Victorian derby at Trent Bridge
Nottinghamshire Vs Leicestershire doesn't sound like a match that the average Victorian fan should be interested in, but when they took on each other in a Friends Provident Twenty20 match there were about 5 reasons for the average Victorian fan to watch
Nottinghamshire Vs Leicestershire doesn't sound like a match that the average Victorian fan should be interested in, but when they took on each other in a Friends Provident Twenty20 match there were about 5 reasons for the average Victorian fan to watch.
The Leicestershire line-up featured Bushrangers' Brad Hodge and Andrew McDonald, whilst Nottinghamshire included Dirk Nannes, Darren Pattinson and David Hussey in their XI. It was a Victorian derby played at Trent Bridge. The standard of cricket being very high for a county match given so many illustrious players was involved.
Hodge started the match well but Nannes soon struck thanks to a handy catch from Hussey, sending Hodge back to the change rooms gone for 21. It took no more than 4 overs to get all five Victorians involved in the match with McDonald heading to the crease at number five.
When he did - he completely took over, putting on a short partnership with former Nott's batmans Will Jefferson. With McDonald at 6 foot 4 and Jefferson and 6 foot 10, it must have been one of their taller partnerships between two top six batsmen in cricket's history.
When Jefferson went out, McDonald continued to show that he was the dominant Victorian on the ground by picking up 58 not out off 44 balls in Leics total of 145. Due to rain Nottinghamshire had a D/L total of 131 off 16.4 overs.
Nottinghamshire were 3/53 when David Hussey came to the crease. Technically it was still possible for him to win the game but unfortunately for Hussey he ran into Andrew McDonald. Not happy enough with his 58, he then took the Notts middle order down with 5 wickets for 13 runs with his best bowling figures for the English season.
By the time Notts had other Victorians coming in, it was all too late. It was a shame as Dirk Nannes was in excellent batting form, having recently played the best shot of his career off Umar Gul in the T20 international series.
Many believe that Notts is the best T20 team in county cricket this season, which makes McDonald's game even better. As well as he played it did not change the fact that Leicestershire have had a poor T20 season, not qualifying for the finals.
Only Notts and perhaps Essex - with Bryce McGain flying out to replace Danish Kaneria in their squad - will field Victorians in the Friends Provident T20 quarter finals, fingers crossed for those Vic guys involved that their team's progress further along in the finals series.
Stay tuned for updates!
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