Half centuries from Samit Patel and Jake Libby, coupled with solid contributions from the rest of Nottinghamshire’s top order eased the home county into a first innings advantage on the second day of their Specsavers County Championship match against Lancashire at Trent Bridge.

Libby made 54 and Patel was undefeated on 51 at the close, when the second of two stoppages for bad light forced the players off with 4.2 overs remaining.

By that stage Notts had progressed to 303 for five, a lead of 27, with Riki Wessels also unbeaten, on 25. Kyle Jarvis and Jordan Clark had each taken two wickets for the visitors.

Earlier, Lancashire had lost their final wicket to the eleventh ball of the day, to be bowled out for 276. Imran Tahir trapped Matt Parkinson lbw to finish with figures of four for 81.

The tone of the Nottinghamshire reply was set from the off, with Steven Mullaney punching Neil Wagner’s opening delivery emphatically through midwicket for four.

Runs came in a hurry, at the start, 18 from two overs, 26 from three and 49 from the first 10. Both batsmen were quick to seize on every scoring opportunity, Libby primarily rotating the strike with clips to leg, whilst his captain was aggressively working the off side.

Mullaney had a life on 33, with Parkinson spilling a pull in the deep. The unlucky bowler, Jarvis, soon saw the wheel of fortune swing back in his favour as Mullaney chopped on for 43.

Libby continued to accumulate and was grateful to the umpires for agreeing to squeeze one more over into the morning session as he clipped Clark for his fifth boundary, to bring up a 68-ball half century.

Lancashire came out fighting at the start of the afternoon session, snaring two wickets in the opening few minutes. Libby was caught behind by wicketkeeper Steven Croft off Wagner for his lunchtime score of 54.

Greg Smith then perished at the other end, trapped lbw by Jarvis for 30. Pressure continued to be applied from both ends, with Brendan Taylor taking 19 deliveries before he got off the mark.

The former Zimbabwe captain found life easier once pace had been taken off the ball and he twice galloped down the track to loft Matt Parkinson away for straight sixes.

Attempting an uppercut against the bowling of Clark, the former Zimbabwe captain perished just before the interval. Playing one adventurous shot too many, he picked out Tom Smith at third man for 37.

A sharply taken catch off his own bowling enabled Clark to remove Lumb but the sixth wicket pairing stood firm in fading light, with Patel reaching his 50 from 77 balls with seven fours.

 

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