Steven Mullaney’s highest championship score helped Nottinghamshire into a strong position on the opening day of their Specsavers County Championship match against Somerset at Trent Bridge.

Mullaney scored an unbeaten 161 and put on 196 for the first wicket with Jake Libby as the home county reached stumps on 311-4, having won the toss and elected to bat first.

The 29-year old Mullaney, returning to the ranks after skippering Notts in the last four matches during Chris Read’s absence, scored his runs from 273 balls, with 23 fours and two sixes.

The home eleven showed two changes from the previous championship match, with captain Chris Read and Luke Fletcher returning in place of Greg Smith and Stuart Broad, opted to bat first under blue skies.

Steven Mullaney and Jake Libby combined to good effect at the start of the day but found themselves rooted at their respective ends.

Although three no balls and a wide aided the total, Notts dealt only in boundaries until a two from Libby took the total to 37 without loss.

Libby took 27 deliveries before getting off the mark but then accelerated nicely with four fours in quick succession – one a sumptuous straight drive off Jim Allenby, the fifth right-arm medium pace bowler used by Chris Rogers in the first hour.

The string of fours meant it was 55 minutes before the batsmen changed ends for the first time and soon they had a different challenge to face as Rogers introduced his sixth bowler, with the slow left arm spin of Jack Leach.

Libby guided Leach to the third man fence twice before handing over the strike to his partner, only for Mullaney to clobber a mighty blow over the long off ropes as the over went for 15 runs.

Mullaney brought up his fifty just before lunch, running Tim Groenewald to the rope for his tenth boundary, to add to his six. He had faced 89 deliveries to reach the milestone and the shot also brought up the century stand between the two right-handers.

Libby’s third half century in the last three matches arrived during the early afternoon, coming from 115 balls with eight fours.

The 150 partnership came from 295 deliveries and arrived with both batsmen unbeaten on 71, the first time that Libby had caught his senior partner up.

Two years ago Mullaney and Phil Jaques put on 203 for the opening wicket against Somerset, the last time any pair of Nottinghamshire openers had done it in the championship.

This pair were within four runs of bringing up the double-ton when Libby fell for 90. Having faced 202 balls and hit 13 fours, the young Cornishman slashed Tim Groenewald into the hands of Jim Allenby at point.

During the final over before tea Mullaney reached his hundred with another mighty six off Leach. The ball crashed high into the advertising hoardings before almost bouncing back as far as the bowler.

The batsman’s hundred had arrived from 171 balls, with 16 fours, in addition to the two shots that had cleared the ropes.

Leach, who toiled through 26 overs for figures of two for 96 gained reward in the final session with a couple of wickets before the second new ball was belatedly taken.

Michael Lumb feathered the spinner behind to wicketkeeper Ryan Davies for 10 and then Brendan Taylor lofted to mid on for 21.

Two balls after passing his previous championship best of 139, Mullaney offered his only chance of the day but was unexpectedly spared at slip by Marcus Trescothick, from the bowling of Craig Overton.

Reprieved, he advanced to his 150 from 252 balls and reached the close only four runs away from his career best 165 not out, made during his time as a Lancashire player, against Durham UCCE in 2007.

The day ended with Luke Fletcher at the crease as nightwatchman, after Jim Allenby trapped Riki Wessels lbw.

 

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