Sheffield Cricket Lovers' Society Year Book 2012

11 When Chris Read lifted the LV= County Championship trophy on that glorious afternoon at Old Trafford in 2010, we were reminded just how close the margin between success and failure can be. Outstanding teamwork was a contributing factor to the success of the team in 2010 and that same principle applies off the field. When we began piecing together our bid to host Ashes test Matches at Trent Bridge in 2013 and 2015, we knew that a myriad of obstacles lay in our path. We had much in our favour, not least mature partnerships with our three local authorities, namely Rushcliffe Borough Council, Nottingham City Council and Nottinghamshire County Council. The moral support we received from local authority leaders and their executive colleagues was exceptional and when Councillor Neil Clarke and Councillor Kay Cutts announced the success of the bid in the council chambers there was a spontaneous round of applause. The strength of the working relationship between the club’s General Committee and Management Team was also a key factor. Throughout the process the Chairman, Vice Chairman and their colleagues provided the Management Team with huge support and wise counsel and encouragement when the going got tough. The foundations of the club’s success can be traced back to a number of factors. The 20-year masterplan launched in the early 1990s which has proved unerringly accurate; Mark Arthur’s leadership of the Radcliffe Road Redevelopment in 1998; Lisa Pursehouse’s overhaul of the club’s commercial operation and the club’s decision in 2006 to put community work at the very heart of our strategy. Given that our bid would be considered in comparison to those presented by rival venues, there was no way of gauging our chances of success at any point in the process. We knew that we would be asked to submit a bid document before travelling to Lord’s to deliver a short presentation to the Major Match Group (MMG) and the content and substance of those interactions would determine our fate. The Oval and Headingley already held long-term staging agreements whilst Durham had secured a 2013 Ashes Test in a previous round of bidding. We would be competing with Old Trafford, Edgbaston, The Rose Bowl and The Swalec Stadium. The consequences of failure would have been immense. Investments in our playing squad, venue and, indeed, our entire operation would have been significantly reduced. We resolved that we must give the process our utmost attention and invest time and resources to presenting our case. Our strategy was bold – we would bid for Gold Package A, the most prestigious set of matches available aside from the Platinum Package destined for Lord’s. The Whole Game Process would provide an opportunity for each venue to put forward a case arguing the merits of their perceived areas of strength without the need to attach a cash bid as all of the packages were given a fixed price. We played to our strengths highlighting areas where we perceived that we had a competitive edge; our record of impressive ticket sales, our reputation for operational excellence, our illustrious history and our ongoing commitment to our communities. How teamwork saw Trent Bridge win a competitive bid to host Ashes Tests in 2013 and 2015… and the realisation that the hard work starts now.