Nottinghamshire have handed Benny Howell a two-season, T20-only contract, asking the 37-year-old to plug the Steven Mullaney-shaped gap that has lingered since the all-rounder stepped into coaching at Trent Bridge.
Head coach Peter Moores, never shy of a straight line, sees a like-for-like fit.
“We saw some really good examples of the progress that we’re making as a side last year, and bringing Benny in will only serve to continue that,” Moores said. “If you look back into recent history, we feel he can take on the role that Steven Mullaney played for many years in our T20 side, not just as a quality allrounder, but also as that link between players with different levels of experience.
“He feels like the perfect fit for where we are as a side right now, where we’re trying to bring together our more experienced players, and those that are still emerging. We’re really excited to welcome him to Trent Bridge, and we can’t wait to see the impact he has both on and off the field.”
Notts have not reached a Blast quarter-final since 2022, a statistic that has irritated a dressing-room accustomed to knockout cricket. Howell’s arrival is meant to steady that record. For a decade at Gloucestershire he was the county circuit’s craftiest white-ball seamer, mixing slower balls with a dab of leg-spin. A return to Hampshire in 2023 produced two Finals Day appearances, but the trophy stayed elusive.
“It’s a real honour to sign for Notts Outlaws and have the opportunity to play at a fantastic ground like Trent Bridge,” Howell said. “The team have such a brilliant history that they’ve built up over many seasons in the Blast, and I can’t wait to run out in front of a packed Trent Bridge and contribute to the team.”
He knows, too, that expectation is baked in.
“The blueprint to build another successful team is really clear, and with my experience, I feel I can bring plenty to the table over the next couple of seasons. I was immediately interested when the opportunity to be a part of this project first came up, and I’m really looking forward to getting stuck in.”
Howell’s adaptive bowling at the death and lower-order hitting should tighten Notts’ game-day options. At 37, he will also be asked to mentor the next wave—an echo of Mullaney’s job description and, perhaps, exactly what Moores has in mind.
