Smith's ton is in vain as Notts beat Surrey

It wasn’t too long ago that Bryony Smooth was in the running for a place in the England side. The innings she played today will at least put a modicum of doubt into the minds of the selectors. Nottinghamshire won by 58 runs. It would have been more if Smith hadn't started to let loose when all hope seemed lost.



It was a patient innings at times and she judged when to press the accelerator as well hitting four sixes from two Kirstie Gordon overs. Notts attack contained three bowlers with international caps and Smith played them all exceptionally.



Smith was out for 106 from 107 balls. Surrey was bowled out for 173 chasing 232 to beat Notts. For Smith to score just over 61 per cent of that total shows a player of true quality. She was involved in the run out of Nat Sciver, Surrey’s England all-rounder for 8. Surrey has a young side and they were never going to recover from a poor start to their chase.



Sophie Munro the Notts opening bowler again impressed. In the young fast bowlers first 8 balls, she had Kirstie White and Aylish Cranstone caught by Amy Gauvrit. Munro finished with figures of 3 for 13 from 6.3 overs.



Sciver was run out. followed swiftly by Kira Chathli lbw to Jenny Gunn for 6 Surrey were 40 for 4. Surrey needed a partnership badly. Hannah Jones joined Smith and the two added 47 for the fifth wicket.



Suddenly Surrey looked like that they were clawing a way back and it took an outstanding low catch from Sonia Odedra to see off Jones.



After that is was only Smith that offered any resistance as Surrey lost regular wickets. Surrey did add 55 for the ninth wicket that was mainly down to Smith who saw her opportunity to attack.



Smith was the first English player to score a hundred in the county championship division one since 2016. That is due to the fact that England’s players have not always been regularly available.



Notts had won the toss and chose to bat. With overcast skies, plenty of teams would have bowled first. It paid off as Odedra and Sarah Bryce guided Notts to 89 for the first wicket.



Bryce hit a second consecutive fifty before she was the first wicket to go bowled for 55 by Amy Gordon.



It proved a good platform. Odedra’s 49 from 100 balls allowed some late order hitting from Hannah Hughes 32 not out and 38 from Jenny Gunn 38 to propel Notts to 231 for 6 from their 50 overs. They would probably have scored more. However, a shower took the players off after 30.3 overs.