Nottinghamshire slid to their third defeat of the Specsavers County Championship season, when they went down to a 69-run defeat against Hampshire at The Ageas Bowl.

Set to score 305 in a minimum of 86 overs, the visitors lost three wickets before lunch but rallied during the afternoon with Brendan Taylor making 71.

His partnership of 108 with Samit Patel gave Notts hope but when Patel fell in the final session for 65, the end was just around the corner. With the injured Chris Read unable to take his place in the order thanks to a broken hand sustained earlier in the match, Notts were eventually bowled out for 235 with 22.3 overs remaining in the match.

Earlier, Hants had declared their second innings closed on 223 for nine, after 34 had been added in eight overs of play. Harry Gurney took the only wicket to go down, giving him second innings figures of five for 75 and career best match figures of nine for 136.  

Nottinghamshire’s second consecutive defeat left Mick Newell to reflect on a shortage of top order runs.

“I think we’ll look back on this game and see that two or three blokes have bowled reasonably well but we haven’t scored enough runs in either innings and that’s going to cost us every time we play and that’s cost us another defeat here,” he said.

“Brendan Taylor and Samit played very nicely and I think that 20 minutes before tea we were looking in a good position, so it was disappointing when we then lost wickets. It’s not up to the blokes at the bottom of the order, it’s got to be done by the top five or six.”

Taylor’s innings was his highest of the season and demonstrated a marked return to form.

“I feel that this is probably the best I’ve batted in a long time and so it’s now about wanting to kick on,” said Taylor.

“I think I’m in a better space mentally, a lot less cluttered, so I’m really looking forward to what lies ahead and hopefully I can fill up the number four spot that Titch (James Taylor) has left.

“It’s a massive hole to try and fill, so if I can try and do it as well as I can, I’ll be pretty happy.”

Tino Best struck two early blows to dent Nottinghamshire’s chances in their pursuit of 305, having Jake Libby caught behind by Adam Wheater for four and Michael Lumb lbw for nine.

Lumb’s dismissal came shortly after the West Indian had set off celebrating wildly towards midwicket for another lbw appeal that was ultimately turned down.

Taylor’s recent struggles seemed behind him as he hit his first three balls for three and two crisp fours but just before lunch he lost his partner, Steven Mullaney, edging to slip for 20.

McLaren took that wicket and also that of Riki Wessels, who nicked behind for six.

From 68 for four Notts fought back through a magnificent stand between Taylor and Patel.

Taylor played a succession of attractive shots all around the wicket and showed his determination with a jubilant celebration on reaching his 50.

His milestone, coming up from 77 balls, with seven fours, was greeted with a fist pump and a flamboyant wave of the bat towards his team-mates on the dressing room balcony.

Best boosted the Notts total with a fiery two over burst that brought 18 runs, 12 of them in three lots of four byes.

Just before tea Hampshire broke the stand, with mid on Best clutching a lofted drive off Crane, to end Taylor’s stay.

Patel began the final session on 46 and inside edged Crane through the ‘keeper’s legs and into a discarded helmet, producing five penalty runs.

He didn’t have much longer to wait before hitting his ninth four to pass 50 for the sixth time, this first class season. The landmark came from 91 balls but he’d barely celebrated before a chance went begging at the other end.

Dan Christian was dropped at slip by Sean Ervine, off Crane and he rubbed salt in the wound by then lofting the spinner straight down the ground for six.

The Australian, making his first class debut for Notts, fell during a double-wicket maiden from Best that effectively ended the contest. Christian lost his middle stump and then Brett Hutton hooked into the hands of long leg.

Patel’s fine knock ended on 65, when he nudged Crane to slip and next ball Gurney skied to cover, giving the home side their first success of the campaign.

The day had begun with Hampshire on 189 for eight in their second innings, an overall lead of 270 but they soon lost a wicket a moment of near-confusion.

Ryan McLaren had been hit on the pads by Gurney, producing a loud and confident appeal. Whilst many were staring at the standing umpire, Nick Cook, Christian threw down the stumps, producing a fresh run out appeal towards Graham Lloyd, standing at square leg.

After an age, Cook raised his finger, signalling Gurney’s fifth wicket of the innings.

Crane and James Tomlinson lifted the lead over 300 in a last wicket flurry, before Will Smith waved them back in, satisfied that his side had extended their lead out of Nottinghamshire’s reach.

 

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