Neil Edwards was brought to Trent Bridge to try and provide a solution to the county’s indifferent record at the top of the order.

The left-handed batsman arrived from Somerset in 2010 and immediately earned comparisons with his former mentor, Marcus Trescothick. Strong on the drive, he shone on his Notts championship debut, scoring a high-quality 85 against Kent.

After a 4-match sequence in which his early flow of runs deserted him, Neil sought a return to form in the second team but broke his hand after being struck in a match against Hampshire at The Rose Bowl.

Last season followed a similar pattern. Seven championship matches delivered just one half-century, a classy 64 against Yorkshire but another untimely injury occurred at Hove. A delivery from Sussex’s Amjad Khan rose sharply and hit Neil on the forearm, causing a fracture.

Back in the second team, Neil again showed a glimpse of his undoubted potential by ending the season with a hard-hitting 49 to help the county win the Second Eleven Trophy against Lancashire at Liverpool.