ROOT THE STAR AS SECONDS PROSPER

Will Root was the star for Nottinghamshire's second eleven in the first day of their SE Championship match against Derbyshire. His unbeaten 166 supported by contributions from Brett Hutton and Paul Franks pushed Nottinghamshire to 407-7 by stumps.

On winning the toss Nottinghamshire chose to bat first, Steven Mullaney and Sam Kelsall opening. Derbyshire’s Matt Higginbottom had early  success, Mullaney ( pulling a ball to square leg on 18 where Jonathan Clare took an easy catch in the 13^th and in the 25^th over it was Higginbottom again, this time non-striker Kelsall unlucky as he was run out by the bowler touching a driven ball by Sam Wood onto the bowler’s end wicket.

At 59-2 Will Root joined Wood, who was out next over when he edged to keeper Tom Wood off a ball from Mark Turner. This brought Adam Tillcock to the crease and the pair continued until lunch the score 97-3, Root 16* and Tillcock 18*.

Root reached his fifty (11 fours) in the 47^th over and the hundred partnership came up in the 53^rd before Tillcock was caught by Turner for 38 off Wes Durston in the 57^th, the score 174-4. Matt Cross joined Root and the 200 came up in the 63^rd over but two overs later Cross (9) got a leading edge and was caught by Callum Broderick off Chesney Hughes bringing Brett Hutton to the middle. Root reached his century in the 73^rd over (143 balls, 16 fours) and tea was taken at the end of the over, the score 250-5, Root 100* and Hutton 19*.

Nottinghamshire’s 300 came up in the 83^rd over but in the 86^th Hutton (42) was bowled by Cotton (309-6) ending a partnership of 100 and Paul Franks came in. A stand of 83 took the score to 394 in the 101^st over when Franks was caught by Durston off Tom Wood two shy of his 50 and Luke Wood joined Root. They reached the close (105 overs) unbeaten, Root on 166 and Wood on 7, the score 407-7.