Nottinghamshire and Worcestershire played out a thrilling tie that proved the unique quality of outground cricket, as Welbeck produced another entertaining game for the people of North Notts, who again came out in their numbers for the Metro Bank One Day Cup.
It’s often the case that former players come back to haunt their old sides, and Worcestershire took full advantage of that today. Their captain, Jake Libby, a former Nottinghamshire regular, was instrumental in the performance. It was his strong displays in white-ball formats that ultimately led to his move away from Trent Bridge.
When he arrived at the crease, Worcestershire were beginning to falter. James Hayes, playing on his club ground, took 4 for 63 and made the early breakthroughs to leave the visitors struggling at 44 for three. However, along with Kashif Ali, who had also spent time with Nottinghamshire’s Second XI, Libby set about rebuilding the innings with a composed 180-run stand. Both looked assured, matching each other shot for shot, as they calmly wrested back control of the match.
It took a stunning one-handed grab from Tom Moores behind the stumps to end Ali’s innings. It was his second List A century, with 101 from 104 balls, including eight fours and a six. Libby was more assertive, and had it not been for a long shower that curtailed the innings after 47.1 overs, he would likely have added to his unbeaten 112 from just 95 balls. His knock included two sixes.
Notts had started to work their way back into the game. Ethan Brookes was caught behind for one, before cameos from Henry Cullen, who made 27, and Matthew Waite, who added 13, helped propel Worcestershire past 300. They eventually finished on 312 for seven.
With DLS adjusting the target to 327 for Notts to win, it was never going to be easy. Haseeb Hameed and Ben Slater started well for Notts with a partnership of 39 from the first 5.2 overs, when Hameed was castled for 13, to the obvious delight of bowler Matthew Waite.
It didn’t derail the Notts innings, as Ben Slater and Jack Haynes carried on with a partnership of 45. Slater’s 41 and Haynes’s 51, against his former side, were the only substantive contributions from Notts’ top order.
It looked for all the world like Notts were losing their grip on the game when Moores was bowled first ball by Brookes, as the home team slipped to 121 for four. That soon became 129 for five, as Haynes was shortly after caught exceptionally by Rob Jones, as the ball failed to rise more than shin-high.
Defeat looked inevitable for Notts, before Joe Pocklington, in only his second game for the club, and Robert Lord were brought in by the fall of wickets and fate to give Notts one last chance. Pocklington, who made his debut on Tuesday and looked self-assured with the ball, showed his ability with the bat as well. He counter-attacked to good effect, smashing the ball for four sixes and hitting two more in an innings that suggested he has the swagger to be a fan favourite for years to come.
It was Lord, though, with the chips down and Brett Hutton for company, who started to bring people to the edge of their seats, not just because Notts were edging back into the game with every boundary, but because he also hit four sixes, and nine fours in an innings of 83 from 59 balls.
Waite came back into the attack and removed Lord, with the run rate back around a run a ball. It was now a straight shootout, with Notts’ last pair needing 19 runs and Worcestershire needing one more wicket. Four were needed from the last over.
Hutton was still there unbeaten on 27, with two runs needed from the final ball, which was scampered through for a bye to tie the game. It was the sort of result that will have fans talking for years to come, as both skill and pluck were rewarded with a fair result.
