Cricket Diary: Development Cricket Project

Development Cricket is back on the agenda for me, but this time the theory is about to be tested as through the No Boundaries Cricket Club CIC initiative I set up and specifically the commercial side of the business I have been asked to help the Birmingham Unicorns (@bhamunicorns) with some mentoring, coaching, playing and structuring of a development and training plan.

To date I have attended one net session, observed one game, and played in one game and have thoroughly enjoyed them all. Very early days but they are a great group, with the ´benefit´of being a new club, although some experienced heads are involved, and extremely willing to learn.

I have been in Spain this week finishing off the tidying up of our Apartment which we now plan to use more, and took the opportunity to document my initial observations and thoughts which we will discuss over the coming weeks and then look to get more involved from the beginning of June (there is no game or nets this coming week).

The break has also allowed to evaluate realistically my own ´condition´after three games in a week: I feel comfortable with my batting and my running between the wickets is much better BUT I am seriously unfit after so long rehabbing so being realistic my best best batting wise is to focus on shorter innings at 5, 6 and 7 and try and make an impact with my more aggressive batting instinct. I have been really pleased with my bowling and ironic as it will be, may well end up playing more as a bowler this year. My fielding has been much better as well BUT my body has not reacted particularly well. My knees are sore which I think will probably always be the case. They are OK once they get moving but I will need to think hard about playing more than once a week. My shoulder and arm have held up OK and I seem to have found some exercises that are making a big difference. The main area of concern remains my hips/thighs which tightened up a lot after the three games and will need both more rehabbing and more strengthening.

I have a game on Sunday (another debut) for a wandering team that happen to be playing about 6 miles from our house so I am going to try and get some time in the middle with the bat and nurse my legs through as I have not played for a week and I have done nothing other than walk here in Spain.

For now I am going to play for Staffordshire 2s as I think I will be able to contribute and the catch 22 with the old body is I need to push through the pain a little to build up strength, but I would not be comfortable playing in the 1s currently.

I will probably play for the Unicorns every other week for a month or so, and in July we have a No Boundaries Game and a few guest matches scheduled so I think that will be enough for now i.e. am not even thinking about club cricket still.