In 2010 Steven Mullaney added his name to the small list of Nottinghamshire players who have scored a century on his first class debut for the county. That innings, against Hampshire at The Rose Bowl, remains his only three figure score for the side he joined from Lancashire, a statistic he’ll be looking to improve upon in 2012.

A regular in all three formats of the game, Stephen comes into his own in white ball matches. An outstanding fielder and punchy stroke-player, his knack of bowling a sequence of tidy medium-paced overs in the middle of matches has turned many contests in Nottinghamshire’s favour.

With four main seamers and a spinner usually selected, Stephen is often under-bowled in the championship side, yet invariably produces a crucial wicket when summoned into the attack.

Towards the end of last season Stephen was promoted to the opening position in the CB40 matches and he responded with a high-calibre half century in a victory over Somerset at Taunton.

Thought by many to be a possible future captain of the county, he led the side for the first time last season in the one-day friendly against Sri Lanka A.