Nottinghamshire’s Academy fell to a heavy defeat at the hands of Rolls Royce in their first game of the 2014 season.
After winning the toss and electing to field, Ben Kitt made inroads early, taking two wickets in successive deliveries without Rolls Royce registering a run. His third left Rolls Royce 34-3, but from there the home side put on 120 for the fourth wicket.
Lungley and Birch both passed fifty, before the former was bowled by Jake Tong for 52. Captain Birch continued to make his century, before being Tong’s second victim. With more than seven overs to play, Rolls Royce were well set on 209-6, but Ben Kitt returned to claim three further scalps, sending back Millwood for 18, before bowling Roberts and Atkinson with back to back deliveries.
Shepherd and Ahmed saw out the remaining overs, ensuring Rolls Royce closed their 50-over innings on 251-8.
While 252 was a challenging total, the Academy lost wickets regularly in their chase, their top four batsmen dismissed early to leave the visitors 34-4. Simon Webster and Paul Franks offered resistance, but found their progress pegged back further.
Franks was caught off Lungley, before Luke Wood and Elliot Bowles’ dismissals left Notts 95-7, still trailing by 156. Webster’s dismissal for 39 ended all faint hopes, with keeper Tom Keast and Jake Tong following suit shortly after.
Nottinghamshire had slumped to a 138 run loss, ending their innings on 114 all out, Webster’s 39 the innings’ high score.