ANYONE that was present for the first day of that absorbing Ashes Test match at Trent Bridge in July will know exactly why the signing of Peter Siddle is an extremely exciting one for Notts.
The 28-year-old Aussie paceman has signed on for the 2014 domestic season at Nottinghamshire – where he will be available for all their County Championship and 50-over games.
Siddle's pedigree speaks for itself.
Going into the first Test against England at Brisbane on Thursday, in a season of back-to-back Ashes series, the right-arm bowler has amassed 167 wickets in 46 Test matches for Australia.
That's some record, but sometimes stats don't always count for much when you join a new county at a ground you might not have played on much before.
But seeing is believing, as they say, and on July 10, 2013 Siddle showed any Notts fans present among the 17,000-strong crowd just what he is all about.
England had made an encouraging start with the bat on that first morning of the Ashes summer, reaching 78-1 after winning the toss and electing to bat first.
But then the 'Peter Siddle show' really kicked in.
Having gone for 27 runs off his first four overs, the aggressive, in-your-face seamer then opted to change ends to the Radcliffe Road End and went on to take five England wickets in 51 deliveries, for just 22 runs, in the space of just under three hours either side of lunch on day one.
It all started with what the Aussies might call a 'Jaffa' with the first ball of his second spell to skittle Joe Root's stumps with a wonderful yorker.
But while Root was undone by some world-class bowling, Kevin Pietersen needlessly pushed at a ball away from his body and was caught by Michael Clarke at second slip.
From 102-2 just after lunch, Pietersen's dismissal was followed by that of Jonathan Trott, who had looked in fine form for his 48 but then played a shot miles away from his body and chopped back onto his stumps.
Ian Bell and Jonny Bairstow briefly promised a fightback, in a fifth-wicket stand of 54, before Bell was undone by another fine delivery from Siddle, which shaped away from the right-hander and forced the batsman into a stroke.
Matt Prior was the next England player to play a sloppy shot, chipping up to Phillip Hughes for just one, as Siddle reduced the hosts to 180-6.
It was some performance but, by the end of an enthralling Test match, it became overshadowed by what followed in the next four days – what with the heroics of teenager Ashton Agar with the bat, Ian Bell's century, Stuart Broad's half century and decision not to walk and then James Anderson inspiring England to a 14-run victory with the ball on that last day.
If Siddle can replicate that sort of form and bring the ability to change a match in the blink of an eye, then Notts' chances of challenging at the right end of Division One in red-ball cricket will be greatly improved.
Last season, Notts were unable to get the 20 wickets in matches often enough, or cheaply enough, to force victories and director of cricket Mick Newell made no secret at the end of the campaign what he was after from a new overseas player – a strike bowler.
After signing Siddle, Newell commented: "He has a track record of taking wickets all over the world and I'm hopeful that he can exploit the conditions at Trent Bridge.
"Our draws and batting bonus points kept us out of trouble last season but we need to find ways to win more four-day matches and strengthening our seam attack is our best method of doing that."
![How new signing Peter Siddle showed his worth to Notts at Trent Bridge]( "How new signing Peter Siddle showed his worth to Notts at Trent Bridge")
