ANNUAL REPORT 2019

CHAIRMAN’S REPORT 9 it is a source of satisfaction each time homegrown Nottinghamshire players feature for the first time in first team cricket. Both Liam Patterson-White and Joey Evison excelled in that regard in 2019 and are consequently now members of the professional staff. Whilst it is a source of sadness that another locally nurtured Notting- hamshire cricketer, LukeWood, has opted to join Lancashire, we of course wish him all the best with his future career. On the international stage,Trent Bridge’s reputation for hosting memorable matches was once again enhanced by the six matches that took place at our venue in 2019. Watching Jason Roy and Ben Stokes power England to ODI success in a challenging run-chase against Paki- stan was one of the highlights of the season, with the atmosphere created by a sell-out Trent Bridge crowd a huge part of such a memorable occasion. This was swiftly followed by five matches in the ICC CricketWorld Cup, providing us with the oppor- tunity to witness an eclectic mix of the world’s best showcasing their skills on our turf. Whilst disappointed that it took the West Indies just 35.2 overs to dism- antle Pakistan in our opening game, the men in green bounced back splendidly to surprise England in a pulsating encounter next time out. There was also plenty to admire about the performances that saw Australia achieve their victories over theWindies and Bangladesh. And while it was a bitter disap- pointment that perhaps the most eagerly anticipated of our matches – India versus New Zealand – was washed out by heavy rain, we can certainly look back fondly on the event as a whole. Global tournaments always bring a host of challenges for our executive team. Ably led by our Chief Execu- tive, Lisa Pursehouse, they stepped up to the task and demonstrated yet again that we have a terrific team here at Trent Bridge.They deserve our sincere thanks for their hard work, not only during theWorld Cup but all year round. Whilst theWorld Cup served a “PUTTING OUR CHAMPIONSHIP FORM RIGHT IS A PRIMARY GOAL FOR US, WITH THE ULTIMATE AIM OF CHALLENGING FOR HONOURS RATHER THAN PERENNIAL BATTLES FOR PROMOTION AND SURVIVAL.” Richard Tennant