2020 ANNUAL REPORT

19 CRICKET REPORT Paul Franks has described the moment he found out there would be a domestic season to be his favourite of the year – and I have to echo that. Whatever success we may have enjoyed and progress we may have made on the field, the single most satisfying aspect of this year was having the privilege to play and compete once more. We were hugely grateful for that opportunity, and the tireless efforts of Steve Birks (Head Groundsman) and James Pipe (Head of Science and Medicine), as well as Tom Paterson and John Gorman in the operations team, in implementing precautions and protocols to keep us as safe as possible. Theirs was no easy task, but it was undoubtedly the most crucial of the year. However, it’s impossible to overstate how much we missed our members and supporters this season. Our first experience of competitive fixtures without fans in the ground came in our red-ball encounters, and there’s no doubt that they didn’t feel quite the same.We missed the presence of our supporters and the kinds of interactions you are able to have during longer-form games. Equally, we’ve become so used to the passionate, vocal support of packed houses onT20 nights, and we all found it strange to play those games behind closed doors. Your support from afar was vital – and was something which I know drove the players on through such a strange summer. We hope you were able to find some entertainment in following our fortunes on the live stream and on TV – particularly as we closed out the season by winning the Blast. Our third trophy in four seasons – and fifth since 2010 – was built upon a white-ball side of undoubted experi- ence and international quality, allied to a crop of exciting young players. With the players we have at our disposal, it’s not difficult to work out why our T20 side has been so consistently successful. However, even by their high standards, the squad’s achievements this year were remarkable. With the exception of the defeat at Grace Road and an edgy quarter- final, we were utterly dominant. In opening the group stages with a century to help us chase down 190 at Durham, Joe Clarke laid down a real marker – not just to our opponents, but to his teammates too. That game set a really high standard, and the rest of the group would have been under no illusions that they would have to play incredibly well to beat us. For significant periods of this year, there was a very real danger that this season’s cricket report would have been remarkably short – if, indeed, there was a report to write at all. As we navigated the challenges of spring and early summer, it was difficult at times not to become pessimistic about our chances of taking to the field. M I C K N EWE L L CR ICKET REPORT