Tom Moores century puts Notts in control

A century from Tom Moores helped Nottinghamshire take the upper hand over Yorkshire in their Bob Willis Trophy match at Trent Bridge.
Tom Moores made a career best score of 106 as the hosts were dismissed for 355. Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)Tom Moores made a career best score of 106 as the hosts were dismissed for 355. Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)
Tom Moores made a career best score of 106 as the hosts were dismissed for 355. Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)

Moores made a career best score of 106 as the hosts were dismissed for 355 just before the close of play, giving them an overall lead of 91 at the halfway stage of the contest.

The 23-year old wicketkeeper-batsman made his runs from 140 balls, hitting 12 fours and three sixes. He shared in stands of 99 for the seventh wicket with Samit Patel, who added 38, then 62 for the last wicket with Matt Carter. Nottinghamshire skipper Steven Mullaney also weighed in with 50.

Yorkshire’s bowlers shared the wickets around, with Dawid Malan taking two for 24 and both Steve Patterson and Duanne Olivier also taking two wickets apiece.

Resuming from their overnight position of 13 for one, the home side lost former internationals Haseeb Hameed and Ben Duckett during the morning session.

South African pace bowler Olivier made the morning’s first breakthrough once Duckett came onto strike at his end. The left-hander’s nick carried cleanly into the hands of Adam Lyth at second slip for four.

The other wicket in the first session was taken by Dominic Leech, a 19-year old medium-pacer on debut. Haseeb made two scores over 50 in last week’s match against Derbyshire but had only reached 21 when he presented Lyth with his second catch of the day.

Joe Clarke made scores of 112 and 97 not out in the corresponding match last season and survived a narrow run out appeal during the early part of his innings but wasn’t so fortunate when Mullaney called him for a sharp single in the third over of the afternoon.

A clean pick up and throw from Jordan Thompson at point produced a direct hit, leaving Clarke just short of his ground, on 35.

That fourth wicket stand had been worth 60 and 48 more were added before Yorkshire struck again. Mullaney had reached his 50 from 79 balls, hitting eight fours and a six but failed to add any more before being given out lbw, sweeping against Lyth.

The successful bowler had only been introduced into the attack after Nottinghamshire had tucked into young off-spinner Jack Shutt, whose eight overs produced several wayward deliveries and cost 49 runs.

Peter Trego made 39 before falling to a sharp gully catch by Harry Brook to give Olivier his second wicket.

At that point Moores and Samit Patel combined in the most substantial stand of the day, either side of tea, to take Notts into the overall lead.

Moores played an extravagant reverse slog-sweep off Lyth to put his side ahead and the lead was already 22 when Patel ly succumbed to Dawid Malan’s part-time leg spin, proffering up a simple catch at short leg to depart for a well-made 38.

Malan also made short work of removing Jake Ball, whilst Jordan Thompson quickly accounted for Zak Chappell.

Moores’ first fifty in over two years came from 99 deliveries but left with last man Carter he cut loose aggressively. The second new ball was clubbed over the ropes a couple of times during an expensive return from Olivier. Patterson suffered the same treatment at the other end as Carter lifted him high over wide long on for a maximum of his own.

Inside the final three overs of a pulsating day Moores finally missed one, going for another huge blow, giving Patterson his second wicket exactly 24 hours after he’d removed Chris Nash at the start of the Nottinghamshire innings.

Within a victory in more than two years the home county will be looking for good luck omens as Moores’ last score of over fifty came in their success, a win over Essex at Chelmsford in June 2018.