Jason Gallian is looking forward to building a new opening partnership with Will Jefferson as the Nottinghamshire veteran prepares for first Championship match of the season.

April 18-21: Notts v Leicestershire
Start time: 11am.
Tickets cost £12 for adults and £6 for concessions.

The 35-year-old spent seven seasons opening with Darren Bicknell, but the left-hander's retirement last summer has left a large gap to be filled at the top of the order.

That is set to be filled by 6ft 10ins Jefferson, provided the England A batsman has recovered from his hamstring injury.

And Gallian admits that forming a relationship with his new batting partner will take time - although the signs are promising.

He said: "In the winter Mick Newell was looking to freshen things up in the squad and all the new guys have come in and done that.

"Will has got a lot of talent and I'm sure that we'll be able to form a successful partnership.

"It takes time to get to know each other and by the end Darren and I were on the same wavelength. There has to be a certain level of trust and the fact that we were both of a similar pace helped us, as we could judge singles well."

Gallian is feeling in good form after some profitable knocks in pre-season, including 73 against Durham UCCE last week, and is confident he can carry that through to the Championship fixture.

He added: "I'm quite happy with my form so far. But practice games don't really count for much once you get into the first match.

"But with the weather being so good for the last couple of weeks, the pitch at Trent Bridge should be a good one and hopefully I can help set a platform for us to get an early win under our belts."

Leicestershire will be missing Paul Nixon and Stuart Broad on England duty at the World Cup, but Gallian still anticipates a tough four days.

"They have always been a very competitive and united squad who are difficult to break down. I have to say I'm disappointed not to be facing Broad - I haven't come up against him yet and was looking forward to the challenge."

Injury news:
Jefferson will have a final fitness test before the toss, with Bilal Shafayat ready to open if needed.
AJ Harris is likely to miss out with a foot injury sustained against Durham UCCE. Paul Franks has been brought into the squad as cover, along with Rob Ferley for a second spin option if the pitch looks likely to turn.

Squad:
Gallian, Jefferson, Shafayat, Wagh, Hussey (capt), Patel, Read (wkt), Ealham, Franks, Swann, Ferley, Sidebottom, Shreck.

Past meetings by Peter Wynne-Thomas:
Leicestershire have played 78 first-class matches at Trent Bridge and spectators have twice seen world records set in those fixtures.

On August 20, 1965, Clive Inman, the Ceylonese batsman reached his 50 in just eight minutes. That remains a world record, even if it is now just a footnote in the Wisden Almanack.

The first two days of the match had been played in miserable conditions; Leicestershire made 288-8 declared, Notts declared at 289-8. On the final morning, with the game drifting, Notts captain Geoff Millman decided something drastic was required and introduced Norman Hill into the attack. He conceded 50 runs in two overs, and Inman created a new record.

Another non-bowler had preceded Hill, but he - Brian Bolus - only managed to bowl Stan Jayasinghe for 99. It all meant that Notts were set 258 to win in 150 minutes and made 166 - match drawn.

In 1949, Reg Simpson hit a century in each innings to help Notts win by nine wickets after being set 279 to win in 145 minutes. With considerable help from Cyril Poole, who made a hundred in exactly an hour, Simpson added to his first-innings 143 for a remarkable win.

May 25, 1903: Our second world record - A.O. Jones won the toss and batted on day one. At the close Notts were 484-2, William Gunn 124 not out and nephew John unbeaten on 193. The pair had put on 298 for the third wicket.

The partnership was extended to 367 on the second morning. John Gunn hit 294, an individual record for Notts, whose total of 739-7 declared remains a club record. Although Leicestershire were bowled out in their first innings for 231, they survived to force the draw.