Brett Hutton snared four wickets as Nottinghamshire began their potential title-sealing end-of-season clash by dismissing Warwickshire on Day One at Trent Bridge.
In at-times heavily autumnal conditions and on a day that ended with the floodlights almost entirely replacing natural light, the Green and Golds bowled their visitors out for 258.
Hutton returned 4/46 and was exceptionally supported by the metronomic Mohammad Abbas, who claimed 3/33 from 20 overs, while Liam Patterson-White, Dillon Pennington, and Lyndon James also all picked up a scalp each.
Only Dan Mousley passed 50 for the Bears in making 74, as his chief support came from the twin scores of 48 provided by Will Young and Ed Barnard.
Haseeb Hameed, who has led Notts to the summit of Division One and the precipice of a first title in 15 years in only his third season as Club Captain, opted to bowl first after winning the toss, and Hutton immediately vindicated his call.
Alex Davies was pinned lbw to the seamer’s fourth delivery as he found some early movement, though Young and Rob Yates battled back to ensure the Bears lunched on 70-1, in spite of a spell of outstandingly accurate bowling from the returning Abbas.
The afternoon session, however, was far more tangibly more in favour of the Green and Golds, as after a passing shower that knocked the resumption back by 50 minutes, Warks were reduced to 138-5 at the tea break.
Yates fell for 32 to a catch at second slip by Freddie McCann in Abbas’s second over following the restart, before Young wafted at a wider Hutton delivery and fell in identical fashion to Yates.
Sam Hain pushed forward at Pennington and found the edge through to Kyle Verreynne for 21, before Zen Malik followed him for 20 in the very next over, also caught behind, off a fine delivery that moved late from Lyndon James.
Mousley and Barnard provided another stout challenge to the home attack, with the former’s half-century arriving in 62 balls, only for Patterson-White to execute a caught-and-bowled to see off the latter and end a stand worth 117.
The arrival of the second new ball then brought further joy to see the hosts end the day in the driving seat, as Abbas was recalled to the attack by Hameed to take first use of the fresh cherry.
He duly repaid his captain’s decision by claiming scalps with the second and third deliveries, first having Michael Booth pinned lbw for one, before Ethan Bamber had his stumps rearranged for a golden duck.
Hutton then duly wrapped proceedings up by returning to take his third and fourth wickets, those of Tazeem Ali, bowled for five, and Mousley, caught at long-on by Pennington for the innings top score.
With Surrey having failed to collect any batting bonus points from their clash against Hampshire at Utilita Bowl, the requirement for Notts to formally wrap up the title is down to five points, and following the opening day’s play, three of those are already in the bag.
*******
