Norwich Union League: Northamptonshire v Nottinghamshire at Northampton, 2 Sep 2001 CricInfo Live Report

Norwich Union League: Northamptonshire v Nottinghamshire at Northampton, 2 Sep 2001
Robin Reid

Nottinghamshire innings: Innings break,
Northamptonshire innings: End of game,

RIPLEY BOWS OUT ON HOME TURF WITH A VICTORY

Northamptonshire Steelbacks gave skipper David Ripley a victory in his final home match in charge, beating the Nottinghamshire Outlaws by four wickets at Wantage Road with 41 balls to spare.

Ripley, who retires at the end of the season, received a standing ovation as he left the field after notching 24 to usher his side towards their modest target of 182. He and Alec Swann (34 not out) added 55 for the sixth wicket and succeeded in settling the hosts’ nerves after a mini-collapse saw them slip from 106-2 to 117-5 in the space of three overs.

The Outlaws never fully recovered from a disastrous start that saw them crash to 44-5 against pacemen Paul Taylor and John Blain. The Scotland international began the slide by bowling Darren Bicknell off his elbow for a duck with the third ball of the match, while Taylor’s late swing accounted for John Morris, Greg Blewett and Usman Afzaal.

Kevin Pietersen ensured respectability with a robust 58 from 62 balls, including a six and nine fours, while the lower-order batsmen contributed usefully in the face of some tidy and committed out-cricket from a side already relegated into Division Two for next season.

Graeme Swann led the Steelbacks’ response, hitting 56 off 61 balls, and his brother then made the issue safe. The result leaves the Outlaws still with some work to do if they are to avoid joining Northants in the second division.

NOTTS STAGE RECOVERY AFTER DIRE START

Pacemen Paul Taylor and John Blain snapped up three wickets apiece as Northamptonshire Steelbacks restricted Nottinghamshire Outlaws to 182 all out in a low-key Division One contest at Wantage Road.

Northants, already relegated for next season, were looking to give skipper David Ripley a victory in his final home appearance before retiring – and they reduced Notts to 44-5 inside a dozen overs with only Greg Blewett (23) making any impression.

Taylor hit the stumps to send back John Morris and Usman Afazaal as well as Blewett, and it took a sixth-wicket stand of 74 in 15 overs between Kevin Pietersen (58) and Wayne Noon (17) to lend the total some respectability.

Pietersen cracked a six and nine fours in his 62-ball knock before falling to Graeme Swann’s first delivery, and further useful contributions from Richard Logan and Gareth Clough with 24 apiece down the order gave the Outlaws something to bowl at.