COVERED SPRING 2020

COVERED 10 TRENTBRIDGE.CO.UK Spend half an hour in the company of the Bolton-born batsman and it’s clear that his craft is built in the image of the man. As if characterised by his six-and-a-half- hour vigil of 122 at Trent Bridge back in 2016, Haseeb will not be hurried. A full three months after announcing he would leave Lancashire, he signed for Notts. A further quarter has passed, and yet he continues to seek his perfect permanent pad in and around his adopted city. The nation’s cricket media is forming an orderly queue, yet this is his first interview since completing his move. Before me stands a man who is patient. He’s methodical. And he’s totally committed. “I’d been through a gradual process of leaving Lancashire and then finding a new club that was the right fit for me,” he says thoughtfully. “There was interest from a number of counties and it was important for me that I made the right choice. “The conversations I had with Peter Moores and Mick Newell sat really well with me. I came away from them with clear thoughts and strong emotions towards Notts as a county and towards Trent Bridge as a place.” A tour of the city’s historic landmarks won’t contribute to the search for permanent residence. But it’s a further opportunity to familiarise nonetheless. Rehearsing his cover-drive and forward defensive as we wander, Haseeb is approachable, relaxed and generous with his time. “Everything happens for a reason – and this happened at the right time for me,” he says of swapping the Red Rose county for Nottinghamshire. “While I was playing for Lancashire, I wasn’t thinking about going anywhere else. But things happen, and if there was ever one place other than Old Trafford where I’d have loved to play as a home ground, it would always have been Trent Bridge. “Because I’d played here a number of times and been lucky enough to have some success, I had fond memories. “I feel good here. You’ve only got to look outside (we have, by now, moved on to a room overlooking the club’s historic home) to see that it’s a hell of a place to call your home. “It’s got a whole lot of history. Some wonderful cricketers have played for Notts on this ground and sat in the home changing rooms. “I’m always going to love batting here. It’s a great cricket wicket. In one-day cricket it’s brilliant for batting. In four- day cricket there’s usually a great contest between bat and ball, and the outfield “THE CONVERSATIONS I HADWITH PETERMOORES ANDMICK NEWELL SAT REALLY WELL WITHME. I CAME AWAY WITH CLEAR THOUGHTS AND STRONG EMOTIONS TOWARDS NOTTS AS A COUNTY AND TRENT BRIDGE AS A PLACE.” Haseeb Hameed