Date: 26th July 2010
A Paul Edwards copyright exclusive for L&DCC Official Website.
Friends Provident t20 Quarter-Final
At Trent Bridge: Friends Provident t20 Quarter-Final: Nottinghamshire 141-9 beat Sussex 128-7 by 13 runs
Amid their delight at reaching the quarter-finals of the national knock-out, the regular drinkers at Northern will probably raise a glass to their former player Steven Mullaney this week after the all-rounder's four-over spell costing just 18 runs helped Nottinghamshire reach the Friends Provident t20 Finals Day at the Rose Bowl. They may raise rather more than a few glasses to him at Wadham Road, not just because Firwood Bootle members rarely need an excuse for a right old knees-up, but also because the 23-year-old played a key role in their successes last summer. But at Leigh's Beech Road home one suspects they will also be deeply proud, for Mullaney is one of their own and they think the world of him. However, quite what the private reaction will be at Old Trafford is anybody's guess.
In the spring issue of Nottinghamshire's house magazine Covered there is a picture of Mullaney and the club's other new signings studying books in the Trent Bridge library. Questioned about his reasons for turning down a two-year contract at Old Trafford, he gives the crispest of answers: "I heard rumours in July that Notts were interested, and I wasn't getting enough of a chance at Lancashire, so I was keen on a move. I feel privileged to be given this opportunity [at Notts] and I hope to grab it with both hands."
Now let us fast forward to the t20 quarter final against Sussex on Monday evening. Notts posted what seemed a barely adequate 141 in their allotted overs; Mullaney had been bowled for just one, playing inside a full-length ball from Michael Yardy. Matthew Wood's 36 and Ali Brown's 16-ball 31 had given the home side a sniff though. Defending champions Sussex were on 59 for one in the eighth over; their power play was completed but they were still well placed to win the game. Mullaney came on and took the pace off the ball. His first over went for three, his second for two, his third for four and his last for an outrageous eight. At the other end, Samit Patel finished a four-over spell which cost 20 runs and Graeme White bowled one over in which he trapped Ed Joyce lbw. In those seven overs Nottinghamshire had conceded just 30 runs and gone a long way towards securing their place at the big bash on August 14th. And it was Mullaney, not Ryan Sidebottom or the t20 specialist Dirk Nannes who had turned the game.
Sussex finished on 128 for seven but needed a six from the mohican-coiffured Chad Keegan to get within 14 runs of their target. Mullaney pouched a good running catch to get rid of Yasir Arafat and he brandished the ball at the Sussex fans, his face a picture of delight. He also got the man of the match award and was interrogated by Nasser Hussain on Sky. Later, attempting to clutch both a cheque and a bottle of champagne, he looked back on one of the best nights of his young career.
"I'm just loving contributing to Notts winning," he said "Halfway through this game we thought we were second best, but we said that we'd believe for 120 balls and we did that all the way through and it paid dividends. I can't tell you how much belief is in that dressing room, and if we perform like that, I think we'll be close to winning this competition. If I was guaranteed to beat Lancashire in the final, I'd love to play them," he added. "I'm still good mates with all the lads down there and I keep in touch with them and wish them good luck - but not too much. I've probably not bowled better in the t20 than I did tonight. If I keep sticking to my game plan, then the batters have got to do something pretty special I think. I aim to keep it really simple and take the pace off the ball." And that was that really. Before long, the floodlights which had illumined the inky Nottinghamshire sky were turned off and the full-throated roars which had greeted the fall of each Sussex wicket were just a warm memory.
Mullaney's wonderful season goes on though, and who knows what honours lie in wait for him over the next couple of months. He is playing the cricket of his life in both one- and four-day formats. He is doing so because a county had faith in him and showed that faith not by offering him money or assurances, but by the most important means possible for any professional cricketer: they picked him for their first team. Back to top
