Born and bred in Norfolk, Olly Stone was just the breadth of a county away from his soon-to-be home.
And, having signed a three-year deal at Trent Bridge, he admitted Nottinghamshire’s historic venue has long been on his radar.
“When I moved counties in 2016, Nottinghamshire were a big team and a big consideration,” he said.
“Circumstances have changed now, and when Notts came in and were keen for me to sign, it was an exciting option.
“I have always had good games against them, and I love playing at Trent Bridge, it is a great wicket and great ground.
“The last few years haven’t been plain sailing for me in terms of injuries but hopefully they are behind me now and I can add something to the group. I am hungry to win games and trophies, and hopefully I can bring that attitude to Trent Bridge."
Stone offers raw pace to the Nottinghamshire squad, a valuable asset in all formats of the game.
The ability to bowl quickly comes with a toll on the body, but the 28-year-old believes he is in a good place to hit the ground running when he arrives at Trent Bridge.
He is all too aware of the danger he can cause to batters, too, and the way in which he can complement the Green and Golds’ existing attack.
“I feel physically in the best shape I have been in, and the ball is coming out nicely,” he said.
“My pace is where it needs to be, now it is just about putting a run of games together and performances in to back it up.
“It is always nice to have that added pace; it isn’t always the be-all and end-all, but against those batters who maybe don’t like it, it can be a nice weapon. I love bowling fast and competing. Hopefully that combination can pay off next year.”
The chance to play at a ground which has seen a gluttony of memorable batting performances, but also provides rewards for toiling bowlers, is also something of a lure for Stone.
Whilst he has three Test appearances to his name, the opportunity to develop his skills further in a team with a recent history of success in short-format cricket and an upwards trajectory in the LV= Insurance County Championship, makes the leap across the Midlands all the more exciting.
“I have always enjoyed playing at Trent Bridge,” he said.
“It can be batter friendly at times, particularly in white ball cricket, but that teaches you to bowl well. It tests you every time you have the ball in hand, and if you can bowl well there, you bowl well anywhere. The pitch has pace and bounce so hopefully I can make the most of that.
“During my time at the club, to win any trophy would be great. You play the game for that. I’d love to add another County Championship, having played a smaller part than I would have liked last year.
“And Notts tend to be there or thereabouts in T20, so that is a great squad to join. I still have aspirations to play for England in all formats, so hopefully I can put in performances for Nottinghamshire and see where that takes me, but my first job is to help the club win games.”
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