Lancashire vs Nottinghamshire 3rd Day
We were in a strong position going into Day 3 with a 132 run lead and only 2 wickets in hand for Nottinghamshire. We wanted to knock these last few batsman over quickly so we could have another bat and set a good target for Lancashire to chase.
Andre Adams and Ryan Sidebottom started with the ball on Day 3 in hope to take these last 2 wickets. The new ball was available after 1 over and we took it straight away, letting Sidebottom take the first over with it. The bowling option worked as Sidebottom had Chapple trapped in front for 6 and it was now 257/9. Anderson fell in the next over, clean bowled by Adams to have Lancashire all out for 259. Sidebottom, Adams and Broad all chipped in with 3 wickets each and Swann took the other wicket.
The top order would want to redeem themselves with a high score in the second innings to keep their spot in the side. Jefferson got out for a duck in the first over which had us at 0/1. Hales and Patel were going along nicely, Hales on 41* and Patel on 23*, 10 minutes before lunch on Day 3. We went through to be 74/1 at lunch, Hales getting closer to his maiden First Class fifty and Patel working the ball around on 26* with only 2 fours.
It took Hales 2 balls after lunch to get to his fifty, with a 4 and a 2 and he was happy with that. His maiden FC fifty in only his third game and second where he actually batted. Patel moved on into the 40's and was also eyeing a fifty. He was caught behind though for 42 off Anderson who got his second wicket. The captain, Voges now came to the crease and hope to build a strong partnership with Hales. Hales couldn't believe it when a few over's later, Hales edged Anderson and what would have been a regulation catch for first or even second slip was taken by the keeper as there were no slips in place diving well to his right and Hales walked away, not believing it but out for 68. Voges started quickly, going to 20 off only 25 balls. We had taken the lead up to 280 with 45 minutes to go in the second session. I didn't know whether to declare because there was bound to be some rain on the final day. I decided that I would declare at tea and the message was taken out to get some runs before declaring at tea. Wagh got out, trapped in front for 13 off Mahmood. Klokker was now at the crease. Voges didn't declare though at tea and I was thinking the same way, as it was pretty easy to score 130 runs in a session and the forecast was for rain in the afternoon and evening, although there probably would be at least 30 over's played over them 2 sessions and the lead was only 327. Voges was on 42* and Klokker was on 23*, the score 198/4. Voges said he would put on another 30-50 runs before declaring.
Klokker got himself out on 39, caught at short leg off the bowling of Mahmood. His 39 came in only 52 balls. Voges was on 48* and would hope he could get his fifty this time around after getting out for 44 in the first innings. Anderson bowled a wonderful over to Voges while he was on 29, forcing 4 play and misses outside the offstump and an LBW appeal probably just missing leg stump. Anderson was unlucky not to have more than 3 wickets with 4 LBW appeals, 9 near misses and 1 catchable shot. He got his fifty in the next over though. The lead was 355 now and only 27 minutes had been in this session so far. Voges got out for 51, trapped in front by Anderson and he decided to wait until the next wicket before declaring. Adams was trapped in front for a duck and Voges signalled Swann to come in as he was declaring. We had 226/7 dec. in our second innings, giving them a target of 356 in their second innings, which would not be easy to chase. Anderson was pick of the bowlers for them taking 5/58 and deserved another 1 or 2 wickets.
We got our first wicket in the 4th over, Loye trapped in front by Adams for 7 and it was 14/1. Horton only made 14, before being bowled by Sidebottom and we were in a strong position with them at 28/2. Sidebottom was taken off after 5 over's to give Stuart Broad a bowl. The change worked as he bowled a great ball, an inswinging good length ball just seaming away to straighten and catching the edge of Sutton where Klokker took an easy catch behind the stumps. Pattinson was given the ball in place of Adams with 17 minutes left in the final session of Day 3. He got to bowl 3 over's and only conceded 1 run over those over's. All bowlers other than Pattinson that had bowled all had taken a wicket and they were 47/3 at stumps.
