Matthew Revis is confident he will be better for the experience as he enters the final stages of his recovery from a stress fracture of the back, suffered late last summer.
Yorkshire’s all-rounder first felt an issue whilst he was bowling during the late August Rothesay County Championship win over Sussex at Scarborough, though didn’t for one minute think it would be as serious as it turned out.
Unfortunately, having gone for a precautionary scan, he was delivered the bad news that would result in a winter of rehabilitation in the gym and Headingley’s East Stand nets.
However, what time on the sidelines has done for the affable 23-year-old is allow him chance to streamline his bowling action and progress his batting as he gets set to enter the next phase of what promises to be an exciting career.
“Last winter, I went to Australia and played all the way through (for Gold Coast Dolphins),” he said.
“While that was good, it was quite hard to find a window where you can really work on improvements in technique and such.
Picture by YCCC. Matthew Revis in the field during Yorkshire’s Abu Dhabi Counties Super Cup T20 campaign at the weekend.
“This winter, it’s given us a real clear window to sit down and say, ‘Right, how can we improve my action and how can I make sure there’s less stress on my body?’
“I think we’ve made really good improvements in that sense.
“It’s definitely been a time where I can use it to kick on with my game.”
There are still hurdles to clear for the Burley-in-Wharfedale product before he can be considered for selection for this season’s opening match, the Championship clash with Hampshire at the Utilita Bowl on Friday April 4. But that is his aim.
“For me, that’s what I’m aiming for, to be available for that first game,” he continued.
“But I know Ed (Owen, Yorkshire’s head of science and medicine) and Harry (Booker, head of strength and conditioning) were going to chat to Mags about the roles I’ve filled in the past.
Picture by John Clifton/SWpix.com. Matthew Revis celebrates a wicket during last summer’s Metro Bank One-Day Cup campaign.
“It could be as a fourth seamer or a fifth seamer.
“It’s obviously easier to manage workloads as a fifth seamer, but I’m not sure any head coach would want to be in a position where you’re going into a Championship game managing loads. But I’d love to be available. We’ll see.”
The next step on the journey is to hopefully bowl a few overs against Somerset in the upcoming two-day friendly in Abu Dhabi, starting on Friday.
He can play as a specialist batter, of course. That’s what he did during the the recent weekend T20 tournament in the Arabian Desert, and he could have done if required during last season’s Championship run-in – even after his injury had been diagnosed.
Revis said: “I’ve been bowling as much as I can at Headingley.
“It was tough to fit your full run up in down in the East Stand, but in terms of intensity at the crease it was 90-95 percent (just before the squad left for their tour).
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com. Matthew Revis has been working hard on improving his game with both bat and ball this winter.
“The plan is for me to potentially bowl against Somerset late on in the evening session when the other lads have bowled their overs. If I can bowl three or four overs, that would be ideal.”
His ‘softly, softly’ return to bowling has been done with the help of second-team coach Tom Smith and with remote input from new bowling coach Mick Lewis, who only started his new role at the beginning of the month.
Team-mates Matt Milnes, who is going through his own recovery from a back stress fracture, and Ben Coad have also been “great for me to talk to about the recovery. I’m very thankful for that.”
Batting wise, he has worked hard on improvements with head coach Anthony McGrath and new batting coach John Sadler.
“I feel like I’ve made some really good strides forward with that side of things – against spin and against seam,” he said.
“It’s been a different winter to the one I’m used to.
Picture by YCCC. Yorkshire second-team coach Tom Smith has been working closely with Matthew Revis as he recovers from a stress fracture of his back.
“Going back to late August or early September when the first scan was, I had some downtime after that, which was weird. I was off on holiday whilst everybody else was playing.
“But then the tables turned when October came around. Everyone else was jetting off and I was back in the gym at Headingley getting cracking with my rehab.
“It’s certainly been a challenge.
“I think I was a bit naive when it came to getting back bowling. I was expecting everything to be plain-sailing, but every step up I was like, ‘Why is this harder?’
“You try and ignore the things that can go wrong, but every time I’ve stepped up I’ve been consciously thinking about that area of my back, ‘Is anything going to crop up here?’”
Revis added: “It was a 50 percent lower left (fracture). You can get higher percentages, but the medical staff were definitely pretty cautious with it.
Picture by YCCC. Yorkshire’s new bowling coach Mike Lewis (left) started work at Headingley at the beginning of the month and is currently in Abu Dhabi with the squad.
“At the time, it was strange. I could feel it in parts during that Sussex game at Scarborough. The odd ball or over, I would feel it. But then I’d bowl a spell afterwards and wouldn’t feel it at all.
“We then played Middlesex here after that, which was when I got the scan.
“Selection wise, we knew it would be a spinning wicket. So, with me having felt my back a bit, the decision was taken not to risk me, give me a week off and get it scanned. But then it turned out to be a stress fracture.
“Other bowlers who have had these kinds of injuries haven’t been able to bowl a ball with it, but mine was more just aching.
“Like I said, it’s been a different winter. But I feel like I’m in a good place now.”
That last comment will be music to the ears of all Yorkshire fans ahead of a trophy hunt in 2025. Whether or not he makes that first game at Hampshire, Revis promises to play a big part in Yorkshire’s exciting summer.
