Luke Wood, Jake Libby and Lyndon James made fifties as the trio made the most of their first time in the middle on the second, and final, day of the pre-season tour match in Potchefstroom against Yorkshire.
The trio were the highlights as Nottinghamshire managed 334-8 in reply to Yorkshire’s 331-7 from the first day, on another sunny day at Senwes Park.
On the Green and Golds batting day, the two Bens, Slater and Duckett, stepped out to form a new opening partnership.
However, their time together was short-lived as Duckett was trapped in front by his namesake, Ben Coad early in the partnership.
Libby joined Slater and the pair battled hard against Yorkshire’s opening bowlers, before Matt Pillans had the former, also LBW, with a swinging full-length delivery.
That was the final breakthrough of the first session as Libby (40*) and Joe Clarke (26*), on his first knock for the Club, enjoyed a fruitful partnership before lunch.
The complexion of the game changed after the break however as Coad, Yorkshire’s best bowler on the day, had Clarke and Chris Nash out in successive deliveries.
First, Clarke was the third batsman to be trapped LBW, before Nash was caught behind off the very next ball, with Nottinghamshire 109-4.
Libby passed his 50 but became Matthew Waite’s first victim soon after, before James and Wood provided the best partnership of the day.
Both men passed the half-century mark, unfurling some brilliant shots along the way, before James fell to Yorkshire spinner Karl Carver.
Zak Chappell, fresh off the back of an impressive spell on the opening day, made a brisk 15 but handed Carver his second victim.
Wood was unperturbed however, launching some late maximums to bring Nottinghamshire up towards Yorkshire’s score.
The left-hander found able support in the form of Liam Patterson-White (37*) but fell just short off his century, the last man out on the day for 96.
Notts are back in action from 9:30am tomorrow (7:30am UK time) against a Titans Invitational XI, a match which will mark Albie Morkel’s last for the franchise.
The former Protea will skipper the side which is brimming with international quality, including the likes of Heino Kuhn, Dean Elgar, Chris Morris and Farhaan Behardien.
The squad will travel back to Pretoria, the location of the bowling camp, for the match at Cornwall Hill College.
Facing the international-packed side, it will be the Outlaws’ first 50-over action of the tour, from which they will return back to their base in Potchefstroom to face further local opposition with the white ball early next week.
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Nottinghamshire begin their Specsavers County Championship campaign at Trent Bridge on Friday 5 April against Yorkshire. You can watch every ball of their campaign, as well as all seven T20 Vitality Blast games and all four Royal London One-Day Cup matches from £29 as a Member. Find out more here....