Tom Loten feels his elevation to first team cricket in a Nottinghamshire shirt is already beginning to pay dividends, as the all-rounder prepares for the trip to Leicestershire Foxes on Tuesday 8 August (11am start).

Loten is part of an unchanged 14-man squad for the fixture.

The 24-year-old made his senior debut for Notts in their 168-run win over Essex at Chelmsford, having previously made 15 appearances at first team level for Yorkshire.

And he feels the environment is proving beneficial.

“Playing against good players on good pitches is how you get better,” he said.

“I’m sure there’ll be times when we’re put under the pump individually, but that’s when you learn.

“We will get hit for boundaries and put under pressure, but then you work out how to respond, and which balls your go-to deliveries are.

“It’s easy when you’re going well in the second team to think you’re in a really good place, but you have to remember that first team cricket is a step up, and if you do have weaknesses they’ll get shown up.”

Loten took a wicket as the Outlaws enjoyed a fruitful start to their List A campaign at Chelmsford, after Dane Paterson and Brett Hutton had combined to reduce the hosts to 31/5.

But it is the duo’s role off the field that has been most fruitful for the right-armer.

“It’s great to have experience like that in the squad,” he said.

“Learning about their wrist positions for certain deliveries, their slower balls – there’s so much you can gain from them in training.

“And that’s the same when you’re playing as well. It’s great to have them stood at mid-off when you’re bowling to pass on their advice.

“They help to make it a really nice blend in the changing room. There’s the energy of the youngsters, and the wit and experience of the older lads, and I’ve really enjoyed it so far.”

Having signed in the winter of 2022, Loten has had ample time in the year’s colder months to lean on the expertise of Nottinghamshire’s coaching staff.

And he feels his game is making strides as a consequence.

“Shiney [assistant coach Kevin Shine] has a wealth of knowledge, including some really high-quality technical stuff, but he breaks it down really well into easily understandable messages,” he said.

“Franksie [Paul Franks] has been really helpful this year too while I’ve been playing in the second team, then you’ve got the likes of Botes [Ant Botha] and Pete [Peter Moores] as well.

“With the input from them all, I feel like my game’s going the right way.”

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