Trent Bridge game looks destined from draw
Nottinghamshire went into the final day of their Championship match against Warwickshire realising that a home victory was the least likely result with them only 129 ahead with 5 wickets left and the Trent Bridge strip looking ideal for batting
Dave Bracegirdle
06-Aug-2000
Nottinghamshire went into the final day of their Championship match against Warwickshire realising that a home victory was the least likely result with them only 129 ahead with 5 wickets left and the Trent Bridge strip looking ideal for batting.
Darren Bicknell and Chris Read the overnight not out batsmen extended their partrnership to 49 for the sixth wicket before Allan Donald struck with his first wicket of the innings. Bicknell, who batted at number 7 due to back problems had made a resolute 25 before attempting to square cut the pace ace. The speed of the delivery produced a thick top edge and Ashley Giles, on the third man boundary, took a straightforward catch.
Paul Franks joined Read and helped put on 31 before he fell to Dougie Brown, edging to Dominic Ostler at second slip.
With Warwicks desperate for a further breakthrough they were then thwarted with the solid bat of Paul Reiffel. Notts looked to be inching towards safety but then just before lunch Allan Donald returned and picked up the wicket of Read.
The youngster had reached 45, to go with a fine half century in the first innings, when the South African produced a spiteful, lifting delivery which took the glove on the way through to Keith Piper.
Lunch was taken at the fall of the wicket with Notts on 183-8, leading by 227 with 2 wickets left.