Trent Bridge has once again gone international for the winter, as numerous players from both Nottinghamshire and The Blaze have jetted off for overseas assignments.
As the nights continue to draw in and the UK wraps up warm to celebrate Christmas, follow where in the world the Outlaws are plying their trade.
INTERNATIONAL CRICKET
While England would have naturally hoped for a better outcome from the Ashes tour down under, there has been Nottinghamshire representation from Ben Duckett and Josh Tongue.
Duckett has taken his place atop the order in all three Tests thus far, while Tongue made his first appearance of the series in the third contest in Adelaide.
Tongue also appeared for the second-string England Lions in a two-day pink-ball match against a Prime Minister’s XI in Canberra.
A whole 15 hours’ time difference away from eastern Australia, an Under-19s side captained by Farhan Ahmed recently concluded a seven-match Youth ODI series away to West Indies.
Ahmed claimed 12 wickets at an average of just 21.66 to lead the way in that metric, but his side were defeated 5-2 over the series.
Also recently concluded were South Africa’s pair of two-match Test series against Pakistan and India, in which Kyle Verreynne played all four games.
Verreynne’s world Test champions drew the former tour 1-1, but pulled off a stunning 2-0 clean sweep against India to record their first Test series win in the country for 25 years.
MEN'S BIG BASH LEAGUE (AUSTRALIA)
After The Blaze had three representatives in the title-winning Hobart Hurricanes in the women’s Big Bash, the equivalent men’s competition is a little over a week old.
Joe Clarke and Peter Moores are playing for and coaching Melbourne Stars, respectively, and as of Christmas Eve, the side have started strongly, sat atop the eight-team ladder after two wins from two.
GRADE CRICKET (AUSTRALIA)
On the grade cricket circuit in Australia, there are four Nottinghamshire representatives, with Lyndon James, Joe Pocklington, Jack Haynes, and Ben Martindale in New South Wales.
James and Haynes are based to the south of Sydney, turning out for Helensburgh and St George, respectively, while Pocklington is at Gordon and Martindale is with Lane Cove on the north side.
All four have started strongly, though James in particular is enjoying a strong campaign, having scored 257 runs at an average of 42.83 alongside ten wickets at just 17.80 apiece.
Pocklington is putting up similar all-round numbers, with 367 runs at 36.70 and 12 wickets at 30.67, while Haynes is also in the runs, notching 247 at 49.40.
The quartet is rounded out by Martindale, who has hit 239 runs at 29.88 apiece, as well as contributing four wickets.
ABU DHABI T10 & INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE T20 (UAE)
In the Middle East, the Abu Dhabi T10 and ILT20 tournaments have been staged back-to-back, with just 48 hours between the former’s final and the latter’s opening game.
Joe Clarke and Tom Moores appeared in the quickfire former, playing for Ajman Titans and UAE Bulls, respectively, with the latter emerging as champions.
Clarke appeared in two games for the Titans, who finished third in the eight-team table but were eliminated in the playoffs by the fourth-placed Bulls, for whom Moores appeared six times.
The Bulls went on to defeat Quetta Qavalry to set up a final showdown with Aspin Stallions, whom they crushed by 80 runs to lift the trophy.
Two days later, with the start of the ILT20 tournament, Moores remained in the country to represent Gulf Giants, while Olly Stone arrived to play for Abu Dhabi Knight Riders.
Moores has so far played four games for the Giants, while Stone has played all but one of the Knight Riders’ fixtures, taking six wickets.
The competition is still ongoing and concludes shortly after the turn of the year, but as of Christmas Eve, the Giants sit fourth in the six-team league, one place above the Knight Riders.
With the top four sides qualifying for the playoffs, both sides - who are joint on six points apiece and play each other in their final game on Sunday 28th December - remain in contention.
SA20 (SOUTH AFRICA)
The South African T20 tournament begins its fourth season a little earlier than previous editions, opening on Boxing Day, and three Notts players are signed up across two of the six teams.
Incoming Blast-only all-rounder George Linde will return to MI Cape Town, where he will be joined by Tom Moores, who is experiencing his first taste of the competition.
The trio is completed by Kyle Verreynne, who will represent Paarl Royals before he returns for a third stint at Trent Bridge from April.
Moores and Linde could both feature in the opening match of the tournament, which will see MI Cape Town take on Durban’s Super Giants at the world-famous Newlands.
Verreynne’s Royals then meet Sunrisers Eastern Cape at their home of Boland Park the next day, with the competition as a whole set to conclude with the final on Sunday 25th January.
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