ANNUAL REPORT 2019

NOTTINGHAMSHIRE COUNTY CRICKET CLUB 2019 ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS 12 As I look back on a challenging and, at times, frankly bewildering 2019, it is hard to reconcile the sense of optimism we all felt at the start of the year with the sense of hopelessness that pervaded by the end of September. L I S A P U R S E HOU S E CHI EF EXECUT I VE’S REPORT Whilst acknowledging the failure of our on-field endeavours, particu- larly in red-ball cricket, I will start my report by offering thanks to our members and supporters for their unstinting backing. Our membership figure held strong at 7,700 – an unprecedented number for a year without a Test match – and audiences for domes- tic cricket genuinely exceeded our expectations. The Family Fun Day for the 50- over fixture againstYorkshire sold out in advance and set our all-time record for domestic attendance of 14,478. Meanwhile, the average attendance for the group stages of the Vitality Blast exceeded 12,000 for the first time. The fact that over 4,000 spectators chose to arrive early and watch the Loughborough Lightning fixture in our T20 double-header last year was a particular highlight. Inspir- ing women and girls to reach their potential remains an imperative strategic objective for our game. We have been striving and suc- ceeding – in partnership with the Nottinghamshire Cricket Board – to grow participation, develop stronger links with clubs and schools and to explore different formats to attract new players. The All Stars Cricket programme saw hundreds of youngsters, both boys and girls, aged 5-8 across our county picking up a bat and ball for the first time in community hubs and in our league clubs. The Trent Bridge Community Trust celebrated its ten-year anniversary and we marked the occasion with a special event held at Trent Bridge. To hear first-hand how the work we have undertaken has impacted positively on the lives of young peo- ple in our county over that period was truly humbling. My thanks go to Mark Clifford, our Community Projects Manager, in particular, who has been with us from the start. In relation to international cricket, any summer without a Test match feels like it has something missing, but One-Day Internationals at our venue rarely disappoint.With England triumphing in a challenging run-chase against Pakistan, whilst a sell-out crowd immersed themselves in the drama, our 2019 instalment was another occasion to remember. Hosting a global sporting tourna- ment is always special, and welcom- ing the ICC CricketWorld Cup to Nottinghamshire for the first time in 20 years was a huge privilege. Although not as financially positive to the club as bilateral cricket, those five match days shone a spotlight on our city, county and borough, and the economic and reputational benefits derived should not be un- derestimated. There were significant challenges to overcome, from pressure on the square for pitches to setting up out-grounds, managing the quirks of centralised tournament ticketing and the increased prevalence of first-time visitors, but the event was something for us all to look back upon with pride. That cricket supporters rated us