Favourites Notts pushed all the way

Nottinghamshire 80 for 5 ( Kleinveldt 4-34) trail Northants 194 ( Kleinveldt 43, Wood 4-52) by 114 runs

Luke Wood and Rory Kleinveldt took four wickets each as promotion-rivals Nottinghamshire and Northamptonshire shared a keenly-fought opening day at Wantage Road. Wood helped bowl Northants for 194 before Notts replied with 80 for 5.

Notts can confirm promotion with victory this week and made early progress here against Northants who have to win to keep their own promotion hopes alive. The visitors elected to field and it was very much a bowlers day on a green-tinged pitch with damp in the air and batting was very difficult against two sets of accurate seamers.

Wood was first to show bowling a probing full length and finding late swing. Two deliveries won lbws against right-handers, Rob Newton for 1 and Richard Levi after a useful 35, and a similar ball to the left-handed Ben Duckett produced a leading edge for a simple return catch. Wood later returned to finish off the Northants innings, taking out Nathan Buck’s off stump.

Wood’s opening partner Brett Hutton also threatened and after having Alex Wakely dropped by a diving third slip, found another edge that was well held low down by Riki Wessels at first slip – his 100th first-class wicket.

Hutton then struck twice shortly after lunch. He ended Rob Keogh’s 77-ball stay where he made just 15 by inducing an outside edge that was fabulously held by Steven Mullaney diving full length to his right at second slip, claiming the catch an inch above the turf. A second Mullaney catch – this a simple chance taken by his right knee – gave Hutton a third wicket as David Murphy fell for a seven-ball duck.

When Harry Gurney had Josh Cobb taken a first slip after he tried to counter-attack making 36, Northants were 120 for 7 and in danger of being fired out but Rory Kleinveldt combined aggression with solid defence in his 43 before he dragged Samit Patel into his leg stump. Buck also made a useful 32 but Northants fell short of any batting bonus points.

Needing a response with the ball, Northants conceded only 20 runs in the first 12 overs before Kleinveldt struck twice in an over – one that held it’s line to take out Steven Mullaney’s off stump and another that Cheteshwar Pujara pushed at to be caught at second slip. Kleinveldt also removed Jake Libby lbw shuffling across his stumps for 13.

And when Buck changed ends to trap Samit Patel lbw, Notts were wobbling at 56 for 4 only for Billy Root – playing just his third County Championship match – and Riki Wessels to share a stand that took Notts to within two overs of the close. But Wessels drove at Kleinveldt and edged to Murphy to ensure the day ended even.

Source: ESPN Crickinfo

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