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Day 1: Loveridge and Halsall raise tempo

Neville Scott at Trent Bridge

First day of three: Cambridge Univ 209-5 v Notts

Though Nottingham extended England's traditional new-season welcome raw north-westerly wind and violent squalls which washed away 110 minutes in all - the rain did at least inspire sudden vigour after tea.

With the surface enlivened, David Lucas, a 20-year-old locally-born debutant seamer who has represented England at the indoor game, nipped one back to have James Pyemont lbw with the first ball on resumption. Soon after he repeated the delivery to remove Quentin Hughes offering no shot.

Cambridge's response to a stuttering 89 for four was an abandoned onslaught as surprising as it was richly entertaining. New Zealand Test cap Greg Loveridge, straight from a maiden century, reached 50 in 62 balls with shots of impeccable class.

His partner, Richard Halsall, at 30 a veritable veteran for a freshman, was man of the match in the 1997 National Club Championship final at Lord's. It was soon clear why. Hitting with a clean relish, he contributed 50 in just 61 balls. However, with 111 added at five an over, Halsall was forced to retire after colliding with the wicketkeeper scampering a single.

Day 2: No play

Day 3: Notts show generosity

Neville Scott at Trent Bridge

Cambridge Univ (287-8 dec & 38-0 dec) drew with Notts (forf & 212-5).

Cambridge University students must think Nottinghamshire's benevolence knows no bounds.

Having talked them into offering seven further overs of joke bowling in the afternoon when any nous at all would have enabled a target to be set by lunch, they found the Notts batsmen ready to chase 326 to win at 5.25 per over on a pitch so slow it made Sharjah look positively bouncy.

Setting such totally defensive fields from the off that batsmen could only get themselves out, four then did precisely that by the 30th over.

In his first 34 balls at this level, debutant seamer Chris Sayers, finding first-class life very kind, bowled Usman Afzaal when he missed a huge slog and had Jason Gallian splendidly stumped as he inched from his crease to one wide down the leg side.

Guy Welton, advancing to slice a drive to cover, and Paul Johnson, top-edging his sweep to the deep, then went in seven deliveries from South African slow left-armer Ken Walker to leave 243 needed at 7.4.

Though batsmen did resume some sporadic thrashing later, their professional charity effectively ended, the game left as a draw with six overs unbowled.