SPANISH TRAINING SESSION A SUCCESS
The recent training weekend for the Spanish National Squad saw players undergo an intense 2 days in their preperations for this years ICC Europe Division 3 competition. The morning session on the first day saw players working on specific technical aspects of their game along with group discussions about the implementation of game plans. The afternoon session was net based, with batters also having an opportunity to work on the bowling machine during the session. The morning of Day 2 saw the players go into another net session, with the focus being on concentration levels. 3 net lanes operated in what was a different session to what some would have been used to (other than those who worked with the Coach in Nov 08). A “dismissal net” saw batsmen who were dismissed in the net brought out, with all 3 nets stopping, until the next batsman was padded up and ready. This gave the squad a chance to focus on switching their concentration levels “up and down”. This provided intensity to the net session which was crucial for the session to provide a purpose. After lunch, the players went through an intense fielding session before returning into the nets for a similar session to the morning
Head Coach Bobby Denning commented “I feel the weekend has again seen the potential squad move forward and the challenge is for us to maintain this progress. The squad understand what is expected of them both on and off the field and they are being provided with structured sessions in a professional environment. We all need to focus on being as prepared and professional as we possibly can be, prior to this years competition and I am delighted with how the players have responded to the sessions so far. We cant afford to stand still however and my job is to provide a structure in training, competition and off the field that doesnt allow this to happen. So far we have achieved this. I would like to thank the players for their committment so far”
Bobby also ran the ICC Introduction to Cricket course on the Friday prior to the National Squad Training Weekend. The course consisted of the basic techniques of the game, how to organise sessions and small sided games. Bobby commented “the course was a success and I genuinely hope the candidates have gained some knowledge in the basics of the game and how to organise and run small sided games and drills. All showed committment to the day which bodes well for the clubs they represent. The role they can play in the long term plans for Cricket Espana is crucial and should not be underestimated. In many cases, they will play a major part in giving youngsters a positive first experience of cricket. I hope more courses can be rolled out in the future.”
Bobby Denning (Spanish National Coach)
Cricket Development Manager (Gtr Manc)
Lancashire Cricket Board