Ali Brown’s first hundred for Nottinghamshire has left Hampshire with a mountain to climb

Jeremy James at The Rose Bowl13-Jun-2009
ScorecardAli Brown, who must count as one of the most fit and sprightly 39-year-olds ever to play first-class cricket, struck his first century for Nottinghamshire against a depleted Hampshire attack. That and a partnership of 186 with Chris Read ensured his adopted county recovered impressively in their second innings after teetering on 47 for 4 and gave them every chance of winning on the final day, for there will be continued assistance for Samit Patel’s left-arm spin. A fine, unbeaten century by Read enabled the first division leaders to leave Hampshire 412 to win.Brown came to Trent Bridge in the close season after 17 years with Surrey – and with a marked determination to prove that there was plenty of cricket still in him. Quite evidently there is. After James Tomlinson took three early wickets, including Patel caught for a duck off a skier, Brown gave invaluable support to Adam Voges in a fifth-wicket partnership of 110. They benefited from Sean Ervine being off the field with a pulled hamstring and Tomlinson hobbling off in the middle of an over.Tomlinson had found Brown an altogether different kind of batsman to contend with than those at the top of the order. The fielding, as with the bowling, became lax: Brown went to 99 with a four that long leg – Chris Tremlett was on as 12th man – should comfortably have stopped, and thence reached his century in the same over off 133 balls with 15 fours. This was the 45th in first-class cricket of a career in which he has primarily been regarded, unfairly or not, as a one-day hitter.There was entertaining support, now, from Read, who hit eight fours in his half century and took runs with ease off the likes of Michael Carberry and James Vince, who is making his debut as a batsman in this match. What with two bowlers off the field and Dominic Cork lacking in pace and, inevitably these days, puff, run-making was a simplistic task in the post-tea period. Brown finally departed two runs short of his 150, slashing Michael Carberry straight to another substitute fielder, Liam Dawson, at point.At best, Read is fourth in the pecking order of England wicketkeepers, and will no doubt slip further down when Craig Kieswetter, of Somerset, becomes qualified. This was not the most taxing bowling he will have faced, but it was nonetheless a chanceless and highly aggressive innings. He drove Imran Tahir for six into the pavilion and struck 15 fours in what was his second century of the season, scored off 125 balls. He hit two further fours before the declaration was made, one which left Hampshire with three overs batting. They did not survive this brief passage of play intact, losing Jimmy Adams, century maker in the first innings, caught down the leg side by Read off Darren Pattinson.At the start of the day, Hampshire had lost their final wicket when Cork was leg-before to Mark Ealham. Not long afterwards they would have been thinking in terms of defeating the first division leaders in three days; now, they will do markedly well not to be beaten. Much will depend on the degree of turn Patel, who took five wickets in Hampshire’s first innings, achieves on a worn surface.