Jack Haynes struck a maiden ton for Nottinghamshire as his side secured a hard-fought draw with Essex.
Jack Haynes delivered a career-best 142 to steer Nottinghamshire to safety on the final day of their County Championship Division One clash against Essex at Trent Bridge.
The 24-year-old batter, who joined Notts from Worcestershire last season, entered the day with his side in trouble but emerged as the saviour. His innings not only marked a personal milestone—eclipsing his previous best of 134 not out—but also a vital contribution in thwarting Essex’s push for victory.
With Nottinghamshire resuming on 316-7 and leading by just 183, Essex struck quickly in the morning. Shane Snater did the early damage, removing nightwatchman Farhan Ahmed and Lyndon James—both caught behind for single figures. When Noah Thain plucked a sensational diving catch at mid-wicket to dismiss Fergus O’Neill, Notts slumped to 242-8 with only a 222-run lead and 86 overs left.
Enter Haynes and Brett Hutton. The pair batted with grit and intelligence to add a 77-run ninth-wicket stand that shifted the game’s momentum. Essex’s attack, so threatening early on, lost its edge with the new ball as Jamie Porter and Sam Cook struggled to extract the same menace they had earlier in the match.
By the time Hutton holed out to the boundary for 38 just before a delayed lunch, Haynes was into the nineties. With last man Dillon Pennington for company, he waited anxiously on 99 before finally crunching a boundary to reach his hundred—his first for Nottinghamshire and sixth in first-class cricket.
Haynes’ celebration reflected the significance of the moment, breaking a 16-game century drought since his move from Worcester. Essex spread the field wide in hopes of tempting a declaration, but Haynes refused easy singles and Notts chose to continue batting. He eventually fell for 142, caught at long-on by Porter in a juggling act near the rope off Matt Critchley. His innings included a 66-run partnership with Pennington, who remained unbeaten on 13.
Notts were eventually dismissed for 385, setting Essex a notional target of 366 in 60 overs. But the game fizzled out into an inevitable draw despite Nottinghamshire’s best efforts to create pressure with the ball.
Pennington, who took the new ball, had Charles Allison dropped early at second slip but then left the field mid-spell with a suspected side strain. Hutton stepped up once more, trapping Allison lbw for 27 to claim the only wicket of the innings.
Essex never looked troubled in their second innings, finishing on 106-1. Paul Walter played watchfully to reach 41 not out, while captain Tom Westley struck a brisk 28. The umpires called time at 17:00 BST, with both sides settling for a share of the points—Essex taking 14 and Nottinghamshire 13.
Though a draw was always the likely outcome once Haynes’ resistance kicked in, Essex will rue missed opportunities with the new ball, while Nottinghamshire will be buoyed by Haynes’ form and the fight shown in difficult circumstances.
With a packed early-season schedule, both teams now look ahead to their next fixtures, hoping to build on the positives from a match where bat ultimately triumphed over ball.
