Having skipped a year in 2016 when dispatching Sri Lanka and drawing with Pakistan, England will look to make a triumphant return to Test cricket at Trent Bridge in 2017.

The home nation have a proud record in Nottinghamshire, with 22 wins from 60 matches, a further 22 encounters have ended in a draw and England have lost on just 16 occasions.

England also hold an impressive record over 2017 opponents South Africa in Nottingham, with four wins, two draws and two losses from eight matches.

The Proteas’ last trip to Trent Bridge resulted in a 70-run victory for England in the third Test of a topsy-turvy series that would go on to end 2-2.

In a game of two halves, bat dominated ball in the first two innings before the momentum flipped on its head in the latter stages of the match.

Mark Butcher (106) and Nasser Hussain (116) both struck centuries and Ed Smith, on debut, and Alec Stewart added fifties as England amassed 445 in the first innings, their second highest score against the Proteas at Trent Bridge.

South Africa responded with 362 as Neil McKenzie and Shaun Pollock posted fifties before the latter ripped through England with 6-39, bowling the hosts out for 118 to leave 202 for a 2-0 series lead.

However, up stepped James Kirtley in his first Test match to secure a thrilling victory with the best figures by an Englishman on debut since John Lever in 1976.

The Sussex produced a fine display of bowling to remove a number of South Africa’s best batsmen, including Graeme Smith and Mark Boucher, as he took 6-34 to dismiss the tourists for 131 and secure a 70-run victory.

"I always had a bit of a reputation for delivering in the big games. I had been bowling well that year and was ideally suited to bowling wicket to wicket, and lbws were massive in the game,” said Kirtley after the match.

"I did feel an electricity in the atmosphere. Trent Bridge is a fun and knowledgeable crowd – they are aware what people are playing for.

“You are embraced by all of these factors. It's like a drug, I guess, and you can get so caught up in it. It is such a great place to deliver and perform.

“You can't play at a higher stage than Test cricket. It was everything I wanted and it went well."

 

Nottinghamshire Members can take in every moment of the absorbing red ball contests & explosive one day encounters that characterise the county cricket season, as well as gaining priority access to tickets for Test cricket's return to Trent Bridge.

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