2025
Thursday 27 February
Harry Gurney shared his life story and his successes with Notts, England and Leicestershire and his thoughts on the skills needed for bowling ‘at the death’ in white-ball cricket. https://www.trentbridge.co.uk/trentbridge/history/articles/in-at-the-death.html
Richard Preskey, Notts CCC Disability Cricket Officer gave an inspirational talk on his work and the life-changing help offered to young people and adults.
Thursday 6 February
Two captains reflected on the role of leader in modern cricket and although they have had very different career paths to the top of their game, they were agreed that being captain is both rewarding and challenging.
Steven Mullaney and Kathryn Bryce were speaking to the latest meeting of the Nottingham Cricket Lovers Society (NCLS) – and they had each come with a symbol of their recent successes.
Kathryn had the Charlotte Edwards Cup that was won in 2024 by the Trent Bridge-based The Blaze and in which she was the leading run scorer.
In addition to the excellent talks, NCLS chairman David Beaumont presented a cheque to Steven Mullaney for his Benefit Fund.
https://www.trentbridge.co.uk/trentbridge/history/articles/a-tale-of-two-skippers.html
Thursday 9 January
Annie Chave – editor, write and podcaster
https://www.trentbridge.co.uk/trentbridge/history/articles/county-cricket-it-matters.html
Vic Marks, Somerset and England all-rounder, journalist, TMS summariser
https://www.trentbridge.co.uk/trentbridge/history/articles/summarising-a-world-of-summers.html
2024
Thursday 5 December
“Glimpses of Trent Bridge. The 1964 season.” Heritage Film.
Lyndon James, Notts CCC and England Lions all-rounder
https://www.trentbridge.co.uk/trentbridge/history/articles/player-for-the-ages.html
Thursday 7 November
“What’s My Line? Adventures of an International Cricket Tour Guide”. Ed Nicholson (Heritage Volunteer)
Tim Crow (biographer of Clive Rice)
https://www.trentbridge.co.uk/trentbridge/history/articles/rice-served-up-to-cricket-lovers.html
Thursday 17 October
Steve LeMottee, Heritage Manager, on the 1929 Championship Winning Side
John Morris, former England, Derbyshire, Durham and Notts batter on his life and career:
https://www.trentbridge.co.uk/trentbridge/history/articles/morris-no-minor-player.html
Thursday 21 March
Annual General Meeting.
John Holder (Hampshire CCC and International Umpire).
https://www.trentbridge.co.uk/trentbridge/history/articles/john-holders-special-delivery-at-ncls.html
Wednesday 6 March
A O Jones: an all-round hero. Peter Smith, Heritage Volunteer, Notts CCC.
Eleanor Oldroyd (Sports Broadcaster and Commentator, BBC Radio 5 Live).
https://www.trentbridge.co.uk/trentbridge/history/articles/a-life-on-the-radio-waves.html
February 2024
Nottinghamshire’s new club captain Haseeb Hameed spoke to the February meeting of the Nottingham Cricket Lovers Society (NCLS) in his first public appearance since accepting the role.
‘Has’ spoke of his ambitions for himself and for the team, “I want to win titles and trophies”, he told a packed audience, “…and I really believe we have the players – and the support team – to challenge in every format”.
Haseeb is the second club captain in succession to come to Trent Bridge from Lancashire, following Steven Mullaney’s decision to step down and to take charge of the county’s Second Eleven.
Though not the first Muslim to captain a county side, Haseeb is, Notts CCC believe, the first to be appointed as club captain and he was quick to pay tribute to the way the club and his team-mates support him in following his faith. “They have been brilliant”, he said.
Hameed has been playing representative cricket for almost two decades.
“I was nearly always playing for age groups above my own age”, he said, “from eight or nine I was in Under-11 sides and that’s how it was right up to joining the county first team at Old Trafford”.
He broke into the Lancashire first team aged just 18 and his first full season was such a success – he made almost 1200 runs at just under fifty – that he was selected for the England tour of India (2016/17) when he was 19.
That too went well and he came home with a test average of 43 and a top score of 82. An unfortunate run of injuries – he admitted that he now always wears tapes to protect his fingers – and a dip in form cost him his place with England and with Lancs.
When the red rose county released Haseeb in 2019, Notts were ready with an offer. “I spoke to a few counties”, he recalled, “but talking to Pete (Moores, Notts head coach) and others here I was convinced Trent Bridge was right for me”.
After enduring that strange Covid-hit season of 2020, Hameed justified that belief by again passing 1000 runs in all formats in his first full season and then by helping Notts secure promotion as Division Two champions in 2022. His personal contribution to that campaign was 1235 First-Class runs at 58.80, including four centuries.
The first season back in the top division was a bit of a struggle but with that experience behind him – and a couple of seasons skippering the 50-over side – Haseeb Hameed hopes and believes that he is well-placed to make history for Nottinghamshire in the future.
Hameed’s praise for the coaching and support team at Trent Bridge was echoed by the other speakers at the meeting, Chris Guest, head coach of The Blaze and all-rounder Marie Kelly.
They agreed that the move to Trent Bridge – and thus the availability of the training facilities, specialist staff and the sheer ‘buzz’ of being at such an iconic venue – played a part in the team’s improved performances in 2023.
The introduction of a cadre of professional players was also key to that improvement and Marie Kelly in particular spoke of the drive to more progress. “We are fortunate to have some of the best professionals in the women’s game in our squad and they will be a great example to the girls coming through the age groups and pathways”, she said.
“Training and playing at Trent Bridge has been great and we are looking forward to some more home matches in the coming season”.
Chris Guest acknowledged that the pressure of staging County Championship matches as well as international fixtures and the short format competitions means that opportunities for The Blaze to play at their home ground will always be limited.
“We have to train away from here when the facilities are needed for other teams and games”, he commented, “and we play around the East Midlands, not just in Nottingham, but we really value our days at Trent Bridge”.
With the heightened profile of women’s cricket after the hugely-successful Ashes Test and the experience of the ‘double-header’ match days in The Hundred, Chris and Marie are optimistic that 2024 – and beyond – will see bigger audiences for The Blaze matches and they looked forward to welcoming some of the NCLS members to games in the new season.
January 2024
Neil Kendrick, local historian and sports enthusiast spoke on the ‘Cricketers in the Churchyard, Alfred Shaw and Arthur Shrewsbury.’
https://www.trentbridge.co.uk/trentbridge/history/articles/rubgys-lions-first-tour-led-by-cricketers.html
Ashley Metcalfe, who spent his final two seasons of First-Clas cricket with Notts following a career with Yorkshire spoke about his life in the game and his work since (involving admin in weightlifting and canoeing)
December 2023
Heritage volunteer Chris O’Brien – Amateurs and professionals in 19th century Nottinghamshire cricket.
Former Notts bowler, Bill Taylor. Bill played for the County from 1971-77 appearing in over 200 matches and taking 381 wickets in first-class and limited overs matches. He subsequently served on the Nottinghamshire committee and had a two year term as Club President in 2018 and 2019.
https://www.trentbridge.co.uk/trentbridge/history/articles/was-it-billzball.html
Bill talked about his experiences in the game and will shared some memories of his former team-mate and friend, Bob White.
November 2023
Streaming Nottinghamshire cricket. Kirsty and Aaron Lord, Stoneheart Media.
Luke Fletcher (Nottinghamshire CCC). https://www.trentbridge.co.uk/trentbridge/history/articles/countys-loss-is-countys-gain.html
October 2023
Celebrating Eileen White: a cricketing pioneer who gave the Aussies a Trent Bridge scare. John Hess, Heritage Volunteer, Notts CCC: https://www.trentbridge.co.uk/news/2021/june/the-contributions-of-an-east-midlands-cricket-pioneer.html
Dusty Hare. (Nottinghamshire CCC; Newark RFC, Nottingham RFC, Leicester Tigers RFC and England).
https://www.trentbridge.co.uk/trentbridge/history/players/dusty-hare.htmlhttps://www.trentbridge.co.uk/trentbridge/history/articles/dusting-off-the-memories.html
March 2023
Dennis Amiss, Warwickshire and England: https://www.trentbridge.co.uk/trentbridge/history/articles/a-hit-and-amiss.html
January 2023
Basharat ‘Basher’ Hassan, past-President, player and administrator, Nottinghamshire CCC: https://www.trentbridge.co.uk/trentbridge/history/articles/from-nairobi-to-nottingham.html
December 2022
Andy Pick and Kevin Saxelby, Nottinghamshire CCC with Memories of 1987 Championship win: https://www.trentbridge.co.uk/trentbridge/history/articles/double-act-at-ncls.html
