Derbyshire players plan India trip

By Andy Wilson

Derbyshire will send seven members of their first team squad to India next week as part of their preparations for the new season.

Led by captain Wayne Madsen, they will spend 11 days at the international cricket centre in Pune between February 5-16. Dan Redfern, Tony Palladino, Mark Turner, Richard Johnson, Tom Poynton and Tom Knight will also make the trip.

The county sent a party to the sub-continent last year, the money to pay for it coming out of the specialist coaching fund established by chairman Chris Grant, and the success of that has prompted the decision to go again.

“Tom Poynton and Redders went last year but it will be a new experience for the rest of us,” said Madsen. “It will be great to get outside and play against the spinners out there. We might play a few games with and against the locals as well, so that will be good preparation for us.

“The biggest thing for us is playing against spin. For the keepers, it’s a great opportunity to keep against the spinners as well and ultimately it’s just getting time outside because we’re spending a lot of time in the indoor nets at the moment.

“The purpose for the seamers will be to get a little bit of batting but also to give them the chance to run in on grass rather than on the hard surface here. It will be good for them too.”

Derbyshire’s pre-season preparations for the full squad will step up with their trip to Barbados from March 11-23. They will play two-day matches against Northants and Yorkshire and will take part in a Twenty20 tournament involving all six English counties – Warwickshire, Notts and Hampshire are the others – plus two local sides.

Three days in Taunton against Somerset are scheduled for April 1-3, with Derbyshire’s opening County Championship fixture, away to Warwickshire, beginning on April 10.



Date: 29/01/2013 22:27:12 by Andy Wilson
In: Today | Derbyshire |