Liam Patterson-White is savouring the opportunity to see the fruits of his winter’s labours on the Trent Bridge turf, after turning in a wicket-taking display on day one of Nottinghamshire’s pre-season encounter with Warwickshire.
Patterson-White removed Dom Sibley for 65, sending down ten overs for 29 runs as the visitors recorded 197/4 declared – and he admitted the strength of the opposition made the day all the more pleasing.
“I think it does make a big difference,” he said.
“Credit should go to the lads from Loughborough Uni, who played well when they visited us in the week and gave us a good run-out, but it’s always beneficial to be able to come up against top opposition ahead of the season.
“It is a long old winter too, so just to have the feeling of getting back out on the grass is nice. I really enjoyed being back out there, and being able to construct overs as well as just getting some time under my belt.”
Patterson-White was one of two spinners given the opportunity by returning captain Steven Mullaney, with Calvin Harrison (1/42) accounting for Matthew Lamb with what proved to be the final ball of the Warwickshire innings.
The left-armer took a moment to praise his leg-spinning teammate, as well as opener Haseeb Hameed, who retired unbeaten on 47 having scored a ton in midweek against Loughborough.
“Calvin is a great prospect, we all know that,” he said.
“The way he goes about his business is top class and he fully deserves to be in the position he’s in.
“And Haseeb has just carried on churning out the runs this week, which is great to see. He’s a really good player in good form.”
Patterson-White’s time with the bat may arrive tomorrow, as Notts face 60 overs in the middle before fielding for the final 30 overs of the encounter.
If given the opportunity, his motives are simple.
“It’s about batting time, playing to my strengths and trying to enjoy it,” he said.
“There’s still time for a bit of exploration, but I’ll mainly be looking to stick to my game if I get out there tomorrow.
“You can never replicate the pressure of a game – even a friendly – in the nets. Being in the middle at Trent Bridge, with people watching, definitely brings a little extra edge, so I’m really looking forward to getting out there.”
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Notts Outlaws, the 2017 and 2020 Vitality Blast winners, are in T20 action at Trent Bridge from May-July. Pin your green and gold colours to the mast by securing an Outlaws Season Ticket for 2022.