Haseeb Hameed has faith that Nottinghamshire can turn promise into performance with the visit of Kent to Trent Bridge in the LV= Insurance County Championship.
Hameed is named in a squad of 13 for the fixture, which includes Club Captain Steven Mullaney and Luke Fletcher on their return from injury.
Hameed - who captained in the absence of Mullaney for fixtures against Surrey and Hampshire and has recently been named Metro Bank One Day Cup Captain - has seen enough to suggest that a full team performance is around the corner, but has called for consistency.
“The challenge is always to back up performance from session to session,” the 26-year-old said.
“12 sessions is a long period of time. What we have learned in Division One this year is that you can’t afford to have even half a session off or you’ll get hurt - whether that’s a bowling or batting unit.
“As batters, we acknowledge that we need to score more runs in the first innings. With the ball, we have been outstanding at times, but we can keep pushing to be better at different points.
“We really don’t feel a million miles away, it isn’t a case of us needing to go the nets and start again or work harder, it is just winning those moments; recognising where we might feel a little bit under pressure but knowing how to soak that up.”
On the challenge posed by playing Division One cricket, Hameed agrees that there is a noticeable shift in intensity, but believes Notts are well equipped to handle the task in front of them.
“Of course the level of challenge is higher, and there is more depth in the bowling and batting attacks we come across; that’s why there is a two division structure.
“You have to be able to execute for longer with bat and ball, but we are definitely good enough to do that, it’s just being able to back it up session after session, day after day.
“I believe we are good enough to beat any team - we showed that against Surrey with a man down, with the fight and character we showed - but we know that if you’re not on it, you get hurt.”
Hameed is pleased, too, with his own performances, despite maintaining there is always room for improvement.
The opener has made four fifties with an average a touch under 32, having scored over 1200 runs in Division Two in 2022.
“My game has been an extension from last year, having that approach to play my game and score runs proactively,” he said.
“There have definitely been certain conditions where you have to rein it in a bit more and it isn’t as easy, and you always want to do a bit better, and I am no different in that regard.
But we’ve got four games left and need to look forwards. Hopefully I can contribute to winning performances in that time.”