ANNUAL REPORT 2019

NOTTINGHAMSHIRE COUNTY CRICKET CLUB 2019 ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS 8 R I C H A R D T E NNAN T CHAI RMAN’S REPORT First of all, it was unacceptable because we were relegated – but perhaps more disappointingly, it was the manner of many of the team’s performances. Whilst the turnover of players within our squad in recent years is well documented, four close-season signings and the return to fitness of Paul Coughlin gave us hope that 2019 would see us placed much further up the table. That our squad did not come close to fulfilling its collective potential in the long format of the game has led to much discussion and debate amongst the cricket department, committee and members. With the experience of relegation under their belts and some consid- ered changes to the coaching and playing staff having been made, we believe we have the right personnel in place to bounce back this summer. The addition of Kevin Shine as a hugely experienced Assistant Coach and Haseeb Hameed as a batsman with great pedigree and potential, particularly in the red-ball game, are important steps for the club in this regard. As a club, we need to get behind every one of our players and coaches as we enter the new season and give our full support as they strive for the vast improvement that is no doubt required if we are to enjoy a successful campaign. Shaping a new team since 2017 has, of course, been a slower process than we wished for – and it’s clear that creating a winning unit from the new players we have recruited, alongside our emerging younger players and the existing core of experience, is taking time. Achieving promotion in 2017 aside, it’s fair to say that our membership – and the stature of our club – deserves better than the perfor- mances we have been able to pro- duce in Championship cricket in recent years. Putting that right is a primary goal for us, not just heading into the new season but also for the long-term, with the ultimate aim of challenging for honours rather than perennial battles for promotion and survival. Our white-ball cricket, however, remained strong and – despite our disappointment in both semi-finals – we can be proud of our consistent record as a leading performer in the limited-overs game. Reaching Vitality Blast Finals Day in three of the past four years – and securing a home quarter-final in nine seasons out of ten, with the incremental financial benefit that brings as well as the on-field pride – are achievements unparalleled by anyone else in the game. Strongly led by Dan Christian, the Outlaws have forged a reputation for a brand of winning cricket that makes people want to watch them, as was demonstrated by the record crowds we welcomed toTrent Bridge for those fixtures in 2019. As the season on the field evolves, When reflecting on 2019, it has to be acknowledged that our performance on the field in red-ball cricket was unacceptable.