Video: Jake Ball on season aims
Notts and England bowler Jake Ball thinks that teams in the County Championship ‘will up their game’ against the Outlaws.
In the final part of our pre-season build up to the start of the cricket season, Nottinghamshire and England bowler Jake Ball speaks on teams raising their game, starting well and building on a breakthrough season.
If you missed part 1 with retiring captain Chris Read, part 2 with new head coach Peter Moores or part 3 with international opener Alex Hales, be sure to check them out.
The county cricket club start their competitive campaign on Friday (March 7) away at Grace Road against Leicestershire in the County Championship Division 2.
Ball is expecting a tough season in the lower division because he thinks clubs will want to get one over Notts.
He said: “Any game we play this year, people are going to see us as the team that should not have got relegated last year and most other counties see us as a very strong team with good players with a lot of experience within the team.
“When we come up against these sort of teams, they’re going to try and up their game and it will almost be like a feather in their caps if they do beat us.
“We will have to be on our game all season.”
Ball picked up an injury in a warm-up game of England’s tour of the West Indies earlier this year but was available for selection in the last ODI of their 3-0 series win.
He said: “I haven’t been around Notts much since I got back from the West Indies, I’ve been given a couple of weeks off.
“The time I have spent with the boys, they’ve looked fit and well and the net session the other day impressed me with how hard they’re working.
“Hopefully we can take that into the season and really get going early.”
Although Ball made a breakthrough into the England white ball teams last season, he is taking the start of the season one step at a time.
He said: “It’s about continuing what I have been doing – last year was incredible for me and I’m definitely looking to kick on and cement a place in the England team and also help with promotion for Notts.
“The Champion’s Trophy is something that I’m looking at and hopefully I’ve done enough over the winter to earn a place.
“First and foremost though, it’s about putting the performance in for Notts and then the rest will come with it.”
Ball is looking forward to getting started against Leicestershire on Friday.
He said: “It’s going to be something special – it will be a bit colder than I’ve been used to over the winter.
“I’m looking forward to getting back on there with a Notts shirt on.”
For our Sports Week cricket special, tune in to Notts TV at 7.30pm on Wednesday April 5 on Freeview 7, Virgin 159 or Sky 117.
