On the third day of the 2023 County Championship, Nottinghamshire stands at a crossroad. They need to run chase 136 runs to win. Now sitting at 25-1, the team has taken a very conservative approach in their pursuit. Ben Slater and Ekansh Singh are going to the crease now, looking to build a solid partnership. Their intent is to get there collectively.
The game played out at Trent Bridge, where Notts started their innings with high hopes but quickly fell into severe trouble. After losing the early wicket of skipper Harry Finch, out for a duck, the team was immediately on the back foot. With Finch’s departure, Slater and Singh now wear the yoke of expectation. They know they need to steady the ship and bat their side home.
With every over that elapsed, Ben Slater demonstrated more and more of his developing talents. He nonchalantly turned a bouncing ball on to the leg side boundary for four runs. Illustrating his aggressive mindset, he jarred the first ball of a Chris Woakes delivery through extra cover for four. This juggernaut of a shot brought the team’s total to four runs. So far, Slater has created an optimistic vibe for Notts. His efforts have been instrumental in increasing the team’s present high score of 25.
Despite the slower approach, Ekansh Singh has been determined at the crease and is yet to be dismissed on the tour. His 13 runs from 69 balls are irrelevant now, as long as he can settle down and help breed a massive opening stand alongside Slater. Their combined efforts will be key for Nottinghamshire as they seek to clamp down on the target of 136 runs.
Here, at this point in the game, Nottinghamshire needs another 111 runs to win. The tension increases as they try and walk the line between being a pitbull and a puppy. Every run becomes extremely important in deciding the winner of this highly competitive game.
As the game progresses, Slater and Singh will need to ideally work the bowling threat. Without their success, there is no path to reaching the target. The home crowd at Trent Bridge would be on hand to welcome them as players got warmed up and into their groove. The team’s ability to recover from Finch’s dismissal and push toward their goal will be critical in these next few overs.
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