Nottinghamshire 305 for six (Clarke 105, Slater 70) vs Worcestershire
Selecting to begin a second recreation on the identical pitch they used for his or her opening match at Trent Bridge final week, Nottinghamshire included two spinners of their line-up and unsurprisingly batted when successful the toss on the primary day of their Vitality County Championship assembly with Worcestershire.
Ben Slater, nonetheless, fell for 70 earlier than Clarke, certainly one of three house gamers showing towards his outdated membership, superior to 105 till caught behind 25 minutes after tea however Worcestershire couldn’t fairly regain the steadiness by an in depth with Nottinghamshire at 305 for six.
New Zealander Nathan Smith returned three for 62 general while fellow abroad signing, Barbadian Jason Holder, proved tight if wicketless. Pleasingly it was 20-year outdated Josh Baker’s left-arm spin that lastly eliminated Clarke, who had so savaged him earlier.
It had been an anxious begin for the house facet on the floor that had seen them bowled out for 80 and lose to Essex simply 4 days earlier. Each openers have been passed by the eighth over as Nathan Smith, Worcestershire’s new import this 12 months, struck twice in his opening 19 balls.
The Kiwi hit Haseeb Hameed’s center and leg stumps with a full one when the house captain, crushed on the skin edge however dropping steadiness aiming to leg, fell for eleven and Ben Duckett, out for 9, quickly touched a defensive edge to the wicket keeper. Simply earlier than lunch, Slater, on 40, survived a pointy low probability to brief leg off Baker.
In the course of the onrush of fours and sixes that adopted on resumption, Slater edged a drive on the similar bowler on 53 that flashed between keeper and slip, neither of them shifting. Although 4 males have been latterly positioned on the boundary for Clarke, he accelerated from 16 to 68 in simply 48 balls earlier than throttling again.
Slater, caught behind, fell flicking at a ball down the legside from Adam Finch and Smith returned for a second spell wherein the South African, Matt Montgomery, driving, was taken at first slip for eleven. However tea discovered Nottinghamshire at 223 for 4, Clarke on a tantalising 98 not out.
His century, with three sixes, got here up from the second supply of the night off 168 balls however first Jack Haynes, one other former Worcester man, for 15 after which Clarke himself, top-edging his lower behind for 105, fell in 4 overs. The brand new ball was taken as quickly because it grew to become accessible, 35 minutes later, with out breaking by way of because the seventh-wicket reached an unbroken 67.
Lyndon James was 39 on the shut with Calvin Harrison, South African born however New Zealand raised, on a resolute 25 from totally 82 balls on the different finish. His leg spin gained considerable flip within the earlier recreation towards Essex and, on what shall be a six-day outdated pitch on Saturday, may but show influential with the left-arm spin in tandem of Liam Patterson-White, chosen for the primary time since final Might.
