2023 ANNUAL REPORT

CHAIR’S REPORT 7 ANDY H UN T CHAI R’S REPORT Cricket has always been evolving, but there is a growing sense that the pace of change has created a series of challenges that will impact every county club. This has been magnified over the past season, my first as Chair of the club, with county chairs asked to consider all manner of emerging themes, opportunities and threats to our game. Having been on the committee for two years before being elected Chair, these challenges were by no means a surprise.Their breadth, however, has surprised me. From upholding our status as a leading venue and supporting our professional sides in an ever- changing global landscape, to our duties as custodians of club cricket and our determination to drive ever-greater participation in the sport – the in-tray is nothing if not rich and varied. Over the past 12 months I have seen Nottinghamshire maintain their standing in Division One of the County Championship, witnessedTammy Beaumont’s considered double-century for England against Australia, welcomedThe Blaze, attended sold- out Trent Rockets double-headers and brought my family to watch Notts Outlaws win at Trent Bridge. We are relevant because while our programme is varied, our intent to win matches is a constant.The county structure needs clubs like ours who maintain an ambition to operate in the top tier of champion- ship cricket, who play competitive white-ball cricket and who produce, nurture and coach players for teams around the world and for England. The world game needs venues like ours.Venues that can adapt to all formats, welcome the women’s game and serve a community purpose. This year’s financial results, however, reflect the ongoing importance of men’s Test cricket to the business model of our club, and our financial deficit for 2023 reflects this.We budget in cycles of five years and more, and over the years we have My time as a member of Nottinghamshire’s General Committee has given me first-hand insight into the complexity of our cricketing landscape. “THE COUNTY STRUCTURE NEEDS CLUBS LIKE OURS WHO MAINTAIN AN AMBITION TO OPERATE IN THE TOP TIER OF CHAMPIONSHIP CRICKET, WHO PLAY COMPETITIVE WHITE-BALL CRICKET AND WHO PRODUCE, NURTURE AND COACH PLAYERS FOR TEAMS AROUND THE WORLD AND FOR ENGLAND.” Andy Hunt