Australia and Hampshire strike academy deal
January 17, 2013
|
|||
Cricket Australia and Hampshire Cricket have announced a partnership
which will see some of Australia's most talented young cricketers spend
the next English summer at the newly-formed Ageas Bowl International
Cricket Academy.
The deal confirms Hampshire's status as the host of one of the
best-equipped cricket academies in the world and left Rod Bransgrove,
the county's cricket chairman and long-time driving force, purring with
delight at another sign of progress for the project that has long been
his life's obsession.
"Cricket Australia has been an admirer of the Ageas Bowl for some time
and we are delighted that they are sending six high-performing young
players to the Academy in its inaugural year," Bransgrove said. "We are
one of the few professional grounds in the world with two full-sized
cricket pitches immediately adjacent to each other which means our
outdoor facilities are available even when there is a match on. That is a
great advantage. We are a genuine international cricket academy.
"Lord's will always have its tradition and a presence second to none,
but our ambition is simply to create the finest ground in the country."
English players have long had the advantages of winter stints in
Australia, South Africa and India as part of their overall development
and now Hampshire's academy offers an opportunity in reverse which
Cricket Australia has been quick to grasp. Hampshire promise access to
world-class coaching, sports science and medical staff.
As part of the programme the Australian players will play in the
Southern Electric Premier League for the duration of the English
domestic cricket season. "That's an extra benefit - that six league
clubs get an overseas player free of charge for the whole of the
season," said Bransgrove. "I'm not in favour of clubs using their
hard-earned funds for recreational players even if they commit to
regular coaching and have the club at heart."
Bransgrove has reason to be satisfied. The launch of the academy follows
Hampshire's achievement in winning the Friends Life Twenty20 and CB40
tournaments last season and the securing of a £45m investment from
Eastleigh Borough Council to secure the final stage in the development
of the Ageas Bowl which will include the construction of a 4-star hotel,
additional conferencing and hospitality facilities and a
state-of-the-art media centre.
Although he has handed over the chief executive role to David Mann after
ceaselessly driving Hampshire forward for 12 years, Bransgrove is not
the sort for for semi-retirement. "I have taken a back seat in the
day-to-day running of the business," he said. "After 12 years the club
needed new energy. But I've got so much emotion - and money - wrapped up
in it I can't run away."
The partnership will form part of the 2013 Australian Institute of Sport
men's cricket programme and The Kerry Packer Foundation will provide
scholarships to the selected players.
Pat Howard, Cricket Australia's team performance manager, said: "CA is
very excited about this partnership and opportunity for our very best
young players. The opportunity to experience cricket in a different
country will grow them as players and as people. For those chosen it
will be an important part of their development."
English counties have occasionally faced criticism for employing
Australian players on short-term contracts ahead of Ashes series but
Bransgrove is confident that within the cricket community at least the
presence of some of Australia's top young cricketers in Hampshire will
be universally seen as a success story. Discussions are also underway
with India and Sri Lanka for similar tie-ups.
"The ECB fully recognises that we have a responsibility to maximise our
income," he said. "We are talking about the development of young
players. Every country seeking to develop players wants to use the
facilities of other countries in the off season. For England players not
to have the chance to go abroad would be disastrous and it is only
right that we reciprocate. I would like to think that cricket can be
more high-minded about the development of young cricketers."
David Hopps is the UK editor of ESPNcricinfo
Feeds: David Hopps
© ESPN EMEA Ltd.
No comments:
Post a Comment