A captain’s innings by Nottinghamshire’s Steven Mullaney, who was well supported by his lower order, turned the match against Sussex on its head on the third day at the 1st Central County Ground.
Mullaney, who had come to the wicket with Notts 52 for four in reply to Sussex’s 375, scored a career best 192 and figured in stands of 96 with Tom Moores, 69 with Liam Patterson-White and 144 with Joey Evison, whose unbeaten 109 was also a career highest.
By scoring their runs at four an over Notts put pressure on a young Sussex side and when they eventually declared, at 534 for nine, a lead of 159 after adding 320 on the day, they still had time to bowl 15 overs at their weary opposition. Sussex were 29 for one at the close after losing skipper Tom Haines, caught at midwicket for 14.
To make matters worse for Sussex, they learned early in the day that they would be without Danial Ibrahim for the remainder of the match. The club announced that the all-rounder would have a scan on his injured shoulder. Sussex were already without Jack Carson, George Garton and Fynn Hudson-Prentice because of injury and illness.
After a difficult start to this game, Notts finally showed why they are the favourites to win promotion from the second division of the LV= Insurance County Championship, showing their character and deep batting resources, albeit on a flat pitch.
They started the day on 214 for five, still 161 runs adrift of Sussex, with Mullaney on 79 and Moores unbeaten on 23. Steve Finn, the best Sussex bowler, was given a three-over burst from the Cromwell Road end before the new ball became available and Mullaney revealed his positive intent when he hooked the former England fast bowler over long leg for six. But, having been dropped on 49 the previous evening, he was put down again, this time on 86, a difficult chance, low down to Delray Rawlins in the covers off Finn.
Mullaney reached his century when he worked Tom Clark off his pads for a single to long leg. He had faced 148 balls. Moores had scored a solid 43 when he was well caught low down at first slip by Tom Alsop.
After an hour’s play, at 260 for six, Sussex took the new ball but new batsman Liam Patterson-White was unimpressed and twice pulled Henry Crocombe for six, the ball landing on the roof of the pavilion on the second occasion.
Sussex made their second breakthrough just before lunch when Patterson-White, swiping to leg, was lbw to the tidy Clark for a 45-ball 44. With five wickets in the Sussex first innings he is having quite a match.
At lunch Notts were 332 for seven. But they did even more damage in the second session, when they scored 136 runs without losing a wicket. A single to Evison, to backward-point, took his side past the Sussex total.
Mullaney hit Rawlins over long-on for six to raise the 400 and another batting point. He passed his previous best score of 179 and looked set for a double hundred when he was caught in the deep off Jamie Atkins. He had faced 15 fours and five sixes. But Evison, who was not dismissed in three pre-season matches, was not done yet and his maiden century included a dozen fours and two sixes.
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Steve Finn said: “Losing Tom Haines at the end wasn’t ideal. He’s obviously one of our best players – our most consistent player. But we’ve got plenty of capable guys ready to come in. It’s a question of getting through that first hour and seeing where we’re at.
“I really like the project they’ve got going on here. They’ve got some exciting young players and the way Sussex spoke to me resonated with me and made me feel I wanted to be part of it.
“I feel in good rhythm apart from a few bad balls. My desire is to play as much cricket as possible. I haven’t played as much four-day cricket in recent years as I’d like to have done, and I feel I have a point to prove there which keeps me motivated, both for the team and myself.”
Joey Evison said “I felt really good today. I managed to tick off the first hundred and I hope it’s the first of many. As a batter, I’d like to bat four, ideally, but we’ve got such a strong batting line-up that I’m just happy to help out down the order.
“We did well today, building partnerships, and I hope we can push hard tomorrow for the win.”
