By Martin Gough

Ealham has left Canterbury after 15 years with Kent

Trent Bridge will be a new home for Mark Ealham in 2004, but in some ways it will be like a homecoming.

After 15 years with Kent, the 34-year-old all-rounder made the move to Nottinghamshire during the off-season.

And he will now play at the ground where he made his Test debut for England and scored his maiden first-class century.

"It's like starting school again. It's the same feeling turning up to find a new set of guys," he told BBC Sport.

"It's a good time to have a new challenge - in your mid-30s you maybe get a bit stuck in your ways it's nice to get a fresh outlook."

He's got that control, has massive one-day experience and he bats and fields too Mick Newell Notts director of cricket

Ealham admits his other motivation for leaving Canterbury was financial, with wife Kirsty giving birth to their second child in the weeks before the season.

"I wanted a bit more security and Notts were able to give me that. It was a one-year deal with Kent and Notts offered three," he explains.

"It's a job that you're lucky enough to enjoy but at the end of the day it pays the bills. I saw I had at least three years left in me and wanted to guarantee that."

Ealham is excited about playing opposite Pietersen

The veteran of eight Tests and 64 one-day internationals is looking forward to playing alongside an England all-rounder of the future.

"Kevin Pietersen stands out as somebody who is multi-talented and probably next on the list, when available, to play for England," he says.

"It will be nice to see his talents at the other end if I get to bat with him."

But Ealham is most excited about joining a team he believes will mount a strong challenge for an immediate return to the top flight.

If I can come in and refresh the end of my career and help a team win that would be great Mark Ealham

Ryan Sidebottom has made the move from Yorkshire and Australian batting prospect David Hussey will team up with leg-spinner Stuart MacGill.

But just the club have also acquired back-up in key positions with the signings of wicket-keeper David Alleyne and opener Anurag Singh.

"They're obviously a good team and by going out in the winter and strengthening their squad they're obviously ambitious," says Ealham.

"They've made four or five signings and got some good cricketers to back up the ones they've already got.

NOTTINGHAMSHIRE 2004 Director of Cricket: Mick Newell Captain: Jason Gallian Overseas players: Stuart MacGill, David Hussey Players in: David Alleyne, Anurag Singh, Mark Ealham, Ryan Sidebottom, Damien Martyn, David Hussey Players out: Usman Afzaal, David Lucas, Nadeem Malik, Chris Cairns

"To me it looks a very powerful outfit and all we've got to do now is play well as a team."

Ealham and director of cricket Mick Newell both agree on the role he will play in the side.

"At Kent last year he got 800 runs and 40 wickets and if he does that again for us we'll be more than happy," Newell says.

"We need a seamer who can keep opponents down to two-and-a-half runs per over - last year we were always around four-and-a-half and it's hard to control a game from there."

"He's got that control, has massive one-day experience and he bats and fields too."

Ealham says simply: "If I can come in and refresh the end of my career and help a team win that would be great.

"It's very easy for teams to have a mini bad run and find themselves in the bottom three.

"Any team can go up and down but I view Notts as having a strong enough team to challenge in all competitions."