The first addition to Mick Newell’s squad ahead of the 2012 season was Michael Lumb. After injury curtailed his final season at Hampshire, the Nottinghamshire director of cricket was keen to secure the signature of the left-handed batsman on a 3-year contract.

Michael began his career at Yorkshire, the county where his father Richard opened the batting for many years with Geoffrey Boycott.

He made an unbeaten 66 on debut, against the touring Zimabweans in 2000 but a knee injury meant that he only featured in four of the matches as the Tykes lifted the championship a year later.

In 78 first class matches for the White Rose county Michael scored more than 4,000 runs at an average of 34.  Following his move to Hampshire in 2007 he became one of the most prolific scorers in one-day and Twenty20 matches and began to be talked about in terms of international recognition.

Those thoughts intensified with a series of high-calibre performances as Hants won the Friends Provident Trophy at Lord’s in 2009, the same year in which he scored a career-best championship score of 219 against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge.

His international debut finally arrived at the start of the 2010 ICC World Twenty20 tournament in the Caribbean and he held his place throughout England’s journey to the Final, where he collected a winner’s medal, alongside the Nottinghamshire trio of Stuart Broad, Graeme Swann and Ryan Sidebottom.

Michael’s reputation as an impact player at the top of the order has taken him to the IPL, with appearances for Rajasthan Royals and Deccan Chargers, as well as the Australian Big Bash, where he has played for Queensland Bulls and, latterly, the Sydney Sixers, winners of the 2012 event.