Still perusing weather forecasts, despite not much faith in them, and as Sunday seemed possibly the best day of the four for the Championship game at Trent Bridge off we went. One advantage of Sunday starts is the lack of traffic on the roads and the journey down the A1 was completed in record time.
However although dry conditions continued all day a sneaky cold wind was in evidence which entailed several changes of position during the day trying to find a wind free zone. Yorkshire, after two high scoring draws, were in need of a win to get their ambitions of a Championship treble back on course. Joe Root had been given permission to make a very rare appearance and he came in for Jack Leaning, who had made a brief appearance for York yesterday. The other change brought in David Willey for his Yorkshire debut in place of the injured Sidebottom.
It was good to see James Taylor, after his recent heart operation and retirement from the game, on the field before the start during the players' warm up and he was greeted warmly by friend and foe alike, together with both umpires. All went to shake his hand and have a word with him. He was given a warm round of applause from the members when he returned to the pavilion.
Yorkshire started badly and Mullaney in particular, together with Hales, set about some untidy bowling from Brooks and Willey. Brooks was taken off after his first two overs went for 20. Mullaney continued his form against Surrey when he scored a run a ball century and his innings today came at the same pace, with fours a plenty. Mullaney was eventually out for 78 from only 80 balls when he was well caught by Lees at slip of the persevering Patterson.
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Hales went first caught by Root off Brooks for 36 when the head band warrior returned for his second spell. He also clean bowled the out of form Brooks for 0 and it was left to former Yorkshire player Michael Lumb to improve the situation for Notts. This he did with a gritty 49 before falling lbw to Brooks who was by then proving Yorkshire's best bowler. Plunkett got one wicket having Wessels caught by Root at slip and the Notts innings rather petered away until a few lusty blows by Stuart Broad with 36 improved things before the end.
Adil Rashid's introduction paid dividends very quickly when he had Patel lbw, Ball caught by Brooks off an ill judged skier and then removed the Australian Bird to finish with tidy figures of 3-29. Brooks had 4-74 but David Willey, despite plugging away for fourteen overs and watched by his father Peter and family, could not manage a wicket. However, no doubt his turn will come. Notts were all out for 261.
So when bad light ended play early just after tea, Yorkshire were perhaps spared a difficult period in which to bat and will restart this morning provided the wet weather does not return.
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