Steven Mullaney: Nottinghamshire focused on title on top-flight return

Captain Steven Mullaney says Nottinghamshire are determined to complete their County Championship renaissance by winning the Division One title this season.

It was less than two years ago that Notts ended a 1,049-day wait for a win in the red-ball competition.

Last season they then went on to win the Division Two title and promotion.

"A lot of work has gone into the journey, which hopefully ends with us winning Division One," Mullaney said.

"As good as it was winning a trophy last year - and it was very special - we also know it was part of the journey.

"Hopefully we can put our case forward this year."

Nottinghamshire went between June 2018 and May 2021 - a period of nearly three years that included the pandemic-interrupted 2020 campaign - without winning a four-day match.

Notts last played in the top flight before the pandemic in 2019, when they were relegated without winning a match.

Mullaney says their Division One return, which starts at Hampshire on Thursday, will be a "big challenge" and one every Notts players is "excited" about.

"We are setting out sights on being right at the top end," Mullaney told BBC East Midlands Today.

"I don't think you can win if you don't believe you can.

"I hope people underestimate us, because that would be ideal."

Notts head coach Peter Moores says their season-opener against Hampshire, a side that finished third last season, "is a good place to start".

"Playing against someone that did well last season is a good benchmark to see how we will go," he said.