Nottinghamshire will need an inspirational burst from their bowlers if they are to salvage anything on the final day of their Specsavers Championship match against Lancashire at Old Trafford.
The visitors were bowled out for 175, just before the close on the third day, leaving the Red Rose county to score 86 to win.
New Zealand international Neil Wagner did most of the damage on a difficult day for the Nottinghamshire batsmen. Wagner, on his county debut, followed his first innings figures of six for 66 with another highly impressive performance to take five for 45 and with James Anderson also claiming three wickets Notts have been left with only the slenderest of hopes.
At the start of the day Lancs stretched their first innings advantage to 90, before being bowled out for 332, with Jake Ball and Samit Patel taking the remaining two wickets. Ball closed with figures of four for 63.
Having seen his side play so well last week, it was a tough watch for director of cricket Mick Newell, “When we went out to bat today we knew we had to make about 300 to be competitive but we are a long way short of that and therefore we need a minor miracle on the last day.”
Newell added, “Throughout the game the top six have under-scored and we’re disappointed with that because we had first use of the pitch, we wanted to bat first and were 98 for six on the first day, so I think we’ve been off the pace with the bat and that’s disappointing, given that we rattled up 440 against Surrey.”
There was deserved praise for Lancashire’s bowling hero, “Fair play to Neil Wagner, he’s had a terrific game, he’s run in hard and bowled bouncers and yorkers and mixed it up and been very effective.
“To have any chance we need something like a Stuart Broad eight for 15 now, but you feel in these situations you need to set a minimum of 130, 140, 150 but we’ve failed to do that, so it is going to take a bit of a miracle.”
The day began with Lancashire on 311 for eight in their first innings, holding an overall lead of 69. Liam Livingstone, on his first class debut, helped himself to seven in Patel’s opening over to move to 70.
His fine innings ended there as the first ball of the second over thudded into his pads to give Ball his fourth wicket.
Simon Kerrigan hit a couple of boundaries down the ground, before Patel ended things by having Kyle Jarvis (37) caught by Steven Mullaney at slip.
Beginning for a second time, 90 runs adrift, Mullaney and Greg Smith were respectful to the Lancashire attack and took no risks as they worked their way to 32 without loss from 25 overs before lunch.
A slight acceleration propelled them to a half century opening partnership but on 52 they were parted by a brute of a ball from Anderson which toppled Mullaney’s bail off for 21.
Smith worked the ball around to good effect, and showed his ability against spin by sweeping Kerrigan for a high quality boundary.
The slow left armer got his revenge though. On 41 the former Leicestershire man hit straight to Steven Croft at cover.
Up to that point Anderson had bowled a 90 minute spell of 11-3-17-1 but his replacement struck instantly.
Brendan Taylor went after his shots and lifted Kerrigan for a straight six to take Notts into the overall lead. His next attacking shot cost him though, as Livingstone plucked the catch from Jarvis’ first ball of the session.
Notts needed to get to tea without any further damage but it wasn’t to be, as Michael Lumb was given out leg before to the dangerous Wagner for 19.
In the midst of another fine Anderson spell Riki Wessels went for 16, given out lbw for the second time in the match and only another nine runs were added before Notts were six down.
Patel, on 18, went for the hook against Wagner and picked out Livingstone in the deep.
Bowling quickly from the Pavilion End, the Kiwi then got on a roll. Stuart Broad fended a short-pitched delivery to short leg, to depart for just four, Ball was bowled for five and Jackson Bird trapped lbw first ball.
Harry Gurney was last out, for two leaving Chris Read unbeaten on 25.
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