Notts defeat Gloucestershire on Day Three to remain top of the table
28 May 2017
Nottinghamshire cemented their best start to a championship campaign in a decade, with a convincing victory over Gloucestershire, with a day to spare.
Following-on, Gloucestershire were dismissed for 231 in the second innings, leaving Notts to celebrate victory by an innings and 50 runs.
Steven Mullaney was the unlikely bowling hero for the home side, taking career best figures of five for 32, with the main resistance coming from Cameron Bancroft and Phil Mustard.
Bancroft scored 53, his highest championship score, and Mustard followed his first innings half century with a knock of 49.
The morning session began with Gloucestershire on 37 for one in their second innings, still 244 runs behind. For around an hour things went well as Bancroft and Will Tavare developed their second wicket partnership.
Steven Mullaney and Stuart Broad altered the momentum, with a spell that reduced Gloucestershire from 98 for one to 104 for five.
Bancroft had been dropped on 46 when his eagerness to reach 50 persuaded him to flash hard at Broad. The ball flew to third slip, where Samit Patel couldn’t hold on.
The Australian eventually brought up his half century from 88 balls but was then pinned in front by Steven Mullaney.
Two deliveries later, Graeme van Buuren nibbled at the same bowler and was taken at first slip by Riki Wessels.
Broad also bagged two wickets in quick succession, ending Tavare’s 105-minute vigil on 20 before bowling George Hankins for nought.
Harry Gurney secured his 250th wicket in first class cricket when Jack Taylor became the third leg before wicket victim in the first session, leaving Phil Mustard and Kieran Noema-Barnett to bat through until lunch on 125 for six.
Noema-Barnett enjoyed himself at the start of the afternoon, hitting 30 from 34 balls, before picking out long leg, off Brett Hutton.
Mullaney then returned to the fold to claim the final three wickets to fall. Mustard was caught at slip, Miles miscued to mid off and the bowler was able to celebrate his maiden five-wicket haul when Matt Taylor was given out lbw.
After the match, Gloucestershire Head Coach Richard Dawson said: “I’ve just said to our boys that to compete in four-day cricket you’ve got to do two things well. You’ve got to be able to put pressure on with the ball and to be able to handle pressure with the bat, when you are up against it.
“They did it much better than us and that’s very much as simple as it gets. They never let us off the hook.”
Gloucestershire remain mid-table, on 36 points from four matches. We welcome Notts to the Brightside Ground, Bristol in a fortnights time for a clash in which Gloucestershire will be seeking revenge.
Tickets to watch Gloucestershire v Nottinghamshire are available online, click here to book.
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