David Hussey and Michael Lumb each scored centuries as Nottinghamshire closed the opening day of their Trent Bridge match against Somerset on 378 for seven.
Hussey, in his final match for the county, scored 125, with Lumb eventually being dismissed for 107.
“I don’t really know what surreal means but I guess that’s probably the closest definition I can come up wIth." David Hussey
The Australian left the field to a standing ovation, something that took him a little bit by surprise.
“I don’t really know what surreal means,” he said.
“But I guess that’s probably the closest definition I can come up wIth. It was actually a bit emotional walking off because it actually sunk in that this will be the last time – it was very nice and people have always treated me well here.”
Despite scoring his first Trent Bridge century since 2009, the 36-year old would have liked a few more runs, as he confirmed, “It would have been nice to have been 170 not out at the end of the day but I had a bit of luck on the way so to receive that occasion was second to none, absolutely brilliant.”
The toss went Somerset’s way, with captain Marcus Trescothick inviting Notts to bat first. Chris Read confirmed that 20-year old Brett Hutton was included in the Notts side, replacing Andre Adams who had an Achilles problem.
Hutton’s only previous first class experience was in the 2011 champion county match in Abu Dhabi.
Riki Wessels (7) was the first wicket to go down, caught by a diving Craig Kieswetter off Jamie Overton’s bowling, in the sixth over.
Nottinghamshire’s batsmen then gifted their opponents a couple of wickets in quick succession. Lewis Gregory, mixing up unplayable deliveries with an assortment of wides and no-balls, found charity from both Steven Mullaney and James Taylor.
Mullaney (17) lost his off stump, not playing a shot – and Taylor (0) was also out shouldering arms, this time to an lbw decision.
Lumb reached 1,000 first class runs for the season when he passed seven but soon lost another partner, as Samit Patel (16) was bowled by Alfonso Thomas.
Hussey, in his final match for the county, received his first huge ovation, as he made his way out to the middle.
He nearly had to return straight away – given not out to Thomas, again, not playing a shot.
The Australian was also hit on the hand by a beamer from Overton but recovered quickly as the side reached lunch on 115-4.
Hussey and Lumb dominated the afternoon session, adding 133 together. On a straw-coloured wicket, as batting became easier, the duo entertained a decent end-of-season crowd with an array of crisp drives and pulls.
Hussey’s fifty came from 74 balls with 10 fours, whilst Lumb reached his own from 140, with seven boundaries.
On 58 James Hildreth spilled Hussey at first slip, off Craig Meschede and his reaction gave a clue as to how important it may become.
Accelerating clear of his partner’s score Hussey was frustratingly one short of his ton by tea but soon reached his 43rd career century – and 23rd for Notts – with a cover drive off Gregory (144 balls 16x4).
Overton’s earlier indiscretion counted against him when the umpires removed him from the attack after a couple of short-pitched deliveries, having picked up a couple of warnings.
Hussey’s splendid knock came to an unexpected end as he nicked Meschede through to the ‘keeper but Lumb kept going to bring up his own fourth ton of the campaign (239 balls 12x4).
Celebrating, he pulled Gregory into the New Stand for the only six of the day but was then trapped on the pads from the next delivery and had to go.
Read (39) was also caught behind, late in the day leaving Paul Franks (15 not out) to see it through to stumps with Hutton (6 not out).