The sun shone down and Nottingham batsmen (well except at Trent Bridge) made hay, racking up centuries as bowlers toiled for meagre returns. One hay-maker was Darren Wright who scored a league record 200* against Awsworth for Lady Bay Boots in 1D.

“Darren had already scored 83* & 60* in the league along with his 5/6, so it was no surprise to his team mates when this innings materialised” said scorer Adele Sutton.

Darren hit 30 fours and 3 sixes running up 101 off exactly 101 balls. Apart from his big hits there was an element of luck as Awsworth dropped him on 50. Another chance came their way when he had reached 150 but by now the fielders were probably demoralised as Wright and Andy Elliott (64) put on 201 runs for the 1st wicket.

Even a change of bat, after his bat split, couldn’t stop him. When the innings closed on 316/2 the captain enquired if he was up for opening the bowling as usual? As it was he came on 5th change finishing with figures of 1/21 as Awsworth’s gallant effort of 181/9, petered out, although as a team they conceded that Darrens innings “was the best ever seen in this league”

Not to be outdone, Lady Bay Boots II captain Karrar Khan (pictured right), who celebrates his 60th birthday in June, took a staggering 8/37 at home to Gotham. Khan came on as the 5th bowler in the 15th over of the match as he tried to take the game from dogged batting.

“The bowlers were all bowling well but didn’t look like taking wickets and I knew that if I came on I could get the ball to spin”, said Karra. Spin it did as the batsmen were sent back one by one. His first 3 overs yielded runs but no wickets, but after that they fell like cards, Khan finishing with figures of 12.1ov-1m-37r-8wkt. Jawaid Mqbool made short work of chasing Gotham II’s total of 99 hitting a 49 of their 8 wicket victory.