Batsman Samit Patel says it is about time Notts transferred their County Championship winning prowess into a one-day success.

The green and golds have won what is seen as the top domestic prize in England twice in the past six seasons, including last summer.

But the club are still searching for their first triumph in the one-day arena since they won the Sunday League in 1990 – more than two decades ago.

Patel believes Notts are getting closer and is hoping 2011 can be the year they are celebrating winning a different kind of silverware. "We do need to win a one-day trophy because it has been a good while now," he said.

"We showed a lot of improvement last year and that we are more than capable, reaching Twenty20 finals day and still being involved in the CB40 competition until late on."

It was a great combined effort but would be even better to go one further and convert that into a trophy."

Notts won four County Championship games in a row – three of them at home against Kent, Somerset and Durham – to start 2010.

Patel believes their home form, where conditions are familiar, will once again be crucial to their hopes in the longer form of the game.

He said: "I think we have a good unit who know what they have to do, especially at home.

"We have a structure in place of how to play at Trent Bridge.

"If we bat first we look to put 400 on the board and get maximum points or do the same by bowling them out.

"Then we look to put pressure on the opposition in conditions we know well.

"Teams don't like to come to our place first up early in the season with the seam attack we have at our disposal.

"The thing is, playing here, you can be 100-0 and then 200 all out. Two wickets and you are always back in it.

"But if you do get in, then you can get your runs."

Matt Halfpenny is the Midlands Sports Journalist of the year and follows Nottinghamshire for the Nottingham Post.