Nottinghamshire Vs. Lancashire LVCC match preview.

Lancashire will be reunited with Steven Mullaney (pictured) as well as Gary Keedy and Ajmal Shahzad (c) Luke Adams

Lancashire’s return to Division One sees them travel to Trent Bridge where they will face a Nottinghamshire side, which, by their own high standards, underachieved in last seasons County Championship, narrowly avoiding relegation.

By comparison, their opponents took the second division by storm, achieving promotion and the title with ease, but the real challenge for Lancashire will be to avoid relegation after such a successful season in the second-tier.

Both teams have made shrewd acquisitions this winter and boast strong all-round teams, but the value of the first few games will mean that they will need to hit the ground running in the first match of the 2014 season.

This fixture will see Lancashire reunited with former left-arm spinner, Gary Keedy, as well as all-rounder, Steven Mullaney and fast bowler Ajmal Shahzad.

Despite this being the first match of the season, both sides have been involved in rigorous pre-season training and they will be hoping to get off to a good start in a competitive league.

Lancashire will be without the services of Simon Katich this year, leaving a great deal of responsibility to the likes of Ashwell Prince, who enters into his final season of professional cricket  and Luis Reece, who is in search of his maiden century for Lancashire, having established himself as a promising opening batsman.

Nottinghamshire have recruited Peter Siddle, who will join a long list of international expertise, past and present, at Trent Bridge, providing them with all the necessary credentials to launch a serious bid for the Championship title.

Key Men:

(c) Luke Adams

James Anderson has a point to prove and after a successful pre-season with Lancashire he will be aiming to impress in the first match of the season.

A disappointing winter with England in Australia means Anderson will have to re-establish himself and a strong batting line-up will give him the ideal opportunity to prove if he is ready to reassume his role with England this summer. Anderson is recovering from a broken rib sustained during the Ashes, but has been an active member of the Lancashire squad throughout their tour of Dubai.

 
Andre Adams is one of the most feared and consistent performers on the county circuit and will be aiming to keep this status in his seventh season at Trent Bridge. 

At the age of 38, Adams is one of the older players in the Nottinghamshire squad, but with that comes a wealth of experience of taking wickets, as well as a destructive potential with the bat down the order, allowing Nottinghamshire to bat deeper than most other counties. He also has a reputation for hurting Lancashire, claiming 25 wickets in his last five innings against them.

Nottinghamshire will be boosted by
 the presence of Lumb and Hales (c) Luke Adams

 
Team News:

Nottinghamshire have been dealt a minor setback, after it was announced that Australian fast-bowler, Peter Siddle, is yet to receive his visa and will subsequently miss the opening match of the season.

Lancashire will be without winter signing, Jos Buttler, who is being rested after a busy schedule with the England squad, allowing Alex Davies to continue his run behind the stumps after a stint at the back end of last season.

Despite the omission of Buttler, fellow England teammates, Michael Lumb and Alex Hales have been included in the provisional squad and will provided a tough test to the Lancashire bowlers.

An untimely hamstring injury to Glen Chapple means that Paul Horton will take up the role of captain and Lancashire's leading wicket taker for the 2013 Championship season, Kyle Hogg, has picked up a calf injury, leaving a void in the seam department.

Fortunately Lancashire will be able to call upon James Anderson and Zimbabwean, Kyle Jarvis, who are expected to lead the bowling attack alongside Simon Kerrigan and Tom Smith.

Nottinghamshire squad: Chris Read (captain/wicket keeper), Andre Adams, Jake Ball, Andy Carter, Luke Fletcher, Harry Gurney, Alex Hales, Brett Hutton, Phil Jaques, Sam Kelsall, Michael Lumb, Steven Mullaney, Samit Patel, Ajmal Shahzad, Riki Wessels, Sam Wood. 
 
Lancashire squad: Paul Horton (captain), Andrea Agathangelou, Kabir Ali, James Anderson, Karl Brown, Steven Croft, Alex Davies (wicket keeper), Kyle Jarvis, Simon Kerrigan, Ashwell Prince, Luke Procter, Luis Reece, Tom Smith, Wayne White.
Weather and Conditions:

Rain has been forecasted for the first day and may be heavy in places, which is likely to cause long delays. The weather will improve as the match progresses and it is expected to be breezy which may provide good bowling conditions and perhaps the winner of the toss will look to bowl first to take advantage of this.
 
Date: 6-9 April 2014

Ground: Trent Bridge

Time: 11:00am

Umpires: Steve Gale & Neil Mallinder

Match Odds: Nottinghamshire 4/6, Lancashire 6/5 (SkyBet)