HONOURS EVEN IN FIRST COMPETITIVE MATCHES FOR SECONDS

Nottinghamshire Seconds got their competitive season off to a mixed start, winning and losing one t20 match against Derbyshire at Notts Sports Ground.

In the first game Nottinghamshire won the toss and asked Derbyshire to bat first, the first wicket falling in the third over when Simon Webster caught Tom Knight (6) at mid-on off Luke Fletcher’s bowling.

The score was soon 21-2 as Rammy Singh also fell in single figures, for eight, bowled by Webster.

Scott Elstone joined Chesney Hughes but further quick wickets fell, Hughes caught at midwicket for 14 before Elstone was stumped by Tom Keast off Adam Tillcock for eight, the score on 46-4 in the ninth over.

Notts got their fifth wicket not long after; Tom Wood trapped LBW by Tillcock as Derbyshire faltered to 64-5.

The 100 came up in 18^th over but then Tom Poynton (36) was Tillcock’s third wicket, the spinner ending with figures of 3-13 from his four overs.

David Wainwright and Greg Cork saw out the remaining overs, posting a total of 116-6 with Cork 32* and Wainwright 4*.

The Nottinghamshire reply came from opener’s George Munsey, a trialist from Scotland, and Anuj Dal and they took the score to 32 by the fourth over.

However, Munsey (19) then edged to keeper Poynton off Greg Cork’s bowling for 19, bringing Sam Wood coming to the crease.

Wood was Cork’s second wicket, falling for nine, before the Derbyshire left armer also dismissed Dal for 19, Notts falling to 62-3.

Christian Purchase was soon adjudged LBW for one and when Tillcock and Fletcher both departed, Notts had fell to 93-6.

However, Greg Smith and Simon Webster guided the home side to a four-wicket victory, the final score 117-6 with Smith 37* and Webster 10*.

In the second match, Nottinghamshire were put in to bat first with Munsey and Smith making a great start for the home side.

They had put on 81 by the tenth over before Smith was run out by Elstone, Dal coming to the crease to guide Munsey to his 50.

The latter then fell straight after bringing up his half century and when Dal fell for 12 in the 16^th over, Notts found themselves 109-3 with just four overs to go.

Two further wickets followed in the 18^th over, Adam Wheatcroft removing Purchase (10) and Tillcock (6), both caught on the boundary.

However, Sam Wood was joined by Luke Fletcher and both were unbeaten after 20 overs, the final score 148-5 with Wood on 29* and Fletcher on 6*.     

In reply Derbyshire opened with Rammy Singh and Tom Knight and they made an equally good start, putting on 92 in 11 overs.

However, Sam Wood entered the attack to remove Singh for 48, stumped by Tom Keast, and Chesney Hughes, LBW for two.

Christian Purchase ran Knight out (42) in the 14^th and two balls later Tom Poynton was out without scoring, bowled by Adam Tillcock to reduce the visitors to 110-4.

Tom Wood fell to a catch by Ben Kitt off Tillcock in the 17^th but Greg Cork joined Elstone, the pair taking the visitors over the finishing line in the 19^th over, the final score 152-5, Scott Elstone not out 26 and Greg Cork not out 21.

The excitement of the NatWest T20 Blast returns to Trent Bridge in May as Notts Outlaws hope to break the 10,000 barrier for the arrival of reigning champions Birmingham Bears on Friday 15 May.

Adult tickets are available at a special price of £10 and further discounts in place for under 16s (£5), under21s (£7) and senior citizens (£7) when buying in advance. Make Trent Bridge a firm fixture for your Friday nights and secure your seats now.