Yorkshire’s Academy and Emerging Players Programme squads will continue their preparations for the new summer in a different setting later this month having been given use of the ECB’s High Performance Centre at Loughborough for a day.
On Sunday February 18, the county’s youngsters will head to Loughborough University, led by Tom Craddock, the Academy’s lead coach.
“We’re taking around 30 cricketers down with us across the EPP and Academy,” said James Martin, the head of Yorkshire’s performance pathway.
“It’s good to get the lads away from Headingley and to see a new environment, and it’s an opportunity that we didn’t want to throw away.
“A lot of our players will know all about Loughborough having been in and around that from an Under 15s Bunbury point of view, the Under 17s Super Fours and the England Under 19s development set-up.”
The county’s Academy and EPP covers ages from 18 down to 13, and they – like Yorkshire’s senior squad – will begin their summer in April.
Tom Craddock, the lead coach on Yorkshire’s Academy.
Martin said: “When you have the use of six lanes, a fielding area, the gym, a medical and physio room, it’s fantastic. We’ll be there from 10am to 4pm, and we’ll maximise that time.
“Given the way winters are formed, taking cricketers to different environments, it really breaks things up for them.
“It also gives them something to work towards in the build-up.
“We’ve had a real focus on winning the moments in practice over the last few weeks.
“It’s about trying to bring the outdoors indoors into practice, and we try and replicate the challenges the boys may face outdoors by working on scenario based stuff.
“The lads are all in good fettle now and are progressing well towards the start of the season.”
