Sidebottom leads Notts fightback

Nottinghamshire 191 and 68 for 3 (Gallian 40*, W Smith 1*) lead MCC 168 (Sidebottom 4-42) by 91 runs
Scorecard

Ryan Sidebottom: the pick of the bowlers with 4 for 42 © Getty Images

Wickets continued to tumble at Lord's on the second day of the season-opener between MCC and Nottinghamshire. After being reduced to 191 all out, yesterday, Nottinghamshire fought back by dismissing MCC for 168 and gaining a 23-run lead. However, the procession of batsmen wasn't finished as Nottinghamshire struggled a second time, losing three top-order scalps before rain brought an early close.

Ryan Sidebottom started the second day of ball dominating bat by removing Monty Panesar, the nightwatchman, early to join to his dismissal of Alastair Cook on the first evening. He added Alex Loudon and Ed Joyce in quick succession and after seven overs - six of which were maidens, he had 4 for 3. Mark Ealham chipped in with Ravinder Bopara, but from 43 for 5 Rikki Clarke and Luke Parker, a young Warwickshire batsman, staged a fightback.

The pair added 57 and hit nine boundaries between them before falling within the space of seven runs to Ealham. Steven Davies, the wicketkeeper, who held four catches on the first day, then launched another counterattack. He cracked eight boundaries in his 37-ball 42 and continued to mark himself down as one to watch this summer. His fun was ended when Greg Smith claimed his first wicket by jagging a ball sharply back into him.

The end of the innings came swiftly but was notable for a brilliant piece of glovework from Chris Read, who flung himself in front of first slip to grab an outstanding catch off a flying edge from Tim Bresnan. John Stephenson didn't last long, slashing a sharp catch to gully and the Nottinghamshire seam attack had laid down a marker for early season.

Bresnan, though, struck back for MCC as the ball continued to swing under overcast skies. He bowled Darren Bicknell in the opening over and then had Russell Warren - who completed a poor match with the bat - caught behind for 4. David Hussey and Jason Gallian added 44, finding the boundary with regularity, until Bopara claimed Hussey for the second time in the match.

With the match interestingly poised the rain, which delayed the start yesterday by three hours, descended over Lord's and play was unable to restart after tea. But the rush of wickets means unless there is more bad weather tomorrow, or the batsmen dominate for the first time, this match could be over inside three days.