Sixteen wickets fell at Trent Bridge on the first day of Nottinghamshire’s LV= County Championship match against Warwickshire.
Put in, the home side made 155 before being bowled out during the afternoon session but they then reduced the newly-crowned champions to 139-6 by stumps.
At one stage Warwickshire were going long nicely, with 85-3 on the board. That all changed as Andy Carter dragged his side back into things with a spell of 3-0 in just 14 deliveries.
“I’m pleased with that,” said the 24-year old. “I’m trying to find a bit of rhythm and fighting against not a lot of form over the last week or so and was just trying to put it in the right spot. Today I got my rewards.”
The first of Carter’s wickets was Darren Maddy. “Bonus - it was an absolute bonus to get him,” he said. “It was never missing but a real bonus that he left the ball alone.”
Richard Johnson fell next, followed by Chris Woakes. “Johnson’s was a fullish ball and he dragged it on – some days they go for you and some days they don’t. I was happy to get Woakesy out quickly because he’s a dangerous player and he’s scored some good runs this year.
“We didn’t put enough runs on the board but Ben Phillips and Fletch started well for us with the ball and now it’s important we get them out quickly in the morning.”
Notts made three changes from the side that ended last week’s match at The Oval. Sam Kelsall, Paul Franks and Andy Carter came into the side, replacing Adam Voges, Sam Wood and Harry Gurney.
The tone for the day was set as early as the third ball of the morning session with Kelsall (0) losing his middle stump after inside-edging a delivery from Chris Woakes.
Neil Edwards (3) was rapped on the back pad by Keith Barker, becoming the first of three lbws, the second of which was Riki Wessels (13) who got neither forward nor back to Woakes.
Barker had predominantly bowled left-arm over but went round the wicket to Steven Mullaney (14) and had him spectacularly taken by a diving Varun Chopra at slip to leave Notts 41-4 after an hour of play.
The situation worsened as the change bowlers got into the act. Chris Wright extracted Chris Read’s (18) middle peg and then made way for Rikki Clarke, who thudded one into the pads of James Taylor (17) with the first ball after being switched to the Radcliffe Road End.
With the final ball of the 30th over Graeme White (6) was taken by Clarke at slip off Jeetan Patel to leave the score on 92-7 at lunch.
Paul Franks and Ben Phillips added 38 in half an hour after the restart before Warwickshire struck again through Wright, who then proceeded to mop up the innings with two further successes.
The former Essex bowler had Phillips (13) caught behind by Richard Johnson – just after the batsman had been bowled by a no-ball from Clarke. Wright then took out Franks (44) middle stump with another pacy, well-directed delivery.
Luke Fletcher and Andy Carter had some fun for the last wicket before a bouncer from Wright was fended off into the hands of short leg Ian Westwood by Carter (4).
Notts needed to make early inroads and had Ben Phillips to thanks for seeing off both openers before tea. Ian Westwood (1) put in half a stride towards the ball but was still adjudged lbw.
That was in the fifth over of the innings, with Phillips’ first three overs all being maidens. His sixth over began with another prize scalp, as the much-touted Varun Chopra (16) nicked one onto his off bail.
Luke Fletcher’s first ball after tea saw Jim Troughton (10) play loosely away from his body to give Read a routine catch.
Darren Maddy (41) and Richard Johnson (22) then added 40 for the fourth wicket, before both fell during Carter’s second spell.
Maddy lost his off stump not playing a shot, with Johnson edging back onto his stumps. Chris Woakes (0) became the third wicket to fall in quick succession to the pace bowler, as he also snicked one for Read to take easily.
An unbroken stand of 49 between Ian Blackwell and Rikki Clarke took the Bears to within 16 by the end of a very eventful day.