Sussex 565 (Jordan 147, Burgess 146, Archer 72) and 229 for 7 dec (Wells 103, Carter 4-106) drew with Nottinghamshire 477 (Root 132, Learn 124)
It took upright one season. Nottinghamshire, relegated from Division One in 2016, get obtained promotion in 2017. Having led Division Two with distinction, a path-blazing launch seeing them set the fashioned that, for a while, few may match, they accomplish attain with 2nd-situation. The treble may moreover simply no longer get come to pass, but nothing of what Nottinghamshire get completed in all forms of the game, successful the Royal London Cup and the NatWest T20 Blast, has a whiff of failure about it. Essex will get obtained the County Championship, but Nottinghamshire were the ideally suited team within the country. Quite a feat for Peter Moores’ first season responsible.
Handiest no longer too long within the past has there been motive to doubt that. They got here into this closing match in opposition to Sussex wanting 12 facets to true promotion, and 12 became as soon as exactly what they bought. A wayward efficiency with the ball, noticed them concede 565 in Sussex’s first innings, after reducing the hosts to 107 for 5. Then, requiring all 5 batting facets to adequately complement facets for a design, they crashed to 65 for 5. Chris Learn, for one closing time, dragged his facet out of a hole and, finally, to the promised land.
A delayed 1pm launch ended with handshakes at 4.30pm: Sussex no longer asking Nottinghamshire to bat, as a replacement biding their time as Luke Wells carried out a ravishing hundred. Upon handshakes, the bails were flicked off on Learn’s profession.
He became as soon as hugged by all, strolling thru a guard of honour on the discipline sooner than a bigger one, bolstered by spectators and the total Sussex squad, greeted him off and up the steps in direction of the Nottinghamshire dressing room. He suggested BBC Nottingham that it became as soon as most productive when he walked off and noticed the ovation in his honour that it dawned on him. And us, too. English cricket will sail on, but this would moreover simply attain so with out Learn.
Learn’s quality and longevity will seemingly be viewed in his numbers: 348 top quality appearances – 15 of which Test fits for England – alongside with 333 Checklist A and 119 T20s fits. A indispensable class tally of 16,237 runs from 525 innings, 25 hundreds and a batting average of 37.07 underlines his class in entrance of the stumps, transitioning from an generation of wicketkeeping as a specialist skill, to novel day, after they’re required to drag their weight with the bat. His 124 within the first innings hauled Nottinghamshire in direction of the bonus facets haul that confirmed their promotion. Naturally, it became as soon as within the help of the stumps the set he set the fashioned that many will aspire to but few can apply.
Learn nonetheless 1580 dismissals in all forms , with 1101 dismissals within the head quality sport – the 1101st of them, as of late, when he cleared out three fielders to take a popped-up secure from Michael Burgess for Sussex’s seventh 2nd-innings wicket. He’s more seemingly to be the closing English wicketkeeper to take over a thousand catches. Against Derbyshire within the origin of August, he beat Thomas Oates’ file for the most dismissals for a Nottinghamshire wicketkeeper. That now stands at 982 – 938 catches and 44 stumpings.
There became as soon as one quirk that may get been rectified as he took to the discipline after tea for the closing time. Learn has no wicket – first-class, one-day or T20 – to his determine. He has bowled 16-overs value in first-class cricket. He became as soon as egged on by about a of his Nottinghamshire team-mates to bring himself on to bowl and nab a maiden wicket on his closing bow. However, Moores, his head coach, a historical wicketkeeper himself, had some yarn advice: “You may moreover simply get kept wicket for 20-years and that’s how that you just can moreover simply aloof lunge off – alongside with your pads on.”
On the total for Learn, it’s no longer the non-public milestones or accolades he will pass over. He ran his hands thru his hair about a times as he walked from the center and up the Pavilion steps, taking within the applause, cheers and every closing 2nd. He even needed to be reminded to withhold on to a body that Sussex had made for him to commemorate his closing first-class sport.
“I will pass over the elegant visitors I get made within the game,” he acknowledged. “Not most productive at Trent Bridge but within the opposition too. I could pass over my limited disorganised corner of the dressing room and sharing a beer afterwards and get a good time a to find or bite the elephantine if or no longer it’s long previous infamous.
“Making an strive to withhold the stage of efficiency you quiz of your self will get extra tough and additional tough, that’s why I get made up our minds to retire. I in point of fact feel that my efficiency phases are most productive going to topple off but I may esteem to contemplate I exit possibly no longer on the head but no longer too some distance off. Or no longer it’s been an delectable closing day of my profession.”
Nottinghamshire get completed the closing portion of this the laborious capability. The Division Two title became as soon as all theirs up unless T20 Blast Finals Day, when the 2nd-portion of a what seemed a nailed-on treble became as soon as secured.
They took their foot off the gasoline and, first, misplaced their unbeaten file in opposition to Worcestershire. Then, they misplaced their explain to first-situation with defeat to Northamptonshire. Both victors coming into the last spherical of fits taking a scrutinize to sneak the Division Two trophy and promotion respectively.
However neatly they completed on this match, when the emotions of promotion and Learn’s retirement die down – and this is able to be a while yet – they get to count themselves very fortunate. Had Northamptonshire no longer let their over price sail within the match at Trent Bridge and incurred a 5-point penalty, Nottinghamshire, taking 2nd-situation by a single point, would no longer be welcoming Division One cricket to Trent Bridge in 2018.
The closing throes of the Championship season at Hove were a mixed rating. Wells produced a sparkling fourth Championship century of the season to enact 2017 alongside with his handiest first-class haul in a calendar twelve months. His 103 – his hundred got here off 97 balls – noticed him lead Division Two with 1292 Championship runs. Handiest Surrey’s retiring colossal Kumar Sangakkara, with a remarkable 1491 in Division One, has extra within the competition.
Wells belted four sixes in his innings, all off offspinner Matt Carter, all straight and apt down the ground, above and previous the ogle display cloak and the deckchairs on the Cromwell Road Stay. When he became as soon as brushed off, Carter set about bettering his figures, as Sussex’s batsmen got here in, slogged about a and then went on their capability. The younger off-spinner completed with figures of four for 106 from upright 17 overs.
With Division One role confirmed, Nottinghamshire can sail about recruiting sooner than next season. Over the closing two years, they’ve misplaced a good deal of key first-team gamers, equivalent to James Taylor and Michael Lumb, and now Learn. While Paul Coughlin is becoming a member of the club, they neglected out on Keaton Jennings, who opted to affix Lancashire. Extra offers are being worked on within the help of the scenes.
In the non permanent, it’s straight help as a lot as Nottingham because the festivities launch on the avenue sooner than a player’s attain on Saturday. They drink to promotion and, for one closing time, they’ll drink to Chris Learn.
As Learn’s closing put up-match interview as captain and cricketer hurt down, he equipped a ideally suited summation for Nottinghamshire’s 2017 and his well-liked profession: “It worked out neatly within the head.”
