2023 ANNUAL REPORT

23 CRICKET REPORT “TAMMY BEAUMONT BECOMING THE FIRST ENGLISH WOMAN TO SCORE A DOUBLE HUNDRED IN TEST CRICKET – AND AT HER REGIONAL BASE – CAPPED A WEEK OF SEVERAL FIRSTS IN AN HISTORIC FIXTURE FOR THIS VENUE.” Mick Newell Tammy Beaumont becoming the first English woman to score a double hundred inTest cricket – and at her regional base – capped a week of several firsts in an historic fixture for this venue. For both men and women, a key pillar of our strategy is to help identify and develop players with potential for winning international caps and excelling, like Tammy. Ben Duckett enjoyed a stellar year with England on winter tours of the sub-continent and the summer’s Ashes series, in which he scored three fifties, including 99 not out at Lord’s. He has been justly rewarded with a two-year Central Contract – and we look forward to both following his exploits on the global stage and benefitting from his experience and ability when his England schedule permits. Peter Moores and Ant Botha deserve praise for helping him grow in confidence and develop his game over the last few years, but the most credit goes to Ben for working hard, being true to himself, and thriving on the international stage as a result. New recruit JoshTongue - who is one of three fresh faces to our squad for 2024 alongside Dillon Pennington and Jack Haynes – also received a two-year central-contract after making his England debut in 2023. Josh is a hugely exciting prospect who I have no doubt will make an impact for both club and country, while both Dillon and Jack have the potential to strengthen our side in all formats whilst pressing for further honours of their own. Academy graduate Lyndon James was, meanwhile, picked for another England Lions tour this winter after a particularly encouraging season with the ball. Having established himself in the County Championship side over the previous three summers, his inclusion with the Lions programme indicates the regard in which he is held by national selectors. More validation came when Stuart Broad bestowed his locker, and number eight shirt, to Lyndon on the final day of the 2023 season, as the former marked the end of his time at Trent Bridge. Stuart still jokes that my best ‘transfer window’ at Trent Bridge was the winter of 2007/08 when he, Luke Fletcher and Alex Hales signed their first professional contracts at the club, but it is they who deserve praise. Stuart was a consummate professional throughout his career, working tirelessly to be at the top of the game. Despite spending 15 of his 16 years at Nottinghamshire as a centrally contracted player, he remained wholeheartedly invested in the club. Some of his most iconic perfor- mances came at Trent Bridge, and it was only right for us to recognise his contribution to Notts, England and cricket more widely with the renaming of the Pavilion End. Samit Patel and Jake Ball also concluded their time at Trent Bridge at the end of the summer. Samit is rightly lauded as the club’s best ever white-ball cricketer.To have achieved such longevity at the