Record-breaking Hucknall are beaten again in run feast by Plumtree

Frustrated Hucknall scored 307-8 and set a new Nottinghamshire Premier League record for the eighth wicket – but ended up beaten by 35 runs by Plumtree.
Hucknall's Wazeem Fazal in action with the ball on Saturday ahead of his 89 with the bat.Hucknall's Wazeem Fazal in action with the ball on Saturday ahead of his 89 with the bat.
Hucknall's Wazeem Fazal in action with the ball on Saturday ahead of his 89 with the bat.

The visitors chose to bat and scored 342 which Hucknall bravely chased but fell short on.

“I was isolating due to Covid and so just followed on on Play-Cricket,” said captain Sam Johnson

“But the lads did really well – it was a bit of a run feast.

“It was just one of those days unfortunately where if you lose the toss you start at a bit of a disadvantage and they made full use of the fresh wicket.

“We gave it a good go. It would have been easy to roll over, but we showed quite a bit of fight and the lower order set a new league record for the eighth wicket which is real testament to the team spirit we've got and never knowing when we are beaten I guess.

“Hopefully if we can show that kind of fight and maybe bowl slightly better in areas we should be okay this year.”

Saad Ashraf set the pace for Plumtree with 152 in a 138-run opening partnership with Benjamin Compton (65) and then Ashraf and Seb Menzhausen (40) put on another 111 between them for the second wicket.

Zab Bess chipped in 47 too while Sol Budinger claimed 4-57 for Hucknall.

In reply, Robin Maxwell hit 61, but at 142-7 and hopes fading, Waseeem Fazal (89) and Josh Benbridge (52 not out) came together for their record-breaking 160 partnership to push Plumtree all the way.

Sat second from bottom, Hucknall now head for ninth-placed Wollaton this Saturday and Johnson said: “It is a really, really good opportunity for us.

“They have had a tough year as well so far. They have probably won one more than us.

“As a neutral I think it will be a really good game to watch and observe. I am really confident in our chances. They are a good side and they are especially tough to beat at home. But we beat them in the Twenty20 about a month ago and I have confidence in the lads that we can do it again.”

On the current position in the table, he added: “If you look at purely where we are in the league then it probably doesn't paint a great picture.

“But, as I have said before, I try not to read too much into it.

“We have been reasonably unfortunate with availability of pros and that kind of thing. We have also had a rough start, playing all the best sides near enough.

“With lads coming back and us gelling and setting a bit of a formula of how we are going to go about winning fixtures, I am confident we can pull away with a couple of good results and get into more of the mid-table area which is where I think we should be.”