Durham’s up and coming fast bowlers recently attended Loughborough University as preparations for the season hit full force.
Fast bowlers from the boys’ Academy and Emerging Players Programme attended the national High-Performance Centre based at Loughborough University as part of a study supported by ECB and Loughborough University.
The one-day event gave the boys a chance to look at the causes of spinal stress fractures and the main causes of injury in adolescent fast bowlers.
Will Alexander, Max Jackson , Kenzie Peakman, James Minto , Luke Symington and Brett Hutchinson also took part in the visit, which saw the group undertake a series of tests including scans, physical examinations and biomechanical 3D motion analysis to analyse their actions.
Durham Academy and Pathway Coach, Nathan Rimmington said: “This was an excellent opportunity to not only contribute to the scientific knowledge on stress fractures but also understand the role sports science plays in professional cricket
It was a really good chance to visit the national performance centre at Loughborough and see the world class facilities. As we are a little isolated in the northeast it was the first time a few of them have been down there.
“The information we receive back is fantastic. I’m particularly excited about the detailed 3D biomechanical analysis information. The high-speed cameras pick up movement patterns that we can’t normally assess.
“The information also gives the lads the opportunity to see how they compare to the world’s best.
“Although it was a long day the guys really enjoyed it and it was nice to see some of the hard work they’ve been putting in over the winter showing up in some of the testing.”
Academy Director, John Windows added: “This visit provides a fantastic opportunity for our young fast bowlers to experience a top-class environment. The research and information gathered will significantly enhance their development plans supporting their ambitions moving forward.”