Notts beat Lancashire despite Hurst maiden century
Nottinghamshire players congratulate Dillon Pennington for taking the wicket of Tom Bailey on day four
- Published
Vitality County Championship Division One, Trent Bridge (day four)
Lancashire 331 & 252: Hurst 104, Hartley 50; Pennington 4-61
Nottinghamshire 503 & 81-1: Slater 31
Nottinghamshire (22 pts) beat Lancashire (4pts) by nine wickets
A maiden first-class century from wicketkeeper Matthew Hurst salvaged some pride for Lancashire but it could not stop Nottinghamshire completing a nine-wicket win in their County Championship match at Trent Bridge.
Nottinghamshire had begun the day scenting an innings victory, holding a 72-run advantage with Lancashire six down, but 20-year-old Hurst defied them with an impressive 104 that included 10 fours and four sixes.
Lancashire were eventually dismissed for 252, leaving the home side needing just 81 to win, so the result was never in serious doubt.
However, given they had been 61-6 on the third evening, the visitors could console themselves with having put up a fight.
Hurst and England spinner Tom Hartley (50) were the principal sources of frustration for Nottinghamshire, sharing a seventh-wicket stand of 116.
Dillon Pennington was rewarded with figures of 4-61 before the home side wrapped up victory for the loss of only opener Ben Slater.
The victory earned Nottinghamshire their first win under new red-ball captain Haseeb Hameed, whose magnificent unbeaten 247 in their first innings was the key to their victory.
Hurst and Hartley saw off the opening overs from Pennington and Olly Stone and, after surviving the first hour unscathed, upped the tempo as the ball began to lose its hardness.
Hurst was dropped by Calvin Harrison at slip off Lyndon James on 46 but completed his 50 from 87 balls, bringing the scores level in the same over.
Hartley’s half-century came off 98 balls with seven fours, but Harrison then atoned for his earlier error with a fine catch at second slip as James finally made a breakthrough.
Pennington removed Tom Bailey lbw and Harrison dismissed Will Williams, but Hurst hammered Stone over the wide mid-wicket boundary and cleared the rope twice in the same James over to go to his century before another attempt at a maximum saw him caught at deep mid-wicket off Harrison.
Mahmood had Slater caught behind for 31, but Hameed and Will Young saw Nottinghamshire home.
Report supplied by the ECB Reporters' Network.
