Samit Patel’s 18th first class century and a significant milestone for Andre Adams were the highlights as Nottinghamshire turned around their fortunes on the second day of their LV= county championship match against Warwickshire at Trent Bridge.
Patel made 117 out of a total of 359 and then Adams picked up his 300th wicket for the county as the visitors closed on 27 for two, still 35 behind.
Having arrived at the crease to face a hat-trick delivery on the first evening Patel was understandably pleased to have made a major contribution in his side’s comeback.
"To have them two down by stumps has put us in a really good position." Samit Patel
“I’m pretty happy with the way I batted,” he said. “I didn’t give a chance, so hopefully Mick (Newell) will be pleased too. I hadn’t scored a home championship hundred for around two years so it was nice to get one, as I’ve been getting my big scores away from Trent Bridge recently.
“I’m obviously pleased for myself but it’s more important for the team. We’ve come back from 14-3 overnight and done a good job – to have them two down by stumps has put us in a really good position.”
Adams scored a typically swashbuckling 46 to take Notts into a first innings lead, then claimed the crucial wicket of Varun Chopra to pick up his 300th first class wicket for the county.
“It’s a nice landmark to reach,” he said. “I didn’t realise I was that close but had looked at the start of the season and knew it was within reach.
“Since then I’ve had so many injuries and my appearances have been sporadic so it’s been more important to get myself fit and out on the park than worry about milestones.
“It was nice to get Varun because he’s such a good player and been batting really well but it was just reasonably straight and he made one wrong decision at the end of a long day.”
Resuming on their overnight 14 for three Notts needed the stability of a lengthy partnership between Steven Mullaney and Samit Patel and the pair obliged.
Patel twice nicked the bowling between the slip cordon and gully for four but his fortune was more than matched by the elegance of his driving – peppering the cover boundary on his way to a half century from 83 balls.
Mullaney (28) punched Maurice Chambers down the ground for his first scoring shot of the day but departed in unconventional fashion after a stand of 68, lifting Steffan Piolet straight into the hands of Chambers at third man.
David Hussey set about the bowling with relish, striking five boundaries and a two in his first 22 runs but on the stroke of lunch he nibbled at a Chris Woakes away-swinger and nicked a catch to Jamie Atkinson, substitute wicketkeeper for the injured Peter McKay.
Patel and Riki Wessels made the most of the excellent conditions during the heart of the afternoon, repeatedly punching the ball to the boundary as their stand materialised 101.
Patel’s fourth first class ton of the summer – and third in the championship – arrived to a huge ovation, from 162 balls (15x4).
He then unleashed a flurry of shots, passing 1,000 runs for the season, before nicking Darren Maddy to Piolet at slip, via a huge deflection off the ‘keeper’s glove.
Chris Read’s woes continued. The Notts skipper batted for half an hour and faced 26 balls but failed to get off the mark before steering Chambers to Maddy at backward point.
Wessels moved on to his first half century of the season (104 balls 7x4) as Notts reached tea just 43 behind.
A wonderfully athletic piece of fielding from Woakes eventually made the next breakthrough, scoring with a direct hit to run Wessels out for 77.
That was the cue for Adams to begin his assault on the Bears’ attack, booming two huge sixes and six boundaries in a 26-ball stay of 46.
The onslaught included a savage mauling of the second new ball as 29 came from the first two overs with it. A spiralling catch in the deep gave Warwicks their final bowling point but by then Notts had reached 350.
Shahzad (28) became Chambers’ fourth victim but Notts had garnered a healthy lead by that stage.
Luke Fletcher knocked back Ian Westwood’s (2) off stump and then Chopra (7) went lbw to Adams without playing a shot.