Jake Ball took three wickets on his return to red-ball action after a lengthy absence but Nottinghamshire were forced to draw upon much resolve in the middle stages of the first day against Worcestershire at New Road.

Ball picked up a brace in the morning and Dane Paterson also struck twice as the Pears lost five wickets before lunch, but from that point on, Brett D’Oliveira and Gareth Roderick sternly tested the Green and Golds.

They both hit half-centuries and added 186 for the sixth wicket, repelling the visitors’ attack to take their side to 285/6 by the time they were prised apart, appropriately by Ball, before Worcs eventually closed on 297/7.

A cloudy but hardly intensely cold September morning greeted the two sides on arrival in the shadow of Worcester Cathedral, and the sun even made an attempt to break through as play began.

The hosts may have wished for it to make a stronger effort, however, as the cloud remained prominent enough to allow Ball to put them in trouble within the first half an hour.

Playing his first red-ball game since the 2021 season opener, a gap of almost 18 months, Ball struck with only his tenth delivery as Ed Pollock departed for a duck, catching a huge inside edge and seeing his off stump flattened.

He was celebrating again in his very next over, as a little extra bounce did for Azhar Ali – the man who was Ball’s maiden Test wicket back in 2016 – and the Pakistan international edged behind to Tom Moores for six.

Things then got worse still for the hosts, as Paterson collected his 50th First-Class wicket of the season, pinning Libby plumb in front for 18, and captain Steven Mullaney then also struck with only his fourth ball.

It took a sharp catch off the skipper’s bowling from Moores, standing up to the stumps, to see off the in-form Jack Haynes for what had up to that point been a fluent 33.

With the final ball before the first break, Paterson further increased his tally for the season as he saw Barnard nick to Matt Montgomery at second slip to leave Worcestershire 99/5 at lunch.

His replacement was Roderick, and alongside D’Oliveira, the duo commenced their lengthy battle as they first stoutly built, and then went beyond, a 50 partnership.

D’Oliveira posted an individual fifty in a sedate 141 balls with a single off Mullaney, and it was ultimately to be a session of toil without reward for Notts, as the Pears reached tea on 187/5, with a stand of 88 unbroken.

It was hardly for want of trying from the bowlers, who induced numerous plays-and-misses as the evening session began and saw chances fly out of reach in passages of play that saw the hosts live life on the edge.

The two batters were able to make their luck pay, as Roderick drove Paterson for four to bring up a 117-ball fifty, prior to the reintroduction of Ball and Brett Hutton to utilise the second new ball.

That bowling change proved the key moment, as Ball was finally able to be the man to overcome the hosts’ resistance, seeing D’Oliveira edge through to Moores for 85.

Hutton himself was then also able to profit through use of the new cherry, pinning Matthew Waite in front five overs from the close, before Roderick – who closed unbeaten on 91* - and Josh Tongue took the hosts to stumps.

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Robin Hood Beer and Cider Festival

Tickets for the return of the Robin Hood Beer and Cider Festival are on general sale now.

Following a successful staging in 2021, Trent Bridge will again play host to Nottingham CAMRA’s flagship event from Wednesday 12 to Saturday 15 October.

The 2022 edition of the festival will feature an expanded range of bars and barrels extending across additional concourse areas, with extra seats available within the venue and new hospitality packages.

Tickets

Hospitality