A quartet of Nottinghamshire icons are in the running as followers of the County Championship’s official social media accounts vote for the club’s greatest player.

Supporters nationwide are being canvassed to determine the view of the social media masses on each county’s best performer, with the likes of W.G. Grace (Gloucestershire) and David Gower (Leicestershire) emerging triumphant in previous polls.

The four finalists who plied their trade at Trent Bridge comprise a duo who drove much of the county’s success in the 1980s, a wicketkeeper who led his side to red and white-ball silverware, and the fast bowler most feared by Australia in the inter-war years.

Supporters can vote for their favourite from the shortlist here.

The finalists

Sir Richard Hadlee

The kiwi made a defining impact during a near-decade spell at Trent Bridge, despite the competing attentions of his international commitments.

In 308 appearances for the county, Hadlee scored over 8,000 runs and took in excess of 850 wickets, winning the PCA’s Player of the Year award in 1981, 1984 and 1987.

The all-rounder was a key component of the sides which won the County Championship in 1981 and 1987, with the NatWest Trophy also being claimed in his final year with Notts.

 

Clive Rice

Rice lifted the County Championship trophy on two occasions, leading a side including Hadlee and Derek Randall to the top spot in 1981 and 1987.

Alongside Hadlee, Rice was a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1981, and was named the leading all-rounder in English cricket on three occasions.

His 25,719 runs and 767 wickets for his county place him firmly in the upper echelons of those who have graced the home dressing room at Trent Bridge.

 

Harold Larwood

He would become best known for his role in the ‘Bodyline’ tour of Australia, but Larwood was a formidable opponent at domestic level.

The Nuncargate-born paceman was named a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1927, in the early years of a career which would net him 1247 wickets whilst representing Nottinghamshire.

His pace, accuracy and stamina made him a uniquely compelling performer, with the right-armer taking in excess of 100 wickets in an English summer on eight occasions.

Chris Read

In almost 20 years as a Notts player, Read established himself as one of the country’s finest glovemen, and became a serial trophy-winner.

County Championship success in 2005 was followed by Read lifting the same trophy as captain in 2010, with the right-hander also skippering the Outlaws to Lord’s final wins in 2013 and 2017.

His 1,261 catches is a Nottinghamshire record, whilst his middle-order runs frequently proved invaluable – never more so than when a century in his final Notts game hauled the county to promotion from Division Two.