Durham Cricket Academy Director, John Windows, expressed his excitement at the Academy and pathway season returning to some normality this summer.
Durham Cricket Academy are currently underway playing pre-season friendlies ahead of the competitive ECB competitions returning later in the summer, while the pathway county age group teams are also playing local friendlies ahead of their county campaigns returning next month.
Windows said: “The start of the season is always really exciting, but this year in terms of preparation and what has happened this year, the expectations are even higher. It has been a long winter, as it has been for many people, so for the lads they are absolutely desperate to get back and play.”
Due to the restrictions in place this past winter, indoor coaching has been different to a normal pre-season, something Windows admits did have its advantages for the current Academy group.
“The Academy this year have actually been really lucky, to be classed in the elite bracket by the government, so their practice has continued, on a 1-1 to individual basis, which is largely, how the players would have trained in any case.
“There was a bit of an un-intended bonus, because the lads were doing schoolwork remotely they could get to practice and we were fortunate that South Northumberland indoor school wasn’t open, so we were able to use that pretty much unchallenged and use it whenever we wanted, so from an Academy point of view it was actually a good winter.
Due to the government restrictions the boys Under 18s and county age group teams weren’t able to practice throughout the winter, Windows added; “The lads just outside the Academy and the younger age group teams their preparations have been severely impacted, as they were in the recreational bracket, they weren’t able to train, so the junior squads have unfortunately had a bit of fallow time and have been unable to practice.”
The 2021 season, will see a full ECB County schedule in place, following the cancellation in 2020, something John Windows knows is good for all the Durham squads; “It is absolutely vital for the lads, they look forward to playing these matches, they look forward to seeing and comparing themselves against other counties, so the fact that there are proper competitions in place, gives it that added bonus for the young lads to test themselves.”