Believe it or not, exactly half the first division’s quota of 72 games will be over by Saturday, twelve days before the summer solstice has even arrived. It is the price exacted by Twenty20, that loud and spoilt infant so doted on by authorities the world round.
Much may change. But as the midway stage approaches it still looks as if the title will rest on Nottinghamshire’s twin meetings with Warwickshire in the championship’s final three rounds. They have hurdles to clear by then, however, and yesterday were blocked by Ashwell Prince.
The South African left-hander was dropped by his country in January after a solitary fifty in his last nine Tests and admits he does not expect to be named in their party for the England tour. Lancashire could ill afford to lose him.
Making his quiet, unfussy way to post fifty for the seventh time in fifteen championship innings this year, he was the only batsman to look relatively comfortable against Andre Adams and even then he needed a life on 51. But for that bad miss at slip, Adams would boast a five-wicket bag overnight.
Prince escaped to reach an unbeaten 63 on a day when 37 overs were lost. Nottinghamshire, however, did just enough to justify their decision to field but tighter bowling and greater focus in the morning, with the ball swinging lavishly, might well have brought five wickets.
Advertisement
Credit also to Lancashire’s approach that they only surrendered three. They clearly decided on aggression at a ground where sides are frequently devastated before lunch and the attitude only tipped into rashness when Karl Brown, after three fours off as many consecutive Adams balls, drove at the next and was magnificently caught by the diving Samit Patel at third slip for 34.
It ended a brief onslaught that had brought 53 from the previous 37 balls after Paul Horton had fallen early to Andy Carter. When Stephen Moore, missed off Adams on eight, played on to the same bowler for 24, Lancashire were 69 for three.
But Steven Croft joined Prince to add 60 until he found himself in a tangle against a rising ball from Carter and looped a catch off his glove to the wicketkeeper for 29. An Adams outswinger soon undid Luke Procter before Prince found further support from Gareth Cross. The combative Cross reached 35 from 40 balls until miscueing a hook at Adams to be superbly held in the deep off what proved the final ball of the day.
Nottinghamshire v Lancashire at Trent Bridge (first day of four; Nottinghamshire won toss): Lancashire have scored 203 for six wickets against Nottinghamshire
Lancashire:
Advertisement
First Innings
P J Horton c Voges b Carter 3
S C Moore b Adams 24
K R Brown c Patel b Adams 34
A G Prince not out 63
Advertisement
S J Croft c Read b Carter 29
L A Procter c Patel b Adams 7
†G D Cross c Taylor b Adams 35
*G Chapple not out 0
Extras (b 4, lb 2, nb 2) 8
Advertisement
Total (6 wkts, 59 overs) 203
A Shahzad, K W Hogg and S C Kerrigan to bat.
Fall of wickets: 1-11, 2-64, 3-69, 4-129, 5-151, 6-203.
Bowling: Gurney 12-4-30-0; Carter 16-5-46-2; Adams 19-1-77-4; Franks 10-1-38-0; Patel 2-1-6-0.
Nottinghamshire: A D Hales, M H Wessels, M J Lumb, S R Patel, J W A Taylor, A C Voges, *†C M W Read, P J Franks, A R Adams, H F Gurney, A Carter.
Advertisement
Umpires: J H Evans and M A Gough.