Bilal Shafayat pushed his case for First team selection with a fluent unbeaten century against Northamptonshire as we won our pre-season friendly in impressive style.

April 9: Notts v Northants
Northants 289-6 (R White 84, Sales 72, Francis 3-51, Footitt 2-41)
Notts 292-3 (Shafayat 133*, Gallian 76)

Notts won by seven wickets

Visitors Northants had posted a formidable total from their 50 overs on a good batting track, with Robert White and David Sales both passing 50.

Former Hampshire and Somerset fast bowler Simon Francis, who was playing on a trial basis, took three wickets from eight overs, while Mark Footitt picked up two victims.

Bilal and Jason Gallian put on 125 for the first wicket to get us off to a flying start in pursuit of the target of 290, with Gallian taking charge of the situation by hitting 76 off 79 balls with 14 boundaries.
 
Once he was out hitting left-arm spinner Graeme White to long-on, 22-year-old Bilal went through the gears and saw us home with seven balls to spare, unveiling some typically wristy shots either side of the wicket.

Mark Wagh (38) and Samit Patel (34) both got useful time in the middle, but Bilal carried his bat and finished with 133 not out off 134 balls, including 15 fours and one six.

Director of Cricket Mick Newell said: “I was pleased to see that Bilal saw the job through and finished things off properly.

“It was a good batting performance and both he and Jason put themselves in contention for a place in the team when the Friends Provident Trophy starts.”