Today saw Luke Fletcher bowl for the first time on UK soil during the current pre-season - and the 26-year-old admits he had to conquer some nerves before emerging with figures of 2-14 from 11 overs.
The Nottingham born paceman bowled more than any of his teammates as Derbyshire were reduced to 196-7 at Trent Bridge, before revealing that, by then, he'd already got through half-a-dozen overs of toil in the nets.
"I had six in the nets against Greg Smith down at Ladybay, then it was great to get 11 in at the game as well," he said.
"It was important that I got those overs because I've been out for two or three weeks and I needed to get some miles into the legs going into next week, then it's Lord's the week after.
"I must admit I felt a bit nervous and a bit rusty for the first four or five overs, but then I just started to settle in, so it was a good workout.
"I went through Barbados with a bit of a niggle, then I came back and it showed a bit of irritation, so I've just had ten, 12 or 13 days off working hard with the physio and recovering. Fingers crossed it seems to have come off and it's nice to be out there playing again.
"I'm not one of these bowlers that needs to bowl a lot. I've got a solid action that is quite repeatable. I'm quite lucky in that way.
"It was only a couple of weeks out of bowling so it's not too bad, but it's been nice to come back today and slot into it again with the new season just around the corner."
With Vernon Philander due to arrive ahead of the LV= County Championship opener against Middlesex, and the likes of Harry Gurney, Will Gidman, Jake Ball and Brett Hutton all having been amongst the wickets in pre-season, Fletcher admits that competition for places is fierce ahead of the new season. However, with a long and gruelling season ahead, he wouldn't have it any other way.
"It's healthy for the club and for the team because, going into August and September, it will be important to have a fully fit squad of bowlers.
"Jake Ball has been outstanding and, for me, deserves a place in the team because he's been brilliant.
"Brett Hutton and Luke Wood have done very well in pre-season as well. They're pushing the likes of me, Harry Gurney, Andrew Carter and Will Gidman, so it's a bit of healthy competition."
With 120 overs to bowl in the day, play began at 10.15am and didn't conclude until deep into the evening after an opening day washout at Trent Bridge the previous day.
Fletcher admitted it was a long day, but worth every minute in the name of pre-season preparation.
"These games are about getting miles into the bowlers legs and the batsmen getting a bit of a hit, so today has been well worth it," he said.
"It's been a bit long, it's 20 past seven now, we've even missed Coronation Street, but it has definitely been worth it."