2022 ANNUAL REPORT

21 CRICKET REPORT It was a year in which England won a memorableTest Match at Trent Bridge, and there were more scenes of celebration a few months later with Nottinghamshire winning the second division title. In white-ball cricket, we saw how fine margins can be with progression from the group stages of the Royal London Cup secured on net run- rate, and we identified areas for improvement in theVitality Blast, where we failed to meet the high standards that we have set for our- selves over a concerted period in the T20 form of the game. We also celebrated success in other areas: the continued progress of many of our pathway players; the accelerating development of women’s cricket; international recognition for Notts players; and first and third placed finishes forTrent Rockets’ men and women respectively in The Hundred. We seek to measure success through games and trophies won, but also the foundations we lay for the future, and it is exciting that we are thriving on both fronts. Having installed securing promotion as our key priority from the moment we were informed that we would be playing in DivisionTwo, the highlight of the year was securing the red-ball title. I’m proud of how our players over- came the setback of being placed in the second tier, despite being one of the best performing counties in First-Class cricket in 2021. They also dealt admirably with the weight of expectation, having been tipped as clear favourites to win the division before a ball was bowled. Victory on the final day of the season provided a chance for players, staff, members and supporters to come together to celebrate success. The final fixture was a test of the squad’s character having lost to Worcestershire in the penultimate game of the campaign, but they handled the occasion impressively, and rightly enjoyed the adulation they received during the celebrations at the end of the final game. A great deal of credit has to go to our batting unit, who set up our victories and put the opposition on the back foot with a proactive approach at the crease throughout the season. Haseeb Hameed, in particular, showed true resilience and appetite for the game after a difficult winter in Australia. That he returned from the Ashes tour with a strong desire to work on Primarily with success stories, but also some moments of frustration, the 2022 season provoked the full range of emotions for everyone connected with the club. M I C K N EWE L L CR ICKET REPORT “WE SEEK TO MEASURE SUCCESS THROUGH GAMES AND TROPHIES WON, BUT ALSO THE FOUNDATIONS WE LAY FOR THE FUTURE, AND IT IS EXCITING THAT WE ARE THRIVING.” Mick Newell