Peter Moores has preached the virtues of stability as his Notts side prepare to return to the field for a two-day friendly fixture against Derbyshire (23 and 24 March, 11am).
The clash, which has been switched from the Incora County Ground and will be played behind closed doors, will be Notts’ first of three pre-season games, which the Head Coach hopes will give players valuable time at the crease and on grass.
It will also signal the resumption of an ongoing project to see Notts compete at the top of the First-Class game domestically.
A squad of 12 has been named for the game against the Green and Golds’ East Midlands neighbours, with new recruit Olly Stone set to don Nottinghamshire colours for the first time since making the move to Trent Bridge.
“It has been a busy winter for the lads, but now we’re at an exciting point because almost all the players are back, and we have a full squad with which we can look forwards,” Moores said.
“That squad is pretty settled now, and we have played some very good four-day cricket in the last few years. It has been a journey because we have had to rebuild since 2019. We are now at the point where, if we play to our potential, we are a really difficult team to beat.
“In terms of the games ahead, clearly we want to start well and build momentum in the early stages of the season, and these pre-season games give us the platform to do that.”
Moores has also reflected on the type of cricket he expects to see from his side this year.
With England’s aggressive approach yielding 10 wins from their last 12 Test matches, the Head Coach admits there may be similarities in the approach adopted by counties.
However, the Green and Golds have been ahead of that particular curve in recent years, which stands his players in good stead as they look to perform for club and country.
“Quite rightly, every county player wants to play for their country so they will look to try and replicate that style,” he said.
“But for us, we’ve scored at a faster rate than any other county for two years, that’s already part of the way we play. We’ve got players who constantly seek to put pressure on the opposition and advance the game.
“We’ve seen that with Ben Duckett, who has had a successful reintegration into the England side because he is playing a style of cricket true to himself - he has played that way for us for a few years.
“It does help to release some players to be even better, so it’ll definitely be interesting to watch this year. We’re in a good position.”
Whilst the game against Derbyshire will be played behind closed doors and will not be streamed, a live scorecard will be available with updates provided on Trent Bridge’s social media channels.
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