As starts to the season go the Middlesex managing director of cricket, Angus Fraser, could be forgiven for living up to the grumpy tag that somewhat unfairly followed him during his playing days.
His overseas signing and captain, Adam Voges, will be lost to Australia’s winter tour from mid-May, his batsman Dawid Malan suffered a broken hand on Sunday and now Nottinghamshire are 101 for two in their second innings at Lord’s, leading by 218 runs.
Harry Gurney atoned for the early surrender of his wicket from the second ball of the day with three for 50 to see the home side rolled for 181 in reply to Notts’ 298, with Malan absent hurt.
The England international Gurney sent the off stump of the opener Nick Gubbins cartwheeling for 23, trapped Voges lbw for 29 and ended a defiant 35 from the wicketkeeper, John Simpson, who flashed to slip after tea.
“Voges was a big wicket, he averaged over 100 in Australia during the winter and I just got one to nip down the slope,” said Gurney. “We think it’s a good cricket wicket - stay patient as a bowler to get rewards and when batting things get easier if you hang in.”
It was a collective effort from the Nottinghamshire attack, with Jake Ball persuading Sam Robson to leave a straight one injudiciously on 35 in his figures of two for 38 and Samit Patel’s slow left-arm claiming three for 30, including two lbws in three balls before tea.
On a day when the bright white sponsored stumps – a new feature this season – went flying four times, the South African Vernon Philander sent down the finest when he split Nick Compton’s off bail in two pieces.
The Notts openers, Brendan Taylor and Steven Mullaney, then went on the thrash, putting on 77 in just over an hour before the latter was cleaned up by Tom Helm on 44. Taylor holed out on 34 with Will Gidman, five, to resume with Alex Hales, 14, on day three.
