2023 ANNUAL REPORT

NOTTINGHAMSHIRE COUNTY CRICKET CLUB 2023 ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS 22 “FARHAN AHMED REPRESENTED ENGLAND U19S AGAINST AUSTRALIA IN THE SUMMER AND IS TOURING THE SUB-CONTINENT WITH THE YOUNG LIONS OVER THE WINTER, INCLUDING FOR THE U19S WORLD CUP.” Mick Newell the number of recreational clubs and the size of the talent pool, boasts rich talent which we must, and do, invest in.The combination of an effective pathway and intelligent recruitment will help us to be successful in the years to come. In 2023, Freddie was joined by Academy players Travis Holland, Sam Seecharan, Farhan Ahmed and Tom Giles at the ECB Super 4s Festival, a tournament for the top U18 prospects around the country. Farhan also represented England U19s against Australia in the summer and is touring the sub- continent with theYoung Lions over the winter, including for the U19sWorld Cup. Travis andTom both played for England U19s against Ireland in Youth ODIs last year, and Freddie was included in theYoung Lions’ invitational side to face Australia during their visit. In addition,Toby Lambert, Josh Parsons and Josh Beer were among the promising U15 players from across the country who were invited to Bunbury Festival.Toby and Josh will also join Akand Gangorta in the Academy ahead of 2024. I am grateful to the work done by MattWood, Richard Damms and Andy Pick in our pathway as they continue to nurture our talent as players and people. Whilst Nottinghamshire’s senior women had their short season curtailed by poor weather, our talented crop of young players helped Nottinghamshire U18s to the semi-final of the County One Day Cup. Of those young players, Annie Williams, Hayva Abbott, Olivia Baker, Rhiannon Knowling-Davies, Evee Mae-Hicklin, Libby Armitage, MaddieWard and Ella Porter all represented the East Midlands region’s Academy, while six of those remain in the squad for 2024. WicketkeeperWard was also included inThe Blaze and England U19s Head Coach Chris Guest’s squad for the U19Women’sWorld Cup, in which England finished runners up. Meanwhile Notts’ Lucy Higham, Teresa Graves, Michaela Kirk and Sophie Munro - who recently toured Oman with England A – excelled in a successful inaugural season for The Blaze, where they reached the final of both the Charlotte Edwards Cup and Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy. Such immediate growth having been previously based at Loughborough provides vindication for their move. We are excited to host them at Trent Bridge on four occasions in 2024, and we will continue to lend our support behind the scenes as the groundswell in support for the women’s game in Nottinghamshire increases, evidenced by the brilliant Women’s Ashes Test Match in June.