A stunning display of hitting from Notts overseas star David Hussey was not enough to prevent Trent Bridge Cricket Team falling to defeat against Paul Johnson’s All-Star XI.

The final match of Johnson’s 2004 Testimonial saw Aussie batsman Hussey strike six sixes in an over from the luckless Samit Patel but despite that and an entertaining hundred from former West Indies skipper Jimmy Adams, the All-Star XI won by 14 runs. The two batsmen guested for Trent Bridge Cricket Team against an All-Star XI featuring Notts players past and present, as well as former Nottingham Forest and England midfielder Steve Hodge.

After the day was kicked off with a Kwik cricket tournament involving youngsters from Ellerslie and Plumtree Cricket Clubs, Johnson won the toss and elected to bat. Openers Patel and Will Smith were quickly into their stride against the new ball pairing of Jamie Dickinson and Rob Goodwin but the senior bowler struck back with a delivery that nipped back to trap Patel leg before for 25. Dickinson was removed from the attack and Simon Cleaves claimed a wicket in his first over with a fine delivery, inducing an edge from Smith which was safely taken by Hussey behind the stumps who had donned the gloves for the afternoon. Cleaves had new batsmen David Alleyne and Johnson genuinely playing and missing.

A double bowling change followed with Paul McCue replacing Goodwin while Adams took over from Cleaves. Johnson survived a close leg before appeal and briefly reminded the watching crowd of his ability with the bat before holing out to Mike Tew at deep midwicket off McCue. His partner Alleyne repeated the trick shortly after to leave Steve Hodge and Bilal Shafayat at the crease and the younger batsman showed his class with some superb sweep shots to the boundary until he was bowled by Dave Terrill’s off-spin for 42. Terrill quickly castled Paul McMahon and then followed up with the wicket of Hodge for 27, again bowled. Rain briefly interrupted proceedings before Cleaves grabbed his second wicket with a full toss hit by Stephen Randall straight to Dickinson at cover. Richard Logan showed little mercy however launching Cleaves for two huge sixes while Trent Bridge Cricket Team skipper Tom Paterson was also milked for runs as the All-Star XI innings closed on 248-8.

In reply, Adams padded up with Dickinson and used all his experience to help the young all-rounder through a testing spell from Notts pacemen Greg Smith and Logan. The pair had made a steady start when Dickinson was defeated by a skidding delivery from Logan that crashed into the stumps. Trent Bridge Cricket Team player of the year Kumud Wijayaratna applied a safety first mentality to see off the opening bowlers but was then undone by the off-spin of Randall. That brought Hussey into action and the 27-year-old Aussie produced real fireworks as Patel’s left-arm spin was sent sailing far over the Lady Bay pavilion. Play was delayed as replacement balls were needed but that only offered brief respite for Patel, who managed to keep a smile on his face at the end of the over. Hussey’s lighting-fast innings of 70 was brought to an end by the occasional off-spin of Alleyne and it was his bowling that would break the back of the Trent Bridge Cricket Team chase.

Adams had picked up the pace of his innings against the spin of Randall, McMahon and Patel and brought up his classy century with another finely played sweep shot before being stumped by Will Smith off McMahon. His dismissal provoked a collapse of the middle order, with Goodwin run out for four, Cleaves playing all around a straight ball from Alleyne and Tew fell in identical fashion three balls later. Terrill tried to hit his way to the target and pulled two sixes off Johnson’s bowling but his dismissal ended realistic hopes of a successful chase. Steve Edwards missed a straight one from Johnson and was also bowled and the hosts ran out of overs just short of their target finishing on 234-9 with Paterson and McCue unbeaten at the close.

At the conclusion of the match the umpires were given the task of adjudicating the man of the match. After much deliberation they decided that David Hussey's inning of 70, including those six sixes in one over, deserved the award.

Our thanks for a successful and enjoyable day go to Trent Bridge Cricket Team’s Tom Paterson for arranging the fixture and to Johno and his team for playing the game in the right spirit! We would also like to say a big thank you to sponsors All-in-One Windows for making the match possible and Kumud Wijayaratna for looking after them. Finally, thanks to Alex Picker for keeping things running smoothly behind the scenes and for maintaining the bar so efficiently assisted by Nick Murphy.