Haseeb Hameed says Nottinghamshire want to create opportunities to showcase their quality as the Rothesay County Championship returns to Trent Bridge.

Somerset visit West Bridgford for a repeat of the opening match of the 2026 summer from tomorrow (11:00am starts), and captain Hameed is clear in what he wants to see from his side.

“We’re really excited to be back into red-ball mode after a few weeks of T20 cricket, and I’m really excited to be back at home as well,” he said.

“Hopefully we get a decent crowd in, and hopefully we can play some good cricket over the next four days.

“The first game of the season was really competitive, and I know I’ve said it a lot, but this is a really competitive division,” continued Hameed.

“We know we need to take every single game exactly the same way, and that is to give ourselves the best chance to play our best cricket.”

Hameed leads a squad of 13 that has been named to take on the West Country outfit, with Pakistani overseas quick Mohammad Ali named in a Notts red-ball squad for the first time.

Seamer Brett Hutton also returns and is in line for a first appearance since the ten-wicket win over neighbours Leicestershire at the start of May.

“We’ve got a lot of strong players, and every single team so far has been a challenging one to pick. This week is no different, but that bodes well for where we are as a club,” said Hameed.

“As far as [Mohammad Ali] is concerned, we obviously signed him initially for the six-game block at the back end of the season, but then he ended up coming earlier for the T20.

“Everyone around the club has been really impressed by the way he’s gone about things, both on and off the field.”

“You look at the 13-player squad and there will be two really good players missing out. It’s a strong squad, and we’re lucky.”

With the visit of Somerset being Notts’ first red-ball game for 25 days, Hameed, and several other players, have had to find solutions to remain sharp.

The 29-year-old says that he has enjoyed a varied three weeks, focusing on a multitude of aspects designed to help him be at his best ahead of tomorrow’s clash.

“I think it gives you a good opportunity to do a few different things,” he explained. “I’ve taken a little break, and I’ve spent a bit of time at home - those sorts of things.

“Then, in and around that, I’m topping up and making sure I’m in a good space physically, and also obviously building my cricket skills.”

Captain Hameed is also happy to allow his players free rein to do what works for them, and notes that his trust in them is a key factor.

“The boys that haven’t been involved in the T20 are all very senior lads, people like Brett Hutton, Ben Slater, plus Fergus [O’Neill] and Kyle [Verreynne],” he said.

They’re very experienced, and it’s not the first time that we’ve had this kind of break. Everyone has found their own system of making it work for them.

“It is very individual, so for example, Brett has been doing his rehab and building himself up to fitness, while Fergus, having come straight to us from a busy Australian season, had a break.

“Everyone does their own thing, but I trust them all to do the right thing, and ultimately everyone wants to be ready for this game coming up.”

Hameed was afforded the opportunity to don the Notts crest in the midst of the opening Vitality Blast block earlier this month, when he led a side to Cleethorpes to face Lincolnshire.

The visitors emerged victorious on that occasion, and so too did Hameed in another competitive game that he talked of during the break.

Added together, the captain is refreshed, fighting fit, and feeling good to resume his leadership of the unbeaten table-toppers.

“We obviously played a 50-over game last week as well, which was good to be involved in, and although that’s a different format, it’s good to play some competitive cricket,” he said.

“I also played a club game [for Accrington-based Enfield in the Lancashire League’s Worsley Cup] so I was still ticking over, while taking the opportunity for a break as well.

“It was good to have done that, and now the focus is back onto this week, which I’m looking forward to.”