Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. Fin Bean, who has just signed a new contract with the county, has been wintering in Melbourne.
Gavin Hamilton believes Yorkshire have managed to secure a “really good programme” at the last minute for their men’s pre-season tour to Desert Springs in Spain.
Hamilton, the county’s general manager of cricket, coach Anthony McGrath and cricket operations manager Katie Day have been hard at work since news broke on Saturday of conflict in the Middle East.
The men were due to travel out to Abu Dhabi this coming Saturday, though Hamilton said: “When that news landed on us, we pretty much knew the tour was done and dusted.
“It was officially cancelled on Monday, and then we had sorted Desert Springs in its place by Wednesday.”
Added to that was the complication of “12-14” players being in Melbourne and New Zealand and due to fly back last weekend, only for many flights routing through the Middle East to be cancelled.
“The tour took a back seat initially,” said Hamilton. “Our absolute priority was getting everybody back in the country.
“We knew that Matthew Revis and James Wharton were in safe hands out in Abu Dhabi with the Lions. The ECB were always going to look after them and make sure they were back as early as possible, which they are now.
Picture by John Clifton/SWPix.com. James Wharton and Matthew Revis has returned home from England Lions duty in Abu Dhabi.
“But everybody else will be back in the country by Saturday or Sunday, thank goodness.
“Plans are in place, and they’re all coming back in dribs and drabs.”
That means Yorkshire’s trip to Desert Springs – in Almeria – will begin with not everybody present from the start.
Hamilton said: “A couple more will join us on Tuesday or Wednesday once they’ve got back and settled. It will be staggered, but we’re very comfortable with what we’ve got.
“It’s a really good programme that we have.”
South Africa was another option considered for the replacement tour.
“Myself and Mags had a good chat around the options, and we looked at South Africa,” continued the former international all-rounder.
Picture by Gareth Copley/Getty Images. Anthony McGrath is building his players up to next month’s opening game against Glamorgan at Cardiff.
“But with guys flying back from Australia and New Zealand, what was a 22-hour flight has turned into a 32-hour flight for some of them.
“So for some of them to land back on Saturday and Sunday and then jump on a plane again to South Africa, the science and medical advice side of things wasn’t approved.
“So we thought, ‘Let’s be realistic and let’s get the best possible cricketing experience’.
“A lot of our lads have already had good time outdoors on grass this winter, whether they were on the camp we had in Melbourne or whether they were playing club cricket as well. So we’re really comfortable with where they’re at.
“This tour, we’re going to get everyone together, it’s quite isolated, and we’re out of the way. It’s going to be all cricket.
“As things stand, Somerset are going to be out there, and we’ll have a good, competitive two-day game against them.
“Also, the South Africa thing, we’d have been getting back on the 23rd or 24th, and we have a two-day game down at Essex on the 27th and 28th. That would have been a tight turnaround.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. Dom Bess was part of the training camp in Melbourne.
“But now we can get home on the 18th, having only flown a couple of hours, and the lads can have three or four days off at home.”
This is the first time Yorkshire will have been to Desert Springs, but it is a venue used regularly by counties and even the ECB. The Northern Diamonds women’s squad also used it a couple of years ago.
“A few of our lads have been there previously and speak highly of it,” said Hamilton. “I think the England Under 19s have been there before. It’s somewhere that’s got a pretty good reputation.
“We will have six days there as a full squad, which is crucial.”
Over the last few weeks, Yorkshire have had men’s and women’s players on training camps in Melbourne, Mumbai and Cape Town.
“Firstly, on the men’s side of things, they were absolutely blown away by how well they were looked after by Cricket Victoria in Melbourne,” said Hamilton.
“The facilities they had access to, it was really good.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. Bowling coach Mick Lewis led the recent training camp in his home city of Melbourne.
“Bar the flights back, obviously, the comments we’ve had are that it’s the best prep for the season they could possibly have.
“We’ve had a handful girls away elsewhere, and it’s something we’re looking at for more of them next winter. We want to get our players across both squads away for as long as possible.”
The excitement is certainly building ahead of the new season, which is now less than a month away, Yorkshire starting away at Glamorgan in the Rothesay County Championship on Friday April 3.
Hamilton added: “The weather has turned milder, hasn’t it, and Richard Robinson and his team are out on the ground and Headingley is looking immaculate.
“It’s still wet, but it looks immaculate, and it’s just sort of hit home, ‘Where’s the winter gone?’
“It’s been a busy winter but a productive one.
“There’s obviously been the signings on the field, but off the field we’re really comfortable behind the scenes.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. Rebecca Duckworth, Ami Campbell and Jess Woolston – all pictured – have been playing women’s club cricket in Australia this winter.
“There’s been a lot of work over the last year or so getting the right personnel in, getting the right messaging across, and this winter’s just been about really spending time hitting home with that.
“That’s across men’s, women’s and Pathway, and internally as a club.
“So we’re in good spirits, and we’re in good shape and we’re just looking forward to it.
“We’re really comfortable with the squads that we’ve got, and we’ve got, dare I say it, an element of confidence going in this year.”
Senior women’s players Ami Campbell, Rebecca Duckworth and Jess Woolston are all due back from Australia next week.
