Nottinghamshire 323 (Mullaney 117, James 51, Hameed 49, Snater 7-98) beat Essex 99 (Browne 53, Fletcher 6-24) and 194 (Browne 64, James 4-51, Paterson 3-41) by an innings and 30 runs.

When the toss was temporarily abandoned ahead of season 2016; regarding what this meant for Nottinghamshire’s chances of playing on pitches that offered assistance to seamers, Mick Newell was unconcerned.

A surface providing movement on the opening day at Trent Bridge will usually continue to do so deep into the contest. That was the Director of Cricket’s view, and few know the West Bridgford ball park better.

Five years on, the hosts were playing to their own strengths – and perhaps negating that of Essex’s prolific off-spinner Simon Harmer – by producing a pitch tinged with green for their latest LV= Insurance County Championship fixture.

They’d lost the toss on a similar surface at Derby a week prior and won by 310 runs.

This time the coin fell in Steven Mullaney’s favour and he invited the reigning county, and Bob Willis Trophy champions, to bat.

Shortly after lunch, they were bowled out for 99.

With Stuart Broad having won his eagerly-awaited dual with Alastair Cook, Luke Fletcher’s career-best figures of 6-24 were testament to unwavering consistency; a triumph for the old-fashioned virtues of line and of length.

Shortly after close of play, Essex opener Nick Browne – who had batted resourcefully to top-score with 53 – claimed that Notts had played ‘roll of the dice cricket’; his contention being that the Green and Golds had gambled heavily on the result of the toss.

Notts then went on to post a Steven Mullaney inspired 323; the captain opting to confront challenging conditions with aggression and positivity on his way to a 16th First-Class century.

Bowling at Essex for a second time on day four, Mullaney’s men dismissed them for 129 runs shy of that score.

Their Head Coach Anthony McGrath’s post-match summary that his side were “not good enough with the bat in either innings” was, by then, carrying more weight than dice theory.

Notts, meanwhile, can rightly reflect on a bowling unit that – although still missing Jake Ball and Brett Hutton through injury – has bundled out the opposition for 105, 159, 99 and 194 across its last four assignments.

In Stuart Broad, Luke Fletcher and Dane Paterson, they have been boasting a frontline seam trio of vast experience and guile.

The international box of Broad tricks, meets the unerring accuracy of Fletcher, meets the skiddy stump and pad threatening pace of Paterson.

It’s a cacophony of complementary skills, and all three have been around the block plenty enough times to know how to triumph in tandem.

They recorded match figures of 4-77, 8-66 and 3-71 respectively and were splendidly supported in the second innings by Academy graduate all-rounder Lyndon James.

The homegrown 22-year-old followed his accomplished 51 with the bat, the game’s fourth highest score, with a career-best 4-51 in the second innings.

His burgeoning reputation for producing balls to blow out the best was further enhanced by the nut that trapped Cook LBW.

Given the opportunity for some rest, recuperation and reflection, Nottinghamshire’s fantastic fast-bowling four could well remain united to face Worcestershire a week on Thursday.

They’re sure to be quite the proposition, regardless of the roll of the dice.

*******

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