Nottinghamshire v Essex
Vitality County Championship
Trent Bridge, Nottingham
Friday 05 – Monday 08 April 2024, 11:00am start
Team News
Nottinghamshire: Haseeb Hameed*, Ben Duckett, Ben Slater, Joe Clarke +, Matthew Montgomery, Jack Haynes, Lyndon James, Calvin Harrison, Brett Hutton, Dillon Pennington, Dane Paterson.
Essex: Dean Elgar, Feroze Khushi, Tom Westley*, Jordan Cox, Matt Critchley, Paul Walter, Adam Rossington +, Simon Harmer, Shane Snater, Sam Cook, Jamie Porter.
Match Details:
Umpires: Tom Lungley & Steve O’Shaughnessy
Match Referee: Steve Davis
Toss: Nottinghamshire won the toss and elected to field
Scorecard: View Here
Result: Essex win by 254 runs
Day Four Highlights
Day Four Reaction: Jamie Porter
Day Four Report
Sam Cook and Jamie Porter shared nine wickets as Essex bowled out Nottinghamshire for 80 on Day 4 at Trent Bridge to win the first Vitality County Championship game of the season by 254 runs.
Beneath heavily overcast conditions, Cook and Porter underlined their status as one of county cricket’s most potent bowling duos to claim combined figures of 9-57.
Cook, who claimed a hat-trick in Notts’ first innings, led the way with 6-14 to complete match figures of 10-73, the fourth time in his career he has achieved the feat in first-class cricket.
Not one home batter made it beyond 20 as the Eagles, who declared their third innings on 374-9, clinically defended a target of 335 to execute a comprehensive win in just 34.3 overs of bowling.
Having resumed on an overnight 329-8, with a lead of 289 already in the bank, ninth-wicket pair Adam Rossington and Shane Snater continued their free-scoring approach early on.
In all, the duo put on 63 together in just 73 balls, with Rossington in particular providing the highlight as he lifted Dillon Pennington for an almighty six over midwicket and into the Larwood & Voce Stand.
Their rapid scoring was briefly interrupted when Snater was caught by Pennington off Lyndon James for 47, just one ball after being dropped by wicketkeeper Joe Clarke.
Last man Jamie Porter was then sent in for one ball which he heartily slapped back past James for a straight four, prior to which the Eagles immediately then declared, with Rossington unbeaten on 39.
That left Essex with 88 overs to bowl in which to taken ten wickets and win the match, and the quest to do so got off to an ideal start, with the hosts reduced to 50-4 by lunch.
Dangerman Ben Duckett was bowled by a beauty from Porter inside three overs, before captain Haseeb Hameed suffered the same fate at the hands of Cook.
Ben Slater was then caught at second slip by Simon Harmer, before the hosts’ situation became even worse when first-innings centurion Clarke was bowled by Shane Snater for an innings top-score of 19.
Notts did at least reach lunch without further loss, but the rampage continued early on in the afternoon, as only nine balls after the restart, Matt Montgomery was bowled by Cook.
Within the next ten overs, all of Jack Haynes, Calvin Harrison, and Brett Hutton followed him back to the pavilion, with the former two lbw to Cook and Porter respectively, and the latter castled by Cook.
That gave Cook his five-for, before he made it ten for the match when Pennington was caught by Elgar to leave Notts hurtling towards defeat at 73-9.
Although last man Dane Paterson provided some late resistance with a six, the game was complete when he had his furniture rearranged by Porter to confirm a big Essex win.
Day Three Highlights
Day Three Reaction: Paul Walter
Day Three Report
Paul Walter and Matt Critchley put on a vital stand of 132 as Essex battled into a strong position on Day Three of the Vitality County Championship clash with Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge.
At one point on the third morning, the Eagles stood at 129-5, a lead of only 89, but half-centurions Walter, who hit 79, and Critchley, who made 68, valiantly pushed back during the afternoon.
They increased the lead to a far-healthier-looking 221, and a further unbeaten 29 from Shane Snater, in just 30 balls, pushed Essex’s total beyond 300 before bad light and rain brought an early close.
Heading into the final day of what has so far been a gripping contest, the visitors stand at 329-8, leading by 289.
With the Eagles having resumed on 65-1, with a slender lead of 40, Sam Cook continued his impressive game by overcoming the loss of Dean Elgar in the day’s third over to belie his nightwatchman status.
Between Elgar being bowled by Lyndon James and his own wicket, caught behind by Joe Clarke off Brett Hutton, Cook batted assuredly alongside Tom Westley to score 29 in 42 balls.
Such was his confidence at the crease that he even pulled South African international seamer Dane Paterson for six into the Fox Road Stand, an act that brought up Essex’s team 100.
However, when he and Jordan Cox fell in successive balls to Hutton, the hosts sensed an opening, and gave themselves further hope when Dillon Pennington saw Tom Westley caught behind for 22.
It was at that point, though, that Walter and Critchley came together, and they ticked off the first aim of reaching lunch without further loss four overs later, with Essex on 139-5, a lead of 99.
The afternoon then allowed them to take a far more free-flowing approach, and by tea their alliance was worth 132, both had reached fifties, and Essex were 221 to the good.
Leg-spinner Calvin Harrison did strike twice in in three overs as Walter, who had batted with growing confidence for his 79, edged the third ball after the break to be caught at slip.
Simon Harmer was then snapped up by Clarke for his fourth catch of the innings before Hutton removed Critchley leg before in the fifth over with the new ball.
However, a late flurry of attacking shots at the other end saw Pennington concede five boundaries in two overs as the Essex lead edged towards 300 before rain arrived.
Day Two Highlights
Day Two Reaction: Sam Cook
Day Two Report
Sam Cook claimed a masterful hat-trick as Essex fought back against a Joe Clarke century to keep the Vitality County Championship clash with Nottinghamshire tantalisingly in the balance at halfway.
With his fourth, fifth, and sixth deliveries with the second new ball in hand, Cook removed Lyndon James, Brett Hutton, and Dillon Pennington to record Essex’s first Championship hat-trick since 2009.
It helped Essex roar back against a partnership of 159 for the fourth wicket between Clarke, who hit his ton in 173 balls before falling for 104, and Jack Haynes, who made 77.
From 259-4, Cook led the way in ripping through the Notts lower order to see the hosts dismissed for 293, replying to the Eagles’ 253 all out.
Dean Elgar then overcame the late wicket of Feroze Khushi to end the day unbeaten on 16 alongside none other than Cook, now filling the role of nightwatchman, on 10, giving Essex a lead of 25.
Resuming on 244-9, Cook and Jamie Porter added six vital runs to pick up a bonus point for Essex, before Pennington had the former caught by Matt Montgomery for six to end the innings.
The duo then immediately returned to the action with ball in hand, but it was Snater who forced the first opening, knocking back Ben Duckett’s off stump for 21 with his very first ball.
Cook then followed up by pinning Ben Slater lbw for just nine, before Porter produced a beautiful delivery that took off and found Haseeb Hameed’s edge on its way through to Adam Rossington.
With their captain gone for 34, the hosts were 93-3 at lunch and still more than 150 adrift of the Eagles’ first-innings total.
Snater then struck again just three overs into the afternoon, as he found Matt Montgomery’s outside edge to give Harmer a routine catch at second slip.
However, that brought together Haynes and Clarke, who, for a little more than 44 overs, resisted everything the Essex attack could throw at them.
Both hit half-centuries shortly before tea, which was taken with the hosts having added exactly 100 runs throughout the afternoon, before Clarke advanced to three figures with a driven four.
The breakthrough was finally delivered by Harmer a little before the halfway point of an extended evening session when Clarke swiped the South African into the hands of Paul Walter at mid-on for 104.
Haynes then followed him back to the pavilion as Matt Critchley joined the party, with substitute fielder Ben Allison holding on at midwicket, but it was what followed that was truly remarkable.
The new ball was taken at the earliest possible opportunity, with the hosts on 278-6, and following Porter being allowed first use of it, Cook wreaked havoc in finishing with figures of 4/59.
Bowling from the Stuart Broad End, named for a man known for his ability to produce explosively unplayable spells, the 26-year-old pinned James and Pennington lbw either side of bowling Hutton.
With the crowd barely able to process the speed of what they had just witnessed, Porter then wrapped up the innings by knocking Dane Paterson’s leg stump out of the ground.
Facing a small deficit of 40, Elgar partnered Khushi for 11 overs before the latter was caught by Montgomery off Pennington for 32, prior to seeing out the day with hero of the hour Cook.
Day One Highlights
Day One Reaction: Jordan Cox
Day One Report
Dean Elgar and Jordan Cox began their Essex careers with half-centuries as the Eagles kicked off the 2024 season by hitting 244-9 on Day One against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge.
Cox top-scored with 84 from 150 deliveries, including 12 boundaries, as the two new signings gelled together to add 112 for the third wicket.
Meanwhile, South African Elgar repelled the pressure of replacing the legendary Alastair Cook at the top of the Essex order in scoring a fine 80 from 156 balls, with his knock also taking in 12 fours.
Notts’ overseas seamer Dane Paterson was the standout with the ball, claiming figures of 5/49 in a day that was cut short by a mix of weather and bad light.
Overnight rain in Nottingham forced a short delay to the start of the 2024 campaign, though play was able to begin by midday, as home captain Haseeb Hameed won the toss and asked Essex to bat first.
That allowed Elgar an early opportunity for his competitive Eagles debut, and he made an instant impression by striking the first ball of the match, a full Brett Hutton delivery, for four.
The fluent start reached its zenith when Feroze Khushi hoisted Dillon Pennington for six over the leg side to take the visitors to 30 without loss in just 31 balls.
However, seamer Pennington hit back in his next over as Khushi edged to Matt Montgomery at first slip, before captain Tom Westley became Paterson’s first wicket, caught behind by Joe Clarke.
It fell to Elgar and Cox to guide Essex to lunch, which was taken with the total on 62-2, but it was as the sun illuminated Trent Bridge that the duo really began to spread their wings.
Elgar was the first to 50, reaching the milestone in 86 deliveries with a sharply-run three to long-off, before he took four more off Pennington through backward point to bring up the team 100.
The exact same outcome in Pennington’s next over posted the 50 partnership, before Cox clubbed spinner Calvin Harrison for four more to bring up his individual half-century in 76 deliveries.
Elgar’s departure, shortly after the partnership reached three figures, brought about a stutter, driven by Paterson, either side of tea as Essex slipped to 194-6.
A battling innings from Simon Harmer, in conjunction with the still-unbeaten Cox, saw Essex past 200, before he and Shane Snater both fell to Lyndon James.
Cox’s innings was brought to a close in between those two, bowled by Harrison, which left last pair Sam Cook and Jamie Porter to see out what remained.
They did so successfully for almost four overs before the umpires called a halt to proceedings as dark clouds swirled, with play then formally abandoned for the day shortly afterwards.
The Eagles Have Landed: The 2024 Vitality Blast at The Cloud County Ground
Fresh from a Finals Day appearance last summer, Essex return to shortest-format action in Chelmsford from Sunday 02 June.
Demand remains exceptionally high, and there is now just one Friday night fixture with availability remaining, the visit of Glamorgan to The Cloud County Ground on 07 June.
With the Eagles aiming to go one better in 2024, there is no time to waste to snap up your seats.
Sunday 02 June, 4:00pm: Essex v Middlesex – buy here
Friday 07 June, 7:00pm: Essex v Glamorgan – buy here (LAST FEW TICKETS)
Friday 14 June, 7:00pm: Essex v Sussex Sharks – SOLD OUT
Thursday 20 June, 7:00pm: Essex v Hampshire Hawks – buy here
Friday 05 July, 7:00pm: Essex v Somerset – SOLD OUT
Thursday 11 July, 7:00pm: Essex v Kent Spitfires – buy here
Sunday 14 July, 2:30pm: Essex v Surrey – buy here
