The 2015 season has brought record T20 crowds, against the odds Nottinghamshire wins, the emergence of homegrown talent and career defining individual achievements.
Next season, we’d wager, will be no less enthralling; but for now we’re looking back on the best moments of Nottinghamshire’s 2015 campaign, starting with a few standout moments from the first half of the season.
Hales Nails Yorkshire
Nottinghamshire’s heavy defeat to Yorkshire, as the white rose secured the LV= County Championship at Trent Bridge in 2014, rankled with Alex Hales.
He said so ahead of the match against Jason Gillespie’s men early in the 2015 season making comments such as “we’re keen to get our revenge” and “what happened in that game fires me up.”
The big-hitting right-hander then proceeded to score 222 not out, in a day.
Finally out the following morning for a career-best score of 236, it was a knock that kickstarted what would prove to be a momentous season which ended in selection for England’s Test series against Pakistan.
Hales Heroics Guide Outlaws To Opening Night Win
Over ten thousand spectators, together with the Sky Sports cameras, were present amid at expectant atmosphere for the launch of the NatWest T20 Blast 2015 at Trent Bridge.
Reigning champions the Birmingham Bears were the visitors, Luke Fletcher produced yorkers - and ridiculous celebrations - on tap to reduce them to 141-7 from 20 overs. It was over to the batsmen.
Hales showed admirable patience during the early exchanges, then launched a violent assault, striking six successive sixes off the bowling of Boyd Rankin and Ateeq Javid.
The crowd went wild, TV viewers sat open-mouthed, Notts won with 33 balls to spare.
Cricket had well and truly landed.
Wood Stuns Newell With Priceless Ton
When Nottinghamshire promoted 19-year-old left-arm paceman Luke Wood to the first eleven, they did so for his prowess with the ball.
Taking to the crease at number nine, in his fourth appearance of the season, Notts were 98-7 and in danger of slipping to the foot of the table.
What followed was what Mick Newell referred to as “the most remarkable” century he’d ever witnessed.
Rather than enter his shell due to the adversity of the situation, Wood stuck to his usual see-ball-hit-ball instinct.
He scored 100 from 96 balls, including ten fours and six sixes, Notts scored 255 all out and went on to win by 159 runs.
Matt Carter’s Amazing Debut
As Matthew Carter made his Nottinghamshire debut against Somerset at Taunton, nobody could have foreseen the immediate impact of this teenage twirler.
Younger brother of Andrew and minor counties regular with Lincolnshire, Carter’s flirtation with the first team began on the pre-season tour in Barbados.
He started the season well in the twos and - on a Taunton pitch that was certain to take spin - Notts were in need of a second spinner.
His opposite number; England’s nemesis of the 2012 series against Pakistan, Abdur Rehman.
Carter dismissed James Hildreth, Tom Cooper, James Allenby - and the entire Somerset bottom four - to finish the first innings with astonishing figures of 7 for 56.
Rehman, on the same surface, had earlier taken two for 129.
The 2015 season has seen dramatic last-gasp four day victories, thrilling limited-overs contests and an historic Investec Ashes Test, all in the unique surroundings of Trent Bridge.
Next season, we’d wager, will be no less enthralling and frankly we’d hate for you to miss out.