Last day of the season at Trent Bridge Photo © CricInfo

Another season of huge under-achievement for Nottinghamshire at least ended on a high note, with a final day victory over the Leicestershire Foxes to preserve their status in Division One of the Norwich Union League.

The early signs were good, especially in the one-day game. They topped their zonal group in the Benson and Hedges Cup and began the NUL with an impressive win at The AMP Oval over the Surrey Lions.

Clive Rice's major new acquisitions all settled quickly to the English conditions and to life on the county circuit. Greg Blewett, a proven Test player, was both popular and successful, making the decision not to re-engage him for next season highly debatable.

Greg Smith and Kevin Pietersen had turned their backs on domestic cricket in South Africa for the opportunity of playing under Rice. The long-term benefits of fulfiling their sporting dream by making the most of their British passports is still to be confirmed but both enjoyed splendid debut seasons.

Smith, an accurate and penetrative opening bowler, was the only Notts player to take 50 first class wickets. Capped during the season, he also won the sponsor's vote for Notts' Player of the Year. Many felt that that award should have gone to his compatriot, the exciting Pietersen. Reaching 21 during the summer he will surely light up Trent Bridge for many years to come with his awesome strokeplay, containing off-spinners and athletic fielding. England will be counting down the days until 2004 when he fulfils their eligibility requirements.

Pietersen and Blewett both topped 1,200 first class runs and were joined in passing the 1,000 mark by both Darren Bicknell and Usman Afzaal. Both reached the landmark in the final game of the season, though Afzaal did so with the aid of 83 runs scored for England.

Bicknell coped admirably when landed with the onus of replacing the injured Jason Gallian as skipper for the entire season. His nadir though came against his former Surrey team-mates in the county's biggest game of the summer. Awesome batting by the home sides top order condemned Notts to an embarrassing defeat in front of the television cameras in the semi-final of the B & H Cup.

Notts never really recovered after that mauling. They subsided dramatically against Leicestershire in the C&G Trophy, losing their last 5 wickets for 5 runs and threw away too many games in the NUL which were there for the taking. Wickets in hand and needing just 6 from the last over to beat Kent Spitfires springs to mind.

There were highs. Amongst them an incredible fourth innings run chase of almost 450 to beat Worcestershire in the Championship, Pietersen's dynamic double-hundred against Derbyshire and John Morris getting centuries in both innings in that same match.

Morris had a successful second half of the season but won't be back next year after deciding to bring the curtain down on his long and successful career.

Paul Franks, an England international in 2000, didn't play again after a knee injury sidelined him in early June. His loss put extra responsibility upon the other bowlers but it's fair to say that the support bowling was often left wanting. David Lucas had enjoyed a fine season in 2000, yet hardly figured this time due to inconsistency. To a lesser extent AJ Harris didn't make the progress that was hoped for whilst both Richard Logan and Gareth Clough are still learning their trade.

Youngsters Bilal Shafayat and Nadeem Malik made impressive debuts and both will benefit from a winter touring New Zealand with the England Under 19 squad.

Apart from them the only other player selected for a representative tour is Usman Afzaal. Three Tests against Australia showed that the selectors have faith in him and his inclusion in the Test party for the tours to India and New Zealand is a massive tonic for the county. Everyone wishes him well – although with just one century during the season he now needs to start fulfilling his true potential.

If Afzaal's selection earns praise then the omission of wicketkeeeper Chris Read defies belief. A sound and solid season with bat and gloves deserved better.

The glow of that final day victory will remain through the cold months but, not for the first time, Rice has a lot of work ahead if Notts are to compete for the silverware next season.

© CricInfo Ltd