Nottinghamshire’s top order found run-scoring difficult on a slow opening day, as their Specsavers County Championship match against Warwickshire got under way at Edgbaston.
The visitors were restricted to a run rate of around two per over as they reached 125 for six from 61 overs before light rain wiped out the final session.
Jake Libby top-scored for Notts, scoring 59 from 173 balls, and Boyd Rankin emerged with the most impressive bowling figures, taking three for 25.
“It was a difficult period of play,” said Mick Newell. “Warwickshire bowled pretty well and obviously Rankin bowled a very good spell in the middle of the afternoon which put us under some serious pressure.
“We haven’t scored at any great rate so it’ll be interesting to see how we get on tomorrow.
“I thought there would be more pace in the wicket if I’m honest and I thought the scoring would be a little bit quicker. It seemed to be quite difficult to score the medium to medium-quick bowlers and obviously Rankin stepped it up as he’s a bit quicker than everyone else.”
Notts opted to bat first after winning the toss and announced a side showing just one change from last week’s loss to Surrey.
Luke Fletcher, who took seven wickets against Warwickshire when the sides met at Trent Bridge earlier in the season, returned in place of Harry Gurney, who has played in every match this season.
Captain Steven Mullaney opened up Jake Libby and the pair had a fairly uneventful passage through the opening half hour.
Rikki Clarke, bowling from the Birmingham End, made the initial breakthrough with 19 on the board, enticing Mullaney to play on, for just six.
Michael Lumb batted for an hour in reaching 10 but was then adjudged lbw against Jeetan Patel – umpire Billy Taylor deliberating in favour of the bowler.
Brendan Taylor looked up for the challenge and used his feet to get off the mark, lifting Patel back over his head for four and then lapping the spinner fine for three more.
Warwickshire tightened things up again after lunch, with the session beginning with three consecutive maidens. The pressure brought results to the fielding side, as Taylor pulled Keith Barker to backward square leg for 14 and then Riki Wessels was caught behind for three, the umpire deciding the right-hander had nicked a sharply rising Rankin delivery.
Libby guided Mark Adair down to the third man fence to bring up his 50 from 155 balls and celebrated by hitting his fifth boundary through midwicket from the next ball.
Rankin swung the momentum back towards the home side as he picked up further wickets in his next two overs, having Samit Patel caught behind for six, before ending Libby’s defiance in similar fashion to reduce Notts to 110 for six.
Dan Christian and Brett Hutton had only just begun their recovery mission when light rain and fading light forced the players off for an early tea but conditions failed to improve and the umpires called it off at 5pm.
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