CGU National League 1999
The original John Player 40 over competition, begun in 1969 and played exclusively on Sunday is gradually disappearing. For the 1999 season not only was it divided into to divisions, but the number of overs per side increased to 45. The format had briefly been altered to 50 overs in 1993 but the outcry was such that it reverted to 40 the following season. British compromise has won the day now at 45, which probably pleases no one! It was decided there would be a three up, three down waltz between the two divisions, Notts having been placed in the lower division therefore strove to finish in the top three of that division in 1999.
In the course of the whole summer, the county failed to be counted in the top three and the nearest the team got was 4th after the 14th match. There was then a mathematical possibility f finishing in the promotion zone, but in reality the chances were too remote to raise any positive hopes.
Losing the opening game against a weak Middlesex side did not auger well. However Surrey were defeated at Trent Bridge by some good bowling from Bowen, but cox hit a notable hundred for Somerset to produce a second loss followed by an immediate third, the return against Somerset. A pattern of wins and losses continued throughout the remainder of the season.
Two floodlit games were staged – the first v Northants at Trent Bridge and the second at Hove in mid-September – both were defeats. The only game completely washed out was at the Oval – by some odd coincidence the third year in succession that a ‘Sunday’ league game against Surrey has been rained off. One other match was ‘drawn’, the final encounter with Durham. It was abandoned after Notts had batted for 32 overs. The day before the Durham side had won promotion to the first division of the county championship and their players seemed little interested in the game at hand.
The outstanding feat of the season was Drakes four wickets in four balls in his 8th and final over v Derbyshire. It is the first time a Notts bowler has performed this feat in limited over’s cricket.
Afzaal headed the batting averages, He was not chosen for many matches on the pretext of his slow scoring, but returned latterly and batted consistently. Wharf, aided by seven not outs came second to Afzaal. Of the regular batsmen, Archer was the leader but the highest aggregate was achieved by the captain. Johnson, often so outstanding in limited overs cricket, had a modest season and Robinson closed his career on a low note – on form he might have become Notts leading scorer of Sunday league runs. The bowling was very reliant on Drakes. Franks proved somewhat more expensive than in 1998. Tolley’s absence was clearly felt – he took four wickets in an innings twice despite missing almost half the games. The spinner, Stemp, appeared regularly, but was only moderately successful, whilst Wharf’s wickets cost an arm and a leg.
The league has always been a bit of a lottery, hopefully 2000 will see Dame fortune smiling in this direction.