A century from Riki Wessels enabled Nottinghamshire to take the upper hand on the opening day of their vital LV= County Championship match against Hampshire at Trent Bridge.
Wessels scored 104 as Notts made 340 after being put in, with Fidel Edwards returning figures of six for 88 as Hampshire fought hard to preserve their First Division status.
There was just time for one over to be squeezed in at the end of the day and Hampshire’s nightwatchman Ryan Stevenson edged the first ball from Stuart Broad through to Chris Read to leave the innings on nought for one at stumps.
Mick Newell, Notts’ director of cricket, was pleased with how the day eventually panned out.
“I think it’s been a very good day. Again, it was a day where you’d rather have won the toss and had a bowl but once we’d got through to lunch and then batted well after it, we’ve been able to put a competitive score on the board.
“I thought Billy Root played very well. I wanted him to come in and play his shots and be confident and positive and play in the style in which he’s been doing in the second team and I thought he did that very well. He’s waited a long time for this and sometimes that’s a good thing. He’s 23 years of age and I’d like to think he’ll make the most of his opportunities.
“I thought Riki Wessels was excellent. He had to battle hard after coming in at 30-odd for three and he did that and was then able to get his rewards through the afternoon session.”
The Notts team showed four changes from that which had played against Warwickshire last week, with Jake Libby, Stuart Broad and Harry Gurney returning alongside debutant Billy Root.
Alex Hales and James Taylor were rested ahead of England’s impending overseas tour and Luke Fletcher and Luke Wood were omitted.
On their pre-season tour of the Caribbean Notts had come unstuck against the pacy Fidel Edwards in Barbados. The former West Indian Test bowler had taken eight for 40 against them in March and he began this match in equally destructive fashion.
In the first over of the match Brendan Taylor flicked into the hands of Gareth Berg at midwicket, for two. In Edwards’ next over he trapped Jake Libby lbw for a single.
Samit Patel played positively to reach 19 quickly, hitting Edwards for four, two, four before feathering his next ball behind into the gloves of Adam Wheater.
Steven Mullaney and Riki Wessels began repairing the damage, putting on 56 together before lunch. Wessels’ only scare came on 16, when he under-edged the ball just short of the diving ‘keeper. He responded by then stroking Ryan Stevenson through midwicket for four to advance to 1,000 first class runs for the season.
The duo extended their stand into three figures during a prosperous start to the afternoon. Runs came freely for both batsmen, with a flurry of boundaries frustrating the visitors.
Mullaney’s seventh boundary took him to 52, his half century brought up from 100 deliveries but he was then spilled without any further addition as Sean Ervine grassed him at first slip off Edwards.
Wessels pulled Stevenson for the first maximum of the contest and then drove Ryan McLaren through the off side for his 50 (99 balls 7x4 1x6).
Hampshire’s fourth success came after they turned to spin, with Liam Dawson getting one through Mullaney’s defences to bowl him for 58.
Billy Root began confidently on his county debut, forcing the ball to the ropes on six occasions in his 37. The left-handed younger brother of Yorkshire and England’s Joe Root appeared unfazed by the situation until an edge from Gareth Berg was taken by Ervine, who responded to the ball rebounding out of James Vince’s hand at second slip.
Wessels went past 1,000 Championship runs for the season and then reached his hundred from 153 balls, having hit 13 fours and a six. Straight after tea he clipped Ervine to midwicket and three overs later Chris Read was bowled by Edwards, shouldering arms. Having lost three wickets for just 11 runs, Nottinghamshire rebuilt once more, with Broad and Brett Hutton taking the total beyond 300 in a partnership of 74.
Edwards claimed his third five-wicket haul of the season when he induced Broad into hooking into the hands of Ryan McLaren at fine leg, after making 37. The pace ace celebrated his best return in Hampshire colours by then demolishing Jake Ball’s stumps.
Hutton farmed the strike in a last wicket partnership with Harry Gurney but then hoisted McLaren into the deep to depart for 46.
The 2015 season has seen dramatic last-gasp four day victories, thrilling limited-overs contests and an historic Investec Ashes Test, all in the unique surroundings of Trent Bridge.
Next season, we’d wager, will be no less enthralling and frankly we’d hate for you to miss out.