Jake Libby had a sense of how the umpires must feel after spending the entire day on the field, as Nottinghamshire began their red ball season with a warm-up friendly against Hampshire at Windward Cricket Club in Barbados.
Libby batted throughout Nottinghamshire’s 60 over innings, scoring 103 not out in his side’s 179 for two, then had to field as Hampshire replied with 95 for one in the 30 over session after tea.
“It’s been a long day in that heat,” he confessed afterwards. “The body is aching a bit at the moment but I’m obviously delighted with how it’s gone because this heat here in Barbados is pretty relentless.”
A year ago the young Cornishman was contemplating missing much of the 2015 campaign through injury, so he’s determined to make up for lost time.
“Obviously last season didn’t quite work out for me how I wanted it to, with the injury, so it’s good to be fully fit at the start of this campaign.
"I’ve had a good winter in Australia and feel fully prepared to hopefully play a bit more of a part in the first team and see if I can really nail that opening spot.”
After a quiet start to the day, Libby began to grow in stature at the crease as he eased into his work.
“There wasn’t a lot in the wicket for the bowlers but it was quite hard to score at times. Obviously spin did play a big part, so that was probably the toughest part of the day for me. In this heat, on these flat decks, you’ve just got to grind it out and be patient and I thought I did that pretty well.
He survived two extremely difficult chances, at short leg on 44 and in the gully on 71.
“I would have been disappointed if he’d taken the short leg one but you sometimes need a little bit of luck as a batsman.”
Libby’s bid to score the first century of the tour was nearly put on hold, as he lost strike for three overs in a row. He admitted that he didn’t think he was anywhere near his ton though.
“Ben Kitt came out with a drink before the final over and told me I was on 93. I was at the wrong end but luckily Greg (Smith) put one into the leg side for a single so I could have a chance. I thought I’d better look to hit it over the top and to get there in two hits – a four and a six – was a great way to cap it off.”
The 2015 season saw dramatic last-gasp four day victories, thrilling limited-overs contests and an historic Investec Ashes Test, all in the unique surroundings of Trent Bridge.
Next season, we’d wager, will be no less enthralling and frankly we’d hate for you to miss out.