Nottinghamshire CCC Thread.

[MarksNotts]

Starting this thread for anyone who plays as or supports Notts, comments on players?, Squad selection? , how you are doing?.
I am starting a new ICC2008 game as Notts and will report the story in this thread.

Pre Season Preps.
I have taken the reigns at trent bridge and have assigned all of my budget to coaching and physio and not signed anyone, as i believe the squad is strong enough to hold its own in div 1.
I have good solid county openers in Jefferson/Wood, with shafayat as cover.
A good middle order with the run machine hussey, potential in Samit Patel and wagh as my No.3.
The only gamble i have taken is that England dont come to their senses and recall Chris Read as i have no Wkt keeper cover, although shafayat has done it in the past.
My seam department is good with Sidebottom/Broad/Ealham/Shreck and i have good cover in Franks/Pattinson.
Graeme Swann is my spinner with back up from Ferley.
I have 3 good youngsters in opener Alex Hales and seamers Luke fletcher/Mark Footitt.

All players under 26 have been assigned to technique coaching and i have kept 4 training points back for net training if players get out of form.

My 1st Match is a 4 day county championship game away at Kent, i will be back with a full match report on completion.

[MarksNotts]

My Line up v Kent

Jefferson
Wood
Wagh
Hussey
Patel
Read (Capt + Wkt)
Ealham
Swann
Broad
Sidebottom
Shreck

Have lost the toss on a flat track/sunny day, not the best start !

[Themer]

I use Notts and have found that Pattinson is very good in one day matches, cant remember now how is good at the beginining of the game as im in 2017 now :P

[MarksNotts]

6

END OF DAY ONE.
Well i lost the toss on a flat wicket/sunny day and managed to bowl kent out for 255, with Charlie Shreck taking 7-44, Stuart Broad also chipped in with 2 wickets and Sidebottom bowled very well without reward i was delighted with this as i expected to be chasing leather for 2 days, also survived 6 or 7 tricky overs in the last session.
With cloud forecast all day on day 2 and the pitch rapidly wearing, i expect a tough day.

[MarksNotts]

9

GOING IN TO THE FINAL DAY.

I managed to scrape through to 306 all out in my first innings, mainly due to some good contributions from Matt Wood and Mark Ealham, my top order failed as a whole.
Then bowled Kent out for 290, with Ealham taking 5-72, i now need 240 to win on the final day.

[MarksNotts]

10

WIN BY 6 WICKETS.

Well we got there, after a few scares and a mini middle order collapse, Mark Wagh(114 no) and Chris Read(65 no) formed an excellent partnership to see the game through.
Most pleasing was that i managed to bowl the opposition out for under 300 in both innings, and one of my top order (Wagh) got a big score.
Hussey and jefferson (my 2 best batsmen) both looked badly out of form so am assigning net practice to both, i have 2 FP one dayers next, first one away to warwickshire.

[Sureshot]

That's good going, when ever I play against Arafat, he always destroys my batting line-up.

[MarksNotts]

That's good going, when ever I play against Arafat, he always destroys my batting line-up.

Cheers Sureshot, yeah Arafat bowled well, i had to play defensive against him most of the time and target the other bowlers.

[MarksNotts]

CHALLENGE TROPHY AWAY v WARWICKSHIRE.

12

Made 3 changes for my first 50 over game, Shafayat/Harris/Franks came in for Jefferson/Sidebottom/Broad.
Lost the toss again and they put me in to bat on a turning wicket, i really struggled against a spin heavy attack, but decent knocks from Wagh(69), Hussey(38) and Shafayat(25) saw us through to 208 all out, which on this pitch i thought might just be about par.
I was proved right, my bowlers all performed well with Ealham/Harris/Swann/Shreck all taking 2 wickets a piece, and managed to roll them over for 188 all out.
Off to the emerald isle next to play Ireland.

[MarksNotts]

CHALLENGE TROPHY AWAY V IRELAND

13

Brought back Jefferson/Sidebottom after good performances in the 2nd XI, also brought in Pattinson/Clough, resting Shreck and Wood.
Lost the toss again, and ireland batted first on a flat track and great batting conditions, they got off to a flyer knocking my opening bowlers everywhere, after 15 overs i brought on Ealham/Swann to take the pace off and it worked a treat, they eventually reached 204/8.
I never really had any problems chasing it down against a poor attack and Jefferson(84no) with the reliable Wagh(57) saw us home with 5 overs to spare.
Delighted with my start to the season, off up to headingly for a championship game against a strong yorkshire side next.

[Simbazz]

Is Swanny any good?

[MarksNotts]

Is Swanny any good?

Yes he is good, he is a steady performer in FC games, but really comes to the fore in one day cricket, he gets useful runs down the order as well.