68 glorious overs.

It certainly didn’t look like that would be possible when cricketers returned to the Trent Bridge outfield for a fourth day running, and were promptly delayed by the elements once again.

However, once an early lunch had been savoured, and a squally shower had blown through, meaningful action on the hallowed turf broke out, much to the delight of the returning Dane Paterson.

The South Africa seamer, a constant in the past two summers, hopped straight off the plane and into the game, dismissing Sam Evans for just four, adding the first scalp to his 2023 tally.

“It’s good to be back,” said Paterson.

“I’ve missed this place over the last six months. Getting back here, reconnecting with the lads and seeing some new faces has been great.

“I’m happy to get off the mark straight away, flushing out the flight I was on yesterday and getting some overs in the legs, although I may wake up a bit stiff tomorrow.”

With both sides losing cricket to the weather already this week, the toss wasn't required and the visitors invited to have the first innings with the bat.

Brett Hutton, as is often the case, caused problems with a brand new ball, inducing a mistimed shot from Rishi Patel into the grateful hands of Jake Ball.

Around Paterson’s dismissal of Evans, Sol Budinger (42 ret), Rehan Ahmed (46 ret) and Lewis Hill (19 ret) provided stern resistance for the reformed bowling unit.

“The lads are all up for the challenge this year,” said Paterson.

“I’m used to running in out there now and it’s great to get the shirt back on and run in at Trent Bridge once more.

“Being back in the dressing room, seeing Fletch, cracking jokes with the lads and seeing all of them getting on Ben Slater’s nerves, I’ve missed this.”

Ultimately, it was left to the lifeboat to the titanic trio, Liam Patterson-White, to take the third wicket for the Green and Golds, Louis Kimber losing his off stump on 27.

After the Foxes called time on their innings at 40 overs, amassing 150/6 in that time, Nottinghamshire’s returning openers, from two very different places, entered the fray.

Matthew Montgomery had spent the last three days turning out for his University, Loughborough, where he had hoped to face up against the Notts attack in perfect preparation for the season. 

Alas, the weather put a stop to that. He had, of course, already posted an unbeaten half century for the hosts in their first two days of mostly uninterrupted pre-season action versus Derbyshire last week.

Ben Duckett meanwhile, graced the hallowed turf for the first time since the Division Two title winning days of September 2022.

In fact, the run-laden left-hander has barely stepped foot on English soil since then, representing his country in all three formats in the interim.

From an international T20 return in Pakistan to a 3-0 Test series win in the same country, all the way through to a entertaining 1-1 draw versus New Zealand, Duckett has been one of few mainstays across a busy winter for the Three Lions.

He showed all that class, and more, against the Leicestershire attack in the late afternoon, combining five fours with a two maximum, one which barely travelled at higher than six feet off the ground before clattering into the stands.

Montgomery wasn’t far behind, with eight boundaries in his second knock of pre-season, both openers falling with 38 to their names.

The platform was laid for Joe Clarke (48* from 42) and Steven Mullaney (47* from 40) to bask in the evening sun at Trent Bridge, using their free-flowing blades to knock the Leicestershire attack to all parts.

The hosts would go on to finish on 181/2 in 28 overs, with the two sides set to resume battle between each other, and against the elements, tomorrow morning.