Adam Tillcock and Will Root have been awarded Performance Contracts for the 2015 season, and head up a raft of young talent being developed by Nottinghamshire.
Tillcock and Root have been at the forefront of the Second XI efforts through the summer, and Director of Cricket Mick Newell is looking for them to push for places in the first team squad over the next twelve months.
“These are two players who are coming of age, and who should be pushing hard for their place on the staff,” he said.
“Both have quality and now it’s up to them to prove it. We’ve monitored them closely through their summer with the second team and will be hoping for them to take a bigger step.”
Tillcock and Root are two of a group of ten young prospects which Newell is hoping to see develop further through the winter and 2015 season.
Eight players have been handed Development Agreements for 2015, giving Nottinghamshire the chance to bring on youngsters in all aspects of their game.
Of the eight, four – Ben Kitt, Simon Walton, Simon Webster and Dan Freeman - are seam bowlers, something which Newell is keen to develop further as the Club moves forward, and has urged his youngsters to follow the path of Luke Wood, whose quick development has seen him sign a two-year professional contract with Nottinghamshire.
“Ben Kitt has improved hugely in the space of a year, bowling good, aggressive spells for the seconds and taking wickets,” he said.
“Simon Walton and Simon Webster have both spent a lot of time with injuries over the past twelve months.
“They need to be working hard on their fitness, they’re both coming through rehab programmes well, and show us what they’ve got. Dan Freeman fits into that bracket too, it’s up to him to show us what he can do with the Seconds.
“We’re always going to be looking at seamers, and those three need to be the ones that are pushing on quickly and forcing their way into our thoughts.”
Joining the four seamers are middle-order batsman Anuj Dal, wicket keepers Tom Keast and Tom Moores – son of England Head Coach Peter Moores – and right-arm spinner Matt Carter, brother of Nottinghamshire quick Andy.
“Anuj Dal is taking a year out from school to devote his time to cricket,” said Newell.
“It’ll be a big winter for him to see how far he can progress with his game, and whether university is the option for him.
“Certainly he’ll benefit from increased contact hours and we’re hopeful he continues to develop as the talented young player we have seen.
“We have two wicket keepers in the form of Tom Moores and Tom Keast. It’s an interesting time for us to be developing that area of the Club, especially with Chris Read’s age, we need to be looking to bring these keepers through.
“Matt Carter is someone who Franksy picked up from Lincolnshire, where he had done very well. He’s a tall, right-arm spinner and that’s an area we’d like to bring on too.”