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Nottinghamshire ease to victory but Ashwell Prince gives Lancashire hope Nottinghamshire ease to victory but Ashwell Prince gives Lancashire hope
(about 3 hours later)
In the end it was the hope that killed them. Lancashire, on their return to the top flight, had been second best to Nottinghamshire for nine-tenths of the contest; only when victory became a possibility did they taste defeat.In the end it was the hope that killed them. Lancashire, on their return to the top flight, had been second best to Nottinghamshire for nine-tenths of the contest; only when victory became a possibility did they taste defeat.
Nottinghamshire's 45-run victory was confirmed at 5.45pm when centurion Ashwell Prince lost his leg-stump to Harry Gurney, trying to improvise a single to farm the strike. So clean was his ball striking that even with only James Anderson for company, the improbable had remained on.Nottinghamshire's 45-run victory was confirmed at 5.45pm when centurion Ashwell Prince lost his leg-stump to Harry Gurney, trying to improvise a single to farm the strike. So clean was his ball striking that even with only James Anderson for company, the improbable had remained on.
Four hours earlier, Lancashire's initial fourth morning resistance appeared academic when they were reduced to 112 for six. Peter Siddle, Nottinghamshire's newly-arrived overseas player, looked on approvingly at the impressive greenhorn home pace attack as he jogged around the boundary.Four hours earlier, Lancashire's initial fourth morning resistance appeared academic when they were reduced to 112 for six. Peter Siddle, Nottinghamshire's newly-arrived overseas player, looked on approvingly at the impressive greenhorn home pace attack as he jogged around the boundary.
But South African Prince and his fellow southpaw Tom Smith counterpunched with a seventh-wicket stand worth 147. A spate of five boundaries in 10 deliveries in mid-afternoon -– including an audacious reverse sweep by Smith off Samit Patel – signaled the shift in momentum. But South African Prince and his fellow southpaw Tom Smith counterpunched with a seventh-wicket stand worth 147. A spate of five boundaries in 10 deliveries in mid-afternoon – including an audacious reverse sweep by Smith off Samit Patel – signalled the shift in momentum.
Indeed, the requirement had been whittled down to 90 when Notts captain Chris Read hurled Luke Fletcher the new ball. It made its decisive dent two deliveries later when Smith nicked behind for 76. Indeed, the requirement had been whittled down to 90 when the Notts captain, Chris Read, hurled Luke Fletcher the new ball. It made its decisive dent two deliveries later when Smith nicked behind for 76.
"We did feel on top, we just needed to get through the new ball but once they got Tom out they became the favourites," reflected Prince. "Even when Wayne White came in we still had a chance because he is capable. It was only later that we had to think about blocking a few and hitting a few boundaries off the last few balls of overs, to try to get close.""We did feel on top, we just needed to get through the new ball but once they got Tom out they became the favourites," reflected Prince. "Even when Wayne White came in we still had a chance because he is capable. It was only later that we had to think about blocking a few and hitting a few boundaries off the last few balls of overs, to try to get close."
Having lost White and Kabir Ali in a rush, Prince became more expansive, top-edging a hook off Gurney into no man's land at long leg when into the 90s, and drilling a pull for six off Andy Carter to move to 99.Having lost White and Kabir Ali in a rush, Prince became more expansive, top-edging a hook off Gurney into no man's land at long leg when into the 90s, and drilling a pull for six off Andy Carter to move to 99.
At the other end, Anderson's timing reaped three boundaries to keep the asking rate at around four runs per over.At the other end, Anderson's timing reaped three boundaries to keep the asking rate at around four runs per over.
But opening up the on-side with a sideways shuffle across the crease to work a single proved fatal for Prince as he missed a full toss, and Nottinghamshire departed the field in the knowledge they are already halfway to their two championship wins of 2013. "Terrific," was Nottinghamshire director of cricket Mick Newell's assessment of a bowling unit missing Stuart Broad and Andre Adams through injury, and Siddle due to an administration issue. But opening up the on-side with a sideways shuffle across the crease to work a single proved fatal for Prince as he missed a full toss, and Nottinghamshire departed the field in the knowledge they are already halfway to their two championship wins of 2013. "Terrific," was Nottinghamshire director of cricket Mick Newell's assessment of a bowling unit missing Stuart Broad and Andre Adams through injury, and frustrated for the first 80 minutes by the overnight pair of Paul Horton and Simon Kerrigan, the nightwatchman.
With the pitch flatter than on the three previous days it took two snorters from the Championship debutant Jake Ball and double reward for Samit Patel's probing spell of left-arm spin to send the innings south in a 45-minute period either side of lunch.
But Lancashire showed the fighting qualities typical of Peter Moores teams to take the game into the final hour. With a groundswell of support in the corridors of power for his return to the England coaching position he vacated in 2008, and a willingness by the Old Trafford hierarchy to grant an immediate release should he be reappointed, it may just possibly have been their last fight under him.
Lancashire do not play next week, when the interviews for the job are taking place. Asked whether he has found the recent weeks of speculation unsettling, Moores diplomatically replied: "It's easy to focus on Lancashire because I, like everybody else, have put in a lot of time and effort to set up the season. I have a responsibility to focus on the job in hand, and that's what I am trying to do."