Nottinghamshire Captain Steven Mullaney admitted his side were second best to Yorkshire as they succumbed to a first defeat of the 2018 season.
The Green and Golds deservedly won their opening match by six wickets against Lancashire at Emirates Old Trafford.
But they were beaten by 164 runs at Emerald Headingley, despite a 66-run eighth wicket partnership between Tom Moores (40 not out) and Jake Ball (30) on the final morning, as Ben Coad finished with match figures of 10-130.
“I just think we’ve been outplayed, basically,” said Mullaney. “It was a good chance to bowl first up and we bowled well.
“We were in a decent position with them at 250 because it was a decent wicket.
“But we messed up first innings. I thought we had a good opportunity on the second day when Riki (Wessels) and Ross (Taylor) were going nicely and when the wicket was at its best. It definitely wasn’t a 188 all out wicket, that’s for sure. If you are going to win games your top six or seven need to get a lot of runs.
“We’ve only had one fifty in four goes, so the batters need to work hard this week and when we go to Worcester we need to put them under some pressure.
"We’ve also let the tail get away twice bowling. That can happen, but I think our first-innings batting really let us down.
“I’ve been through every emotion as a captain during these two weeks, that is for sure, but I’m not worried.
“We’re one and one. We outplayed Lancashire last week and have been outplayed by Yorkshire this.
“We’ll turn up to Worcester full of confidence and try and get one over on them.
“Broady's back for the next three games. He's bowled this morning and looks in good rhythm. He's chomping at the bit to help us win some games.”
Mullaney believes that overseas batsman Ross Taylor is on the verge of a big score for his new county, with the New Zealand international looking well set in both innings in his second game for the Club before falling for scores of 57 and 30.
He said: “He’s a world-class player with a Test match average of 48 and he showed glimpses of getting to his best and I’m sure in these next three games, and then going into the white ball competition, he’ll score some big runs for us.”
Mullaney was unable to bowl at Headingley and revealed the reason. “I’ve got a bit of a side strain," he said. “We’re just watching that and hopefully I’ll be back bowling in a couple of weeks.”
Yorkshire coach Andrew Gale felt that late order runs from the tail were vital in securing victory.
He said: “We’ve spoken a lot about when the game’s in the balance, someone’s got to put their hand up (with the bat), and that’s what we have done in this game. I thought we were ruthless at times.
“There were certain partnerships, Ballance and Leaning in the second innings and ones at the back end of the first innings and second, that took the game away from Notts.
“At some periods, I didn't think we were at our best. But to win games of cricket, you need to be ruthless when it’s in the balance. That’s exactly what happened in this game. We can take a lot from that.”
"Ben's confident at the minute. He picked up from where he left off (last season). He hasn't the most fluid pre-season given he was injured (hip flexor) out in South Africa. He's had little game time. He just goes about his business, he's very level-headed and works hard. He's very particular in preparation."
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