Nottinghamshire’s build up towards the new season continued with another impressive showing on the final day of their Trent Bridge friendly with Leicestershire.
The home side took their turn to bat first and scored 255 for five, with six batsmen spending quality time at the crease. Michael Lumb pressed his claims for a place in the County Championship side with a high quality innings of 52 before retiring.
James Taylor also retired, with 44 to his name, Greg Smith made 40, Will Gidman 34 not out, Samit Patel 29 and Brendan Taylor retired after battling his way throughout the entire morning session for 26.
After tea the visitors posted 141 for one against a largely young and inexperienced attack, with Matthew Carter getting the only wicket to fall.
On the first day Leicestershire made 259 for five and Notts replied with 116 without loss and with the roles reversed, it was the hosts who had the opportunity of batting first on the second day of the match.
Brendan Taylor and Smith opened up for Notts, each coming off the back of a contrasting pre-season tour. Taylor had been laid low with an illness in Barbados and apart from spending just a handful of minutes in the middle, had no cricket at all.
Smith, in contrast, scored freely in the Caribbean and enhanced his reputation hugely.
Against the medium pace bowling of Ben Raine and Tom Wells, each batsman eased his way carefully through the opening overs.
Former Nottinghamshire player Charlie Shreck entered the attack in the 15th over and was immediately clipped to the fine leg fence by Smith to bring up the fifty partnership. Two balls later the same batsman pulled a big six away, to the longer boundary, during an over that cost 13 runs.
Getting down to the other end proved to be Smith’s undoing though, as he nicked Wayne White behind, to depart for an excellent 40, made from 58 deliveries.
James Taylor replaced his former Foxes teammate at the crease and progressed to 10 not out at lunch. Brendan Taylor batted throughout the morning session, reaching a watchful 26 from 67 deliveries before retiring at the interval.
Michael Lumb took his turn at the crease and looked in imperious form from the off. One elegant cover drive off Wells is unlikely to be bettered at Trent Bridge this season.
The left-hander set about all the bowlers and rattled off 39, from 34 balls, out of the first 50 he and James Taylor put on together.
Getting in on the act, Taylor then lifted Jigar Naik’s spin high into the Smith Cooper Stand for a maximum.
Lumb (52ret) reached his half-century by smashing Raine for six, getting there from only 41 balls, with seven fours also. One ball later he and Taylor (44ret) both retired, having added an unbroken 87 together.
They were replaced at the crease by Samit Patel and Brett Hutton, who were about to have different slices of fortune. Patel was fed two long hops by Shreck, which he gratefully pulled for four and six. At the other end Hutton (0), was trapped lbw by Naik from a delivery that may have kept low.
Luke Wood (4) had a brief stay in the middle, tamely chipping Naik to Shreck at mid on but another left-hander, Will Gidman, prospered.
He took three boundaries and a six off Naik but the spinner fought back, getting his third wicket when Patel (29) picked out White on the midwicket fence.
Jake Ball (17) went after his shots and hit four boundaries before drilling one straight back to Naik’s midriff, giving the bowler final figures of 11-2-77-4.
The dismissal allowed Jack Blatherwick (4 not out) to spend a couple of overs in the middle, alongside Gidman who finished with a stylish 34 not out to his name, made from only 33 deliveries.
After tea Leicestershire batted for the second time in the match and made 141 for one, with Tom Wells scoring a very good 76 before being trapped lbw by Matthew Carter.
Wells hit four sixes over the short side, one of them disappearing over the William Clarke Stand, never to be seen again.
Paul Horton registered an unbeaten 55 for the Foxes, who acquitted themselves well over the two days.
Jake Ball bowled at a lively pace for Notts and there were glimpses into the future with encouraging spells from academy youngsters Jack Blatherwick and Simon Walton.
Nottinghamshire continue their pre-season preparations with a first class fixture against Cambridge MCCU away at FP Fenner’s ground next week before embarking on their Specsavers County Championship campaign with a home match against Surrey, starting on Sunday 10 April 2016 (11am start).
The 2015 season saw dramatic last-gasp four day victories, thrilling limited-overs contests and an historic Investec Ashes Test, all in the unique surroundings of Trent Bridge.
Next season, we’d wager, will be no less enthralling and frankly we’d hate for you to miss out.