Nottinghamshire Members' Forum 2023.2.1

 

A panel consisting of Chairman Andy Hunt, Chief Executive Lisa Pursehouse, Director of Cricket Mick Newell and Head Coach Peter Moores took questions from the audience.

You readers will have to help me remember what was said through-out the meeting after the first question from the floor, kind of blew my brain, it being so blunt, rude, poignant, pertinent, topical, valid and badly crafted all at the same time, and all in equal measures.

The question, and the question will be forever referred to [in the future] as "the question" covered a variety of points from the lengthy pause between Notts matches at Trent Bridge, through how the Club shouldn't be congratulating itself on Division 1 survival [Notts should be doing much better than that], through only three players have performed all season (Hutton, Paterson and Clarke) but culminated with a summary of the skills of the club's senior wicketkeeper [or rather lack of skills] and asked why Schadendorf hadn't been give a chance.

Well, what could Peter Moores say to that...

Somehow Moores' defence twisted the focus of the flawed question into an attack on his own integrity, but the question was so cringy and impossible for Moores to answer. Quoting incorrect statistics didn't help Moores and saying that we should all focus on the past three season instead of just the one was just a smoke screen. But the question was so... "we pick the strongest eleven" or words to that effect was also part of his response. I'm not sure if Tom's keeping is still improving as his dad suggests it is - but he's the coach and ought to know.

In no particular order, please help me here...

There was a question about Welbeck, how 3 games was too many and how help to make the place more accessible to supporters in the future would be welcome.

Newell with help, said that the Club had requested for 2024 from the ECB, 2 matches at Welbeck and 2 at TB

Another question queried the blocks of games in the Blast and how affordability of time and money came into play when matches came so frequently and combined with the admission price hike in 2024, had served to hit attendances.

Nods from the top table.

Work on the pavilion was the focus of a fed question to the Chair...

... and the new Chair's prepared answer covered investigative work on the current structure this winter, the repurposing of the squash courts (in the interim), work starting next winter and the looking for a source for funding this project in the current financial climate with interest rates at the levels that they are. Work to expand the ground capacity is not necessary at this time.

There was a question about recruitment and the preceived wisdom that Notts don't nurture their own players and just raid other counties.

Again Mr Moores went on the back foot, defending the Club's and his record on bringing players on and through from the academy. A statistic was thrown in that Notts aim to have 40% homegrown talent in their squad (I don't think he said in their team). Moores reeled off a list of names, past and present, that had benefitted from the coaching received by the Notts team (he included his son in that list). The ones that had left for pastures new, he said he still took pride from their achievements. Mick Newell then chipped in on the subject of poaching other team's best players stating that everyone changes jobs and employers during their career. The irony was not lost on those around where I stood in the crowded Randall Suite, the words coming from Mr Newell who has never known employment outside of Trent Bridge. Newell also said that Notts CCC are a big club but Nottinghamshire was not a big county in terms of people playing cricket that can be recruited from, saying that Nottinghamshire was smaller even in comparison to our nearest neighbours. [that's a "fact" that would need checking]

Continuing the attack on raiding players, a brief assessment of some of the latest recruited players was made from the floor. Olly Stone - "a crock, waste of money", Josh Tongue "another crock", Dillon Pennington - "he's alright but in division two" and Jack Haynes - "he's been rubbish this year".

Raised eye brows were the response from Newell and Moores.

The 1-0-0 raised its ugly head when schedules were mentioned

there are apparently competing demands for TB from Men's Internationals, from Women's Internationals and from women's domestic cricket, the 1-0-0, as well as from NCCC. Pursehouse quoting the ECB handbook on equity and how The Blaze should get access to the best facilities etc etc

... we all have to acknowledge it, if not embrace it. We [the members assembled] are apparently all missing out, she said.

A warning was made about the General Committee, where Notts must have four females on it to comply with ECB, Sport England or some Trendy Wendy organisation's diversity rule. 

There was a question at the end, which I can't remember as the five minute bell had rung and I needed to go to the toilet, and it sounded a bit boring anyway after the question that had preceeded it which takes the prize for the most stupid, out of touch question of the forum. Why are the Club letting Samit Patel go?

Because all good things have to come to an end my friend. Newell gave some indication that our spin bowling attack in next years' Blast will consist of Calvin Harrison, Liam Patterson-White and Matthew Carter. Samit would continue wanting to play when he's 45, if someone will let him - Newell said.

LPW hasn't been anywhere near the Blast so far in his career and Matt Carter is out of contract, so Newell's words were very interesting.