2015 Season Countdown Preview Part 2

A week into March 2015 and some counties are adding overseas players to their squads.

After previous years when diving-in and signing cover for expected season-starting absentees; Ed Cowan and Phil Jacques spring to mind; 2015 has seen no movement in that direction at Trent Bridge. Is it a case of complacency that, unknown Division One quantity/quality, Greg Smith will fill the void or does Mick have his head in the sand rather than an ace up his sleeve?

The problematic position of opening bat remains. Alex Hales, neglected down-under through England’s string of defeats will occupy one spot but as to his partner might be, is up for grabs. Whilst being willing, Steven Mullaney is better suited to a lower position than opening. Both young Lumb and even younger Libby are injury afflicted so really 2 of the top 3 spots are vacant. Greg Smith will have an opportunity to step-up and if he does pick-up the ball and run with it, it’ll be smiles all round Trent Bridge.

Similar problems existed in June 2014 also; James Taylor was regularly hitting fifties without converting many to three figures, Michael Lumb was promising a score, looking in good nick,  without the elusion knock appearing.  By mid-June Notts had drawn four championship fixtures, mainly due to the weather but had lost half of the concluded matches also.

Another home defeat on a Friday night against Bears was followed by a welcome and pulsating run chase in the championship win over Middlesex, stemming from a good opening stand by Alex Hales and Phil Jacques; optimism around Trent Bridge and the faithful rose again.

Cue a set-back……… Lumb became injured. Phil Jacques stepped-up for the T20s, as replacement, as Foxes were chased down.

Mick Newell scratted around contacts looking to boost ranks and ended up signing a mate of Andre Adams, James Franklin, who has signed on a EU qualification in 2015 for Middlesex but Notts had him as an overseas player – a little odd that he failed to mention his Irish ancestry 2014! The inclusion of Franklin didn't fill the void when injury ended Andy Carter’s season nor did it make-up for Andre Adams bowling off a reduced run-up and looking a shadow of his former self in 2014. If Andre’s decline continues in 2015 , as it did in 2014, then his short term contract at Hampshire will be his last.

Andy Carter is said to be looking dangerous in 2015 preliminaries and much is hoped for, if not expected of him, in the coming season.  Another early curtailment to a season might end the Lincolnshire poacher’s time at Trent Bridge but the lad promises wickets at a good strike rate when he does play, so long live the air of positivity in his regard. Another bowling hope for 2015 is the new signing Will Gidman. As with Greg Smith, Will has shown that he is better than many of his peers in Division 2 but as with Greg, is he able to make those strides to up his game for Division 1? Those paid to, and with the professional knowledge to - you would hope, have deemed both players capable of upping their games so are the prospects for the season looking rosy?

Outlaws did make one signing this week however; former West Indies T20 captain, Darren Sammy, who will play in a maximum of four T20 fixtures between 31^st May and June 12^th. Sammy could return if Notts make the quarter-finals. This signing was followed by Samit Patel signing a three extension deal.  DDG