Trent Bridge Annual Report 2018

NOTTINGHAMSHIRE COUNTY CRICKET CLUB 2018 ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS 26 great deal of transition in 2017 and the loss of experienced players has had an impact. Our decision to invest and supplement our playing squad for the short and long term is to ensure we are ready to compete for silverware across all three formats of the game in the years ahead. Our players have been hard at work in pre-season training since November and the new signings we have made – Ben Slater, Ben Duckett, Joe Clarke and Zak Chappell – fit a profile in terms of their age, potential and ambitions for the future that are suited to becoming successful Nottinghamshire cricketers. However, successful recruitment is only one strand of the cricket strategy we developed two years ago. It’s vital that alongside our recruitment we continue to focus on bringing young players through our county age-group system. With former Nottinghamshire First-Class cricketers such as David Lucas, Bilal Shafayat, Jim Hindson, Darren Bicknell and Jamie Hart now coaching our 11-17-year-old players, supported by our experienced volunteers, we believe we have a setup that gives our young players the best opportunity. It is our aspiration to provide a coaching and support set-up that nurtures young talent so that with hard work and dedication they can forge a successful career with Notts and ultimately go on to represent England. Our challenge in the next 12 months will be to determine priorities as we seek to retain and grow our audience, develop our venue to offer the very best customer experience, invest in our playing squad and support the recreational game.We must be ready for 2020 and for all the challenges and opportunities it will bring. I would like to end my report by paying tribute to Ray Dawson. Ray was a serving and active member of the General Committee at the time of his passing, and it came as a huge shock to us all. Ray, who gave two decades of service to the Club in various committee roles, continues to be greatly missed. Finally, on behalf of everyone associated with the Club, I would like to say a huge thank you for your support over the last year. Let us hope that 2019 is a memorable one for all the right reasons. Welbeck Cricket Club to host First-Class cricket for the first time in 2019 “IT IS OUR ASPIRATION TO PROVIDE A COACHING AND SUPPORT SET-UP THAT NURTURES YOUNG TALENT SO THAT WITH HARD WORK AND DEDICATION THEY CAN FORGE A SUCCESSFUL CAREER WITH NOTTS AND ULTIMATELY GO ON TO REPRESENT ENGLAND.” Lisa Pursehouse