COLUMN: Remarkable year for cricket team

The club achieved a historic hat-trick of success, starting with the 50-over Royal London One-Day Cup where they beat Surrey at Lord’s in July, and the NatWest T20 Blast in September, beating Birmingham Bears in the final at Edgbaston.

The team also won promotion back to Specsavers County Division One at the first attempt after finishing second in Division Two. To help recognise these fantastic achievements, we recently jointly hosted a civic reception with the club, in partnership with Rushcliffe Borough Council and Nottingham City Council to help celebrate this remarkable season.

I was particularly delighted that this event paid tribute to everyone connected with this club, full of talented players and coaching staff.

Local cricket clubs from across the county were represented at the civic event, including club members and players based in Papplewick and Linby, Gedling Colliery, Arnold, Attenborough and Cuckney.

On the road to NCCC’s Royal London One-Day Cup success was a home victory at Trent Bridge’s sister venue, the Welbeck Colliery Cricket Club in Market Warsop. It’s also where Notts bowler Jake Ball is from, earning him the nickname of the Welbeck Wizard. And it’s great news that Jake has been given his Ashes debut, joining Nottinghamshire team mate Stuart Broad in the England line-up.

We are very proud with our links with Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club, and look forward to next season, particularly with the team being back where they belong in top flight cricket.

Both the team itself and the world-renowned Trent Bridge, a special place and one of the country’s favourite cricket venues, are a great asset and certainly enhance Nottinghamshire’s reputation as a sporting county.