Ground: Trent Bridge, Nottingham
Captain: Haseeb Hameed (CC/ODC), Joe Clarke (T20)
2023 results: CC1: 6/10; ODC: 5/9 Group A; T20: Quarter-finalists
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
A new era begins for Notts after Steven Mullaney called time on his six-year reign as captain, with Haseeb Hameed taking over as the four-day skipper and Joe Clarke to lead in the T20 Blast. Considered by some as Championship contenders after storming Division Two, Notts found it hard going back in the top flight last season. Clarke aside, most of the top order dipped in form – Hameed did not make a hundred – and Ben Duckett was sorely missed. Injury took its toll on the pace attack, with Luke Fletcher, Jake Ball and Olly Stone managing just 10 appearances between them, although Brett Hutton made light of the situation by wobbling his way to an extraordinary 62 wickets at 21.40, well supported by Dane Paterson. With Stuart Broad retired and Ball joining Somerset, Notts have spiced up the seaming stocks by bringing in Josh Tongue and Dillon Pennington, part of a merciless raid of Worcestershire which also saw England Lions batter Jack Haynes move to Trent Bridge. T`he batting is further strengthened by the return of New Zealand’s Will Young for the first half of the season.
THE VIEW FROM THE COMMENTARY BOX DAVE BRACEGIRDLE, BBC RADIO NOTTINGHAM
A solid end to the 2023 season brought two wins and two draws from the final four outings to lift Nottinghamshire up to sixth in the Division One rankings and dispel any worries about getting dragged into the relegation picture. Performances against the top sides followed a similar pattern to the recent past and as a result Notts just haven’t quite cut it as title contenders since their last success in 2010. Under new skipper Haseeb Hameed the county has to find a way to toughen up and churn out a run of victories. Joe Clarke was the only batter to top 1,000 first class runs and is the likeliest contender to do so again, whilst South African international Dane Paterson achieved 50 wickets for the third season in a row, narrowly finishing just behind Brett Hutton, who was leading wicket-taker for the first time in his career.
TWO TO LOOK OUT FOR
New Zealand’s Will Young made such an impression in his three matches last year that the county have acted to re-engage him for a longer stint in 2024. The Kiwi batter churned out a high-quality century against Surrey on debut and if he can replicate that sort of form in the first half of the upcoming campaign then it will
