Centuries in Nottingham.

Posted by Brian Sanderson,

Brian Senior and myself decided to travel to Nottingham.In the Championship Nottingham were playing Durham.Durham were 87 for 4 ,still 254 runs behind.I thought the match would finish early so I went to Notts Sports Ground which is about a half a mile from Trent Bridge.The match here was Nottingham seconds v M.C.C Young Cricketers in a three day match.Whilst Brian went to Trent Bridge as he was a Nottingham member.

M.C.C side included some names I recognized;

Ian Cockbain, son of a Lancashire and Cheshire player.
James Lever, son of a Essex and England player.
Paul Muchall ,brother of two Durham players.

Notts Sports Ground has been known as Lady Bay Ground and Boots Ground.As you enter the ground there is a Rugby pitch on the right.This is used by Nottingham Rugby Union Second Team and Nottingham Outlaws Rugby League side.The cricket pitch is a large area with a old pavilion but no seating on the ground.Nottingham were batting on 24 for o with Alex Hales and Akhil Patel.

I position by seat by the side of the sightscreen with two other spectators. The sum total of the crowd.By lunch time Hales had reached his century and no wickets had fallen. There had been a number of chances to obtain a wicket but were not taken.
At this time Durham were 180 for 7.

After lunch both batsmen started to take the bowling apart.Patel reached his century .He is the younger brother of Samit the Nottingham and England player.Hales then reached his two hundred.Tony Hutton had seen him in 2007 reach 218 on the same ground.However he was stumped off. the eighth. bowler.The partnership had reached 342.
During his innings he hit a six which smashed a car windscreen.Expensive day for the owner.

At Trent Bridge Durham lost the match however Ben Stokes had reached his maiden Championship hundred.So the professional cricket watchers came to watch the Nottingham Second match including Brian Senior.

Next Patel is out at 162 achieving his highest Second Team score.He had been joined by Matthew Wood who was the captain.However he only score 9 when he was given out caught .However I do not think he thought he hit it and give the umpire numerous stares going back to the pavilion.Missing out on a big score.

After tea Scott Elstone also reached his century in about 90 minutes by this time the score had reached over 500. However the scorer could not find a number 5 so it shown 00.Near the end of the day I was passing the scoreboard and Hales was asked the score. He said it was 432 or 532 he did know which.

When we left the ground at about 7 o,Clock Nottingham were nearing 600 with seven wickets down.Over 550 runs scored in the day.