And he'll also add another prong to the T20 bowling attack, it looked a little weak at times last year.

[Dick Van Dykes Disco Dog]

That's good to know, not brought him into the team yet, but with Broad usually on international duty, I desperately needed another solid all-rounder. And he'll also add another prong to the T20 bowling attack, it looked a little weak at times last year.

Definitely not your first choice seamer - new ball etc but good never the less.
Explosive in T20 though with the bat.

[DaveK93]

Definitely not your first choice seamer - new ball etc but good never the less.
Explosive in T20 though with the bat.

Yeah, will probably use Mills and Carter as the opening bowlers for T20, Russell and Trego as first changes, with the spinner being probably Dalrymple. This is assuming the England guys aren't available.

Bring him in around 5 or 6 perhaps then, gives me an explosive finish to the innnings.

[DaveK93]

Notts vs Sussex.

We start our campaign at home to Sussex. I am confident, we have a stronger team than last year, but we do need to start a lot stronger than last year.

The team selected is:
A Hales
J Denly
J Taylor
S Patel
M Lumb
R Wessels
S Broad
B Rankin
G Swann
K Mills
A Ireland

A fairly consistent match, this. Every time, the team batting reached 300, and in the end there were only a few runs in it. Samit Patel was probably the most consistent performer, scoring a century, and also getting 4-6 in the first innings. In fact, both spinners gave match winning performances, Swann’s five-for vital in the last innings, as Sussex came very close to stealing the win. Out of the new guys, Denly and Mills performed well, but Ireland and Rankin have a little bit of work to do yet. Still, early days of the season so far.



Next for us, is a game against Middlesex.
NB: Lumb injured in the match – out for 5 weeks. Not happy.

[DaveK93]

Notts vs Middlesex

The team selected is:
A Hales
J Denly
J Taylor
S Patel
S Elstone
R Wessels
S Broad
A Carter
G Swann
K Mills
A Ireland

Carter and Elstone come in for their first appearances of the campaign, after Lumb’s injury, and an expensive performance by Rankin.

The Middlesex captain will be kicking himself after this, as I would guess as are the rest of the team. Having batting themselves into a very strong position, with Notts getting 1 bowling point, they then bowled us out pretty comfortably under their score. It’s the first time I’ve passed 450 and still been behind by 100 or more.

My bowlers finally got themselves into gear in the 2nd innings, as we took quick wickets, but we were running out of time, and with a session and a half to spare, the game looked to be heading to a draw.

As is my usual plan with these types of games, I usually go for broke. So I did. I lost both openers early on, but Wessels showed why he has toppled Chris Read as the main keeper, as he hit a calm century to get us to the total. James Taylor also showed why he is one of the best players at the club, hitting a quick-fire 88 to keep us in it. As Taylor came in, I was prepared to sit and defend, but he suggested otherwise.



Next up for us, we have Surrey, who have won both of their games so far.

[DaveK93]

Notts vs Surrey

The team selected is:
A Hales
J Denly
J Taylor
S Patel
S Elstone
R Wessels
S Broad
P Trego
G Swann
K Mills
A Carter

Peter Trego comes in for his first competitive match of the season, replacing Ireland in the only change for this match.

A fairly routine win in the end for us. Neither of us got batting points in the first innings, on what looked a favourable track for bowlers. Clarkson and Pietersen made some useful runs for Surrey to post a decent total; however, it was never really an excessive challenge for our capable batsmen. Denly and Hales gave us a capable start and from there, it was fairly smooth sailing. About all I can say really for this one, it was a comfortable victory, but we didn’t cope well with the conditions in the first innings.



3 wins out of 3 for us so far, a much better start than last year!
Next, Lancashire.

NB: Trego out for 4 weeks. He will miss the start of our one-day campaign. Annoyed, but Franks or Dalrymple will have to step up to the plate.

[DaveK93]

Notts vs Lancashire

The team selected is:
A Hales
J Denly
J Taylor
S Patel
S Elstone
R Wessels
S Broad
G Swann
K Mills
A Carter
H Gurney

Well, this match was a stark contrast to the previous one. Last match, we struggled to get runs, this time we couldn’t get enough! We bowled Lancashire out for a reasonable total, one we could chase easily. We batted right through until the last session of day 3, clocking up 742 runs in the process. A partnership of 191 between Broad and Mills showed our strength in depth, and there was a stunning double century for Stuart Broad, the highest individual score under my management. It was also the biggest team score. From Lancashire didn’t stand a chance, as they fell to a massive innings defeat, and demonstrated the sheer quality available in the Nottinghamshire squad.





We now stand top of the table as we start our defence of our One Day title against Glamorgan. We do it without Harry Gurney though, he’s out for 2 weeks.

[DaveK93]

Notts vs Glamorgan

The team selected is:
A Hales
J Denly
J Taylor
S Patel
S Elstone
R Wessels
S Broad
G Swann
K Mills
A Carter
D Pattinson

We at Nottinghamshire CCC are determined to give the fans an entertaining end to the match. Or that is certainly how it feels anyway. This match should have been finished after we finished batting, it really should. The bowlers just couldn’t make a breakthrough, and it took nerves of steel from one of our key players, Samit Patel, to only concede 3 off the final over, to seal the win. A quick mention of Joe Denly as well, the former Kent and Middlesex batsman has been in great for me this year, if he continues this kind of form, surely an England call should be on the cards?



Next for us, Sussex in the CCD1.

[DaveK93]

Notts vs Sussex

The team selected is:
A Hales
J Denly
J Taylor
S Patel
S Elstone
R Wessels
S Broad
G Swann
K Mills
A Ireland
B Rankin

Decided to bring Ireland and Rankin back to try and get them some form, and to prove it was worth me bringing them into the team.

Another fairly routine victory, this. It was definitely Graeme Swann’s match though as he took 12 wickets, 8 of those coming in the first innings. Joe Denly also put in another good shift, with two high half centuries, and after taking a good first innings lead, I was in doubt we could close the match out comfortably. The opening partnership of Hales and Denly is working very well, as proved in the second innings, and having Elstone at 3 means that there is some good support, and means I can use Taylor to shore the innings up down in 4 or 5.



We are back to the Challenge Trophy now against Yorkshire.

[DaveK93]

Notts vs Yorks

A Hales
J Denly
J Taylor
S Patel
S Elstone
R Wessels
S Kelsall
J Dalrymple
K Mills
A Ireland
B Rankin

Swann and Broad join the England team to play the Kiwis, so Dalrymple is in as the second spinner, and Kelsall in for Broad as an extra batsman, meaning Patel will bowl 8 overs.

We were never in this. The total we made was far too low, and Yorkshire knocked it off with ease. I’m very annoyed by the lack of wickets we took in this, and also the lack of runs we got on a good track. Yorkshire dominated and got a deserved win.



Next, Middlesex in the CCD1.

[cricfan1]

Notts vs Glamorgan

The team selected is:
A Hales
J Denly
J Taylor
S Patel
S Elstone
R Wessels
S Broad
G Swann
K Mills
A Carter
D Pattinson

We at Nottinghamshire CCC are determined to give the fans an entertaining end to the match. Or that is certainly how it feels anyway. This match should have been finished after we finished batting, it really should. The bowlers just couldn’t make a breakthrough, and it took nerves of steel from one of our key players, Samit Patel, to only concede 3 off the final over, to seal the win. A quick mention of Joe Denly as well, the former Kent and Middlesex batsman has been in great for me this year, if he continues this kind of form, surely an England call should be on the cards?



Next for us, Sussex in the CCD1.

Nail bitter match

[DaveK93]

Nail bitter match

I've had a few like that now, not good for the nerves! :P