Nottinghamshire 255 (Clarke 76, Sales 4-24). Northamptonshire 158 (Vasconcelos 62, Hutton 5-37) and 72 (Paterson 5-16) with an innings and 25 runs
South Africa international Paterson proved unplayable as Northamptonshire had few answers in overcast conditions, providing a miraculous move for the seamen. Paterson posed a constant challenge around off-stump with a metronomic line and length. His first four scalps came in an opening burst of eight overs, all courtesy of catches behind the wicket that left the Steelbacks reeling at 11 for 4. Despite some resistance from Saif Zaib (26), they failed to recover and were all out for 72.
It follows Northamptonshire’s first innings collapse on day two when they lost seven wickets for 17 runs and a similarly disheartening batting in their last home game against Hampshire, which also ended in an innings defeat.
Northamptonshire head coach John Sadler said: “It’s not good enough. After the defeat to Hampshire I was churning a bit and strong words were said by everyone in the dressing room because it was the way we just capitulated. But today is more of a disappointment really, just deflating. Because we’re better than that and it’s not good enough. We need to come back with some personal pride.”
But any hopes that their efforts would open the game for Northamptonshire again were quickly dashed when Paterson had the ball in hand.
Nottinghamshire resumed a run behind at 157 for 4 in Test conditions, the home bowlers batting regularly and drawing the batsmen to play outside the stump.
By this stage Nottinghamshire had 184 for 6, just 26 ahead and Northamptonshire hoped to make short work of the lower order. But Liam Patterson-White stuck with Clarke in a stand of 58 in 17 overs to keep the ship steady.
Between unplayable deliveries, Northamptonshire were often guilty of straying off their line, allowing Nottinghamshire to cash in, with Clarke passing 50 thanks to a wide-legged delivery. Field mishaps didn’t help their cause either, as they gave up 14 byes and five bases, while Patterson-White was dropped on 9 in the slips.
In the end, Nottinghamshire’s last four wickets fell quickly, James (15) played an extravagant drive to Sales and gave Vasconcelos a fourth slip catch.
Clarke had played fluidly for the most part, timed the ball nicely to the boundary and struck 10 fours in four hours at the crease. But he had also played and missed several times and his innings ended ignominiously, when he unnecessarily flashed to a wide ball from Sales and sent it straight to a deep back point where Buckingham made a good catch.
Northamptonshire’s batting jitters returned immediately with both openers back in the dressing room within two overs thanks to Paterson picking up Vasconelos driving loosely low to first slip and Emilio Gay playing similarly, this time a comfortable catch for third slip.
With Brett Hutton keeping the pressure up at the other end, the procession continued as Sam Whiteman jabbed to a just outside Paterson’s stump, with Clarke taking a good tumbling catch while Rob Keogh dropped the next ball when he was square, the ball flying to third slip.
Putting up some stubborn resistance, Zaib began to rebuild the Northamptonshire innings in a stand of 35 with Sales, but he occasionally rode his luck and finally fell as he floated James airborne to Slater, who made a good tumbling catch halfway through took. The sale took off two runs later as he pushed Mullaney behind as Harry Gouldstone flashed for a wide ball from Hutton that sent him straight to the point.
Gareth Berg gave Paterson his fifth wicket when he flashed with one straight to Ben Duckett in the slips, who could only parry it, while Hutton caught it on the rebound. Running out of Jordan Buckingham compounded Northamptonshire’s woes and it was left to Hutton to take the last wicket, after Taylor had fallen behind by another loose shot.