Nottinghamshire took advantage of bowler-friendly conditions on the second day of this LV= Insurance County Championship match at Wantage Road.
Hutton in particular found plenty of movement under floodlights, cloudy skies and light rain to entice the batters into playing at balls outside off-stump and precipitate a dramatic Northamptonshire collapse.
When Nottinghamshire batted, a typically aggressive Ben Duckett (39) looked to bat in different conditions to others, taking seven boundaries off his former county as Nottinghamshire raced to 50 off nine overs. Tom Taylor’s introduction into the attack made an immediate impact when the all-rounder removed both Duckett and Haseeb Hameed in his first over.
Earlier Northamptonshire opener Ricardo Vasconcelos impressed with 62, registering his second half-century of the season and sharing a third wicket partnership worth 77 with Saif Zaib (35). After the clatter of wickets, a spirited last-wicket partnership of 28 between Gareth Berg (23) and Jack White, the second highest of the innings, took the hosts past 150.
Jun Fri 07 - 6:30 pm
Jun
Fri 07
6:30 pm
Northamptonshire Steelbacks
VS
Worcestershire Rapids
ADVANCE TICKETS
NOW AVAILABLE
Northamptonshire had resumed on 86 for two after heavy rain restricted the opening day’s play to a single session.
Vasconcelos reached his half-century with a clip off his legs which reached the boundary thanks to a miss field in the deep. But while Vansconcelos looked in good touch, there was a procession of wickets at the other end against a disciplined Nottinghamshire seam attack.
Zaib was the first to go, nicking Lyndon James to Duckett, the first of three slip catches for the England opener. Four balls later Hutton claimed his first scalp when he had Rob Keogh caught behind off the outside edge for 0. Steven Mullaney then got into the action, finding some late shape to trap James Sales lbw.
Hutton found some more away movement to tempt Harry Gouldstone into prodding at one outside off-stump with Duckett taking a good low catch. He then saw off Tom Taylor, also without scoring, Duckett again doing the honours.
Vasconcelos had hooked Hutton confidently for four, but his near four-hour vigil finally came to an end after 179 balls when he too steered Hutton into the slips. Then, just before rain forced an early lunch, Jordan Buckingham was trapped lbw by Dane Paterson for 0.
Berg and White played positively after a lunch interval extended by the weather. Berg hit a couple of lusty blows including a six over square leg before he was bowled to give Hutton his fifth wicket.
When Nottinghamshire batted, Duckett was severe on anything loose with Jack White offering nothing of the sort.
White proved a handful for both batters, making life particularly difficult for Haseeb Hameed, extracting plenty of bounce with balls that jagged back into the right hander.
Taylor then removed both openers in quick succession, getting his second delivery to angle back in and trap Duckett lbw. Hameed’s downfall came four balls later when Vasconcelos took a good low catch to give Taylor two wickets in his opening over. Jordan Buckingham was bowling a probing line and length from the opposite end and got his reward in the next over when Vasconcelos pouched another sharp slip catch.
In a testing spell after tea, the increasingly unlucky White had two strong appeals for caught behind denied against Joe Clarke and saw the Nottinghamshire batter play two strokes which flew just wide of the slip cordon.
Montgomery was harsh on Sales, cutting and pulling him for two boundaries in his opening over but the bowler got his man caught behind to break the dangerous partnership.
James had a few moments of luck towards stumps, as did his partner but ultimately both survived and Nottinghamshire reached the close four wickets down and one run behind.
Jul Sun 07 - 2:30 pm
Jul
Sun 07
2:30 pm
Northamptonshire Steelbacks
VS
Durham
ADVANCE TICKETS
NOW AVAILABLE