One thing Ali Maiden has learnt in his first few days of working with Joe Root is that he will have to be good at making brews.
Root is back with Yorkshire ahead of their LV= Insurance County Championship trip to Chelmsford on Thursday (11am), where Essex await.
It is the 31-year-old’s first appearance since he resigned as England’s Test captain last month and his first time working with the county’s new coaching staff, including batting coach Maiden.
The pair first worked together in training during last week’s home draw against Kent at Headingley, Yorkshire’s second stalemate of 2022 to add to the opening round win at Gloucestershire.
“I had one session with Joe last week, and he was amazing really,” said Maiden.
“I threw at him for an hour and we chatted about his batting. Then we had a competition, which he set, and the loser had to make a brew for the other person.
“I lost, and we sat together for about an hour again and chatted about batting.
“He was fantastic and just as enthusiastic about it as I was. He’s a legendary bloke and a legendary player.”
Of the competition, Maiden explained: “It was a challenge of his decision making and execution.
“It was first to 10. If he gets one wrong or miscues one, I get a point. If he executes his shot correctly, he gets the point. He smashed me. The first one was close – it was his first net. But then we had a double or quits and he won that. I don’t think I got a point.”
A couple of months into his new role as one of Ottis Gibson’s two assistants coaches, effectively the club’s batting coach, and Maiden is in his element.
