An impressive all-round performance from Adam Tillcock took Notts Academy to the brink of victory over Ordall Bridon yesterday, only for bad light to stop play with just two runs required for the win.

The 21-year-old left-arm spinning all-rounder followed bowling figures of 3-19 with a score of 97 as the Nottinghamshire youngsters made all the running in their opening competitive fixture of the 2015 season.

But moments after Tillcock finally lost his wicket, the run-chase total was 208-7 in pursuit of 210 to win when the umpires called a premature halt to proceedings.

Nottinghamshire won the toss, elected to field and quickly reduced Ordsall to 0-1 as Ben Kitt’s second delivery saw Paul Van Den Heuvel nick into the hands of Simon Webster at slip.

Jake Tong then uprooted Joshua Marsh’s leg-stump, Liam Andrews was caught behind off Webster and Martyn Long was caught at midwicket off Elliott Bowles; meaning the home side had been reduced to 74-4 at the 20 over stage.

Bowles struck again four overs later as Sufian Munir was caught on the long-off boundary for 32. 

And Tillcock got amongst the wickets by trapping James Brice lbw before rain induced an early tea interval with the score on 148-6.

Tillcock continued to impress post-interval, clean bowling Henry Appleyard for 36 and adding the wicket of Aqab Ahmed to finish with figures of 3-19 off eight overs.

Bowles also finished with three wickets, in his case for 36 runs, after Jamie Alderson holed-out late on for 24 and Ordsall concluded their innings on 209-9.

The Academy’ reply hit the rocks early as Ahmed’s double strike saw Anuj Dal depart for 13 and Connor Marshall back in the hutch for a duck, making the score 35-2.

It took a third wicket stand of 94 between Tillcock and Joe New to put the run chase back on track.

Tillcock went to 50, in 51 balls with six fours and a six, moments before inadvertently causing the downfall of his partner on 49.

Bowler Gary Andrews tipped Tillcock’s straight drive onto the stumps, New was short of his ground, and Notts were 129-3.

Ahmed, a 36-year old paceman with first-class experience in Pakistani domestic cricket, then took three further wickets to complete his five-wicket haul.

However, at 189-6 with 21 further needed to win and Tillcock bearing down on a century, the Academy remained very much in command.

And, although Tillcock was eventually caught and bowled by Long for 97, Notts were by then on the brink of victory with two runs required from the remaining five overs.

It was at that point, however, that bad light brought play to a premature end with the Academy having to settle for 13 league points and a draw.