Peter Moores happy with competition for places at Nottinghamshire

The Outlaws kick-off their County Championship campaign at home to Durham on April 9 with Moores expecting to face a selection headache.

They started their preparations for the new campaign with a friendly draw against Oxford UCCE .

“It was a good exercise and credit to Oxford, they played really well,” said Moores.

“It was nice to see some of the batters get hundreds. It is not easy to get in at this time of year and it was good to see them kick on.

“There will be good competition all year. We have got lads joining the squad. We will have a tough side to pick against Durham.

“It is going to be a very tough side to get into and that is what we want.

“There is a lot of cricket to play this year and we will need all our bowlers at different times.

“We will be trying to be competitive in every game.”

Moores is also happy with the early signs from his players following a number of impressive individual displays against Oxford and during net sessions.

“Everyone wants to get time in the middle before the season,” he added. “You know if someone is playing well and you will know if they are playing well.

“In the practice in the nets the batters look like they are shaping up nicely and we are happy with where we are at.

“Brett Hutton has settled back in really well. He came through our system and it’s really good to have him back at the club.

“He has worked hard over the last five or six months to get to where he is and he is in good shape.

“He has worked really hard on little tweaks to his game to get where he wants to be.

“There are bigger games to come and that will be a competitive bowling until to get in. At some point Stuart Broad and Jake Ball will return, so it is exciting, we have got some good cricketers around.

“We have some good young players who are started to really progress. They will be fighting hard. It is a competitive squad and what a coach wants.”