ECB Latest News
-
Anderson aims to emulate Giggs
James Anderson starts his 16th summer of county cricket when Lancashire take on Nottinghamshire on Sunday, but has vowed to emulate footballer Ryan Giggs by maintaining his best form through the twilight of his career.
England's highest Test wicket-taker is keen to prove that his recent injury niggles – a calf problem disrupted his tour of South Africa after a side strain ended his Ashes series early – are in the past.
And the 33-year-old seamer sees Manchester United legend Giggs as the inspiration for athletes entering their mid thirties.
Anderson told the Daily Telegraph: "We are fitter now than ever, so why not?
“Look at guys who have played sport for a long time like Ryan Giggs. He was comfortable at 40 and did not look out of place when he retired.
"Where I am at the minute is I feel as fit as I have ever been. I feel I can still get it down the other end.
“I guess it is an extra incentive to keep going, to prove people wrong. You spend all your career trying to prove people wrong. It is the same now.
"In the back of my mind I think I can get 500 Test wickets and what has helped me during the last three or four years has been thinking about staying as fit as possible so I get on the field.
"Then I can contribute to us winning games. If I do that and stay in the team it means I will get wickets. I would like to play the 2019 Ashes. I will be 37 then."
As for his plans after retirement, Anderson was adamant he wanted to give something back to the sport.
He said: "I want to stay in cricket. The game has been amazing to me. So I want to stay but whether that is coaching full-time I am not sure. It is a full-time job on the road travelling away from your family if you do it at international level.
"Mentoring sounds more feasible. Dipping in and out trying to pass things on. I worked for Sky during the World Twenty20. That was a great opportunity to try it. I have a good analytical brain so if I can get it across in the right way that could be a possibility as well."
-
Joe (Clarke) Blogs
Worcestershire batsman Joe Clarke will be blogging exclusively for ecb.co.uk throughout the season. In the first instalment, he discusses James Taylor's sudden retirement, Tom Fell's positive attitude, and a damp start to the season.
It has been a tough start to the season for everyone in county cricket, because of the news we heard last Tuesday morning that James Taylor has been forced to retire.
Your sympathies go out first to James and his family, obviously – because as Moeen Ali said when he came into the dressing room the following day, he’s never come across anyone who loves the game as much.
It must have been such a shock for Jimmy’s Nottinghamshire team-mates, and also to Leicestershire where he started his career. But he also had very strong connections with us at Worcester, mainly because of his background at Shrewsbury School in Shropshire.
I’m a Shropshire lad myself, and I’ve done a lot of work with Paul Pridgeon, the former Worcestershire bowler who was Jimmy’s coach at Shrewsbury. He still used to work with Paul quite regularly - he was still his go-to coach in many ways.
Joe Leach was at Shrewsbury with him, and they’re close – they always go for dinner when we play Notts. So it was especially upsetting for him and Ed Barnard, who was also at Shrewsbury a few years younger. They knew he’d gone into hospital, and that was the reason he wasn’t playing in Notts’ first game against Surrey – but no-one expected it to be that serious.
I think that was how Titch wanted it – he didn’t want people worrying and making a fuss. I sent him a message after the news came out and he got back to me within an hour saying how much he appreciates all the support. I saw a picture of Chris Woakes when he went to see him in hospital on Thursday, and again you’ve got to admire his positive attitude.
First of all you think how cruel it is, then you think it could have been far worse – and that he’s had a brilliant career as it is. I think he’s the best player of spin I’ve seen or played against, just incredibly good, and someone I’ve looked up to since I was young – especially because he was from Shropshire. He’s shown what you can achieve, and that’s a big inspiration to me.
Closer to home one of our Worcestershire team-mates has also been inspiring us with his courage and positive attitude over the last few months. Tom Fell, who is one of my best mates at the club, was diagnosed with testicular cancer last autumn, and in February he was told he would need chemotherapy.
I found out just before we went on our pre-season trip to Abu Dhabi, and to be honest that first week out there a few of us were really struggling to handle it. I didn’t really have a clue what chemotherapy meant.
But a bit like Jimmy Taylor, Tom has made us feel more positive about him by being so positive about it himself. He’s already been into the ground one day and the lads who saw him in the nets said you wouldn’t know anything was wrong.
I went to see him in hospital last week with Tom Kohler-Cadmore, and at first it was quite upsetting seeing him attached to all these wires, whilst the chemo was dripping into him. But he was in very good spirits – I did my bit by letting him beat me at Fifa. He left hospital that evening and he’s hoping to come in for a couple more days next week to train, if he feels ok.
The way I see it I’m just keeping his position at number three warm, until hopefully Felly gets back later in the season to the spot where he played so well for us last year. He hasn’t missed much at the moment.
It rained when we were in Abu Dhabi – the people out there said it was the worst in 10 years – and then we had the massive frustration of having our first Championship game against Kent completely washed out. Even yesterday, the ground was too wet for us to practise outside, so we had to go to Malvern College for an indoor session.
We haven’t got a game in the next round of games so it feels like we’re having another pre-season to be honest. But we’re going to be seriously excited and keen to get out there when we go down to Bristol to play Gloucestershire next week.
The four days of our Kent game weren’t completely wasted. Tom Kohler-Cadmore, who came with me to see Tom Fell in hospital last week, had his head shaved to raise money for Cancer Research. It’s a great cause which we’re all supporting at Worcester – you can get more details here.
-
Top tips: Strauss on early season batting
Club cricketers throughout England and Wales have been busy dusting down their pads, warming up with pre-season nets (or last-minute panic sessions depending on your approach) and are now eagerly counting down to the first big weekend of the 2016 season.
But how equipped are you with bat in hand for what’s coming?
If you’ve not had ample time to prepare before walking out to the crease this Saturday or Sunday, never fear, Andrew Strauss is here!
ECB.co.uk spoke to the three-time Ashes winner and talented opening batsman – who has 7,037 international Test runs to his name with an average of 41 – about the art of early-season batting.
Here, he shares his top-three quick-fire tips for players as they face into their first innings of the season.
Play the conditions
“Playing the conditions is key, particularly in early season, when making the transformation from whacking balls everywhere indoors to being outside is a tricky one for any cricketer.
“Be patient and give yourself time to get used to the conditions before unfurling all of your expansive strokes.”
Watch the ball
“Don’t forget to watch the ball.
“When the pressure’s on and you’re playing your first match of the year, it’s easy to get caught up in it. Try to avoid this.
“Keep the game simple, pay attention and always watch the flight of the ball.”
Make it count
“If you get in, dip your bread in! Speaking plainly, if you do the hard yards and manage to get in [to bat], especially early season, try your best to make a big score.
“That is your statement of intent and will set the tone for the rest of the season.”
-
Duckett named inaugural Player of the Week
Ben Duckett has been voted this season’s first Specsavers County Championship Player of the Week for 2016.
The Northamptonshire opener crashed an unbeaten 282 in his side’s rain-affected draw with Sussex in the first round of matches, which proved enough to come out on top via a twitter poll.
The 21-year-old left-hander romped home with 52% of the vote – more than double the share of Durham’s Keaton Jennings.
Jennings, also an opening batsman, had become only the third player in his county’s history to score a century in both innings of a County Championship match in the draw against Somerset.
Nottinghamshire seamer Jake Ball, who took 5-98 in the second innings before hitting the winning runs against Surrey was third, with Warwickshire’s Keith Barker, who took seven wickets against Hampshire at the Ageas Bowl, finishing fourth.
Congratulations, @BenDuckett1, who's been voted the Championship's first Player of the Week. Well batted pic.twitter.com/DR7T5oSNva
— County Championship (@CountyChamp) April 15, 2016
-
Graces CC marks 20th anniversary
Graces CC players have embarked on a four-match tour to Malta to celebrate the landmark 20th anniversary of its founding as the world's first ever LGBT cricket club.
The London-based club was founded in April 1996 to increase enjoyment of the game of cricket within the LGBT community.
Originally created as a supporters group, growing interest led to the club putting out its first playing side in 1997.Graces played that first game against Wendover Cricket Club – winning by six wickets – and have continued to go from strength to strength in the two decades since.
The club now plays upwards of 20 fixtures a season in London and the city's surrounds.
Speaking about the tour, Graces Tour Secretary Matthew Davis said: “Our players and supporters are from a spectrum of cricketing nations and backgrounds and we're looking forward to visiting a country with such a rich and diverse history and a reputation for friendliness and tolerance.”
Club Chairman Jonathan Hardisty added: “The tour of Malta will provide a wonderful start to our 20th anniversary season. We're hoping that, contrary to our usual early season games, we won't need to bring at least two jumpers and long johns.”
Malta Cricket Association Chairman Frank Spiteri echoed Hardisty's sentiments: “We're extremely pleased that Graces Cricket Club have chosen to visit Malta in celebration of their 20th anniversary and we wish Graces' players and supporters every success for the future of their club.”
During the trip Graces CC will play two fixtures against Maltese side Marsa and two matches against fellow touring sides Wandlers and Baldock Town.
Graces CC tour fixtures
- Friday 15 April: Graces CC v Baldock Town; Graces CC v Marsa
- Saturday 16 April: Graces CC v Wandlers
- Sunday 17 April: Graces CC v Marsa