Despite Steven Mullaney’s third championship hundred of the season, Nottinghamshire fell to a 176 run defeat by Hampshire on the final day of their Specsavers County Championship match at Trent Bridge.
Mullaney scored 137, getting his runs from 277 balls, with 19 fours and a six, as Notts were bowled out for 291 with 24 overs still remaining. During the course of his innings, the opener passed 1,000 first class runs for the season, the first from the club to reach the landmark.
The home side had been set to score 468 for an unlikely victory but were eventually undone, as Brad Wheal claimed six for 51 for the visitors.
The day had begun with Notts on 42 for two, having been set a nominal victory target of 468. Mason Crane opened with the ball, completing an unfinished over after he’d removed Riki Wessels the previous evening.
Michael Lumb pushed a single to get off the mark and Mullaney greeted two high full tosses by smacking them through extra cover for boundaries.
Lumb had a scare when an edge off Andy Carter just failed to carry to wicketkeeper Lewis McManus.
For the next hour or so all was calm as the third wicket partnership added 41. Wheal made the first breakthrough of the day, snaring Lumb’s wicket. The left-hander threw everything at an attempted drive but made no connection with the ball. Next delivery, a repeat brought the faintest of edges and McManus took a low catch.
Mullaney brought up his fifty with his eighth boundary. He punched Wheal through the covers, then tickled the next ball to fine leg to reach the milestone from 112 deliveries.
On the stroke of lunch, Mullaney edged Liam Dawson between the ‘keeper and first slip Will Smith for four.
The wheels began to come off for Notts right at the end of the afternoon session, but for the most of it Mullaney and Taylor enjoyed a profitable and steady advancement.
They put on 162 together, without too many alarms. Mullaney’s fourth first class hundred of the season came up from 191 balls, with 17 fours. Taylor, content to play second fiddle for the most part, reached his 50 from 93 balls, with eight fours.
Wheal’s return to the attack made the difference. Mullaney fell to a catch at extra cover by Gareth Berg off a leading edge and Samit Patel snicked his first ball down the leg side, where McManus pulled off a stunning diving catch.
Chris Read twice edged Mason Crane through the slips but Taylor wasn’t so lucky. In the final over of the afternoon, he clipped the leg spinner into the hands of Jimmy Adams at first slip.
Luke Wood fell to Crane straight after tea and then Wheal got his fourth and fifth wickets as Ball, lbw for one, and Read, bowled for 23, were dismissed.
Harry Gurney was last out, to spark Hampshire celebrations and leave Nottinghamshire with only four bonus points from the contest.
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