Matthew Montgomery is maintaining a phlegmatic attitude as Notts ramp up their pre-season preparations with five consecutive days of competitive action, beginning with a friendly against Loughborough UCCE.
The top-order batter, and Loughborough University student will, however, be representing the away side in that particular fixture for the second year in succession, providing an opportunity to test himself against the Green and Golds' star-studded attack.
The contest (27-29 March, 11am) will be the first to be staged in front of supporters at Trent Bridge this season after a drawn two-day contest against Derbyshire last week.
Montgomery top-scored for Notts on that occasion with 73 from 87 balls, but the number three insisted that rediscovering the matchday mindset was the most valuable outcome from the fixture.
“Games like that allow you to connect with the kind of natural nerves you get before you go out to bat,” he said.
“All batters get those nerves, but it’s about making sure you deal with it positively.
“Last week was a good chance to get back into those routines and rhythms – and you can’t do that in any other way than by playing a match.
“This next week will give us a chance to keep going through those processes, sharpen up the things we haven’t done in the winter, and get everything grooved before the competitive stuff starts again.”
Notts’ scoring rate was notably faster than their opponents during last week’s friendly, with the hosts amassing 260 runs in 51 overs in response to Derbyshire’s 203 from 60.
For Montgomery, who began in circumspect fashion before accelerating in the latter half of his innings, this was the product of playing each ball on its merits.
“I wasn’t making a conscious effort to score at a particular rate – we had a short boundary near the PKF Smith Cooper Stand, and the pitch was pretty good, so it helped the runs to flow a bit,” he said.
“But as a team we’re always looking to be positive and put away the bad balls – that’s our normal style of batting, and we just see where that takes us in terms of the run rate.”
The right-hander made an immediate impact on his elevation to the red-ball first team last summer, making 80 on his debut against Glamorgan before crafting a career-best 178 in the season’s final clash against Durham.
With Ben Duckett set to be in contention after making a sterling start to his latest stint as England’s Test opener, competition for places in the Notts top order remains fierce – but Montgomery is looking no further than his next opportunity to impress, particualrly against teamates vying for a starting shirt of their own.
“I’m just taking it step by step,” he said.
“Whenever I get an opportunity, I’m going to look to do what I can.
“I’m not looking too far ahead – it’s up to me to knuckle down whenever I get a chance and make the best of it.”
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