As a county cricketer, having a birthday in the middle of April means celebrations are always likely to be subdued – especially this year as it came the day before our first match of the Championship season at home to Northamptonshire at Chelmsford.
As with every competition it is important to get off to a winning start because all successful teams thrive on momentum. Confidence plays a huge role in cricket and we enter the season as a confident team but one that now needs to make good of that. Having been given the news that Andre Nel will be hot-footing it from Heathrow in time for the opening match was also a major boost at the right time.
There is a new regime under Paul Grayson (our first-team coach) at Essex and he’s impressed all of the squad with the way he goes about his job. Paul is someone who lets you work things out for yourself but is always approachable when you need him. Everything is done for a reason in his training methods and there are no sessions where you go through the motions. Our captain, Mark Pettini, is also in his first full season in charge and he has already proved a very strong leader who dovetails well with Paul.
From a cricketing point of view the main positive I could take from my winter was selection for the England Lions tour to India.
My call-up came as a great surprise but I was obviously thrilled and delighted to have been selected after so long on the outside looking in. Touring India is always tough but I learnt a lot and it was fantastic to work with David Houghton, who the ECB took over as batting coach. Unfortunately I never managed to get going with the bat but I’m hoping to implement a few of David’s ideas when the county season begins. Being drafted in a week and a half before the team left (following an injury to Steven Davies) wasn’t ideal as I hadn’t worked on my batting over the winter until that point. Nonetheless I wouldn’t have given up an opportunity like that for anything, so I’m grateful to have got another chance with England. On the up side I learnt a lot about myself while I was in India and was very pleased with the way I kept.
Upon returning to England I needed another injection in my shoulder – having already had one towards the back-end of last season – after it flared up while I was away. That seems to have done the trick and I was fully fit and raring to go by the time of Essex’s pre-season tour of the Emirates in March. Pre-season trips are always great for team bonding and this particular one was a good way to welcome our three new signings – Jason Gallian, David Masters and Chris Wright – and two Academy professionals – Adam Wheater and Jaik Mickleburgh – into the fold.
There was no initiation ceremony for the new players as such – like there used to be in the old days! – but all of them have fitted in well and feel comfortable in our environment.
We are a group of mates at Essex but there is no comfort zone here and everyone is determined to have a great season.
Outside of my unexpected England call-up the bulk of the winter was taken up with my new business venture – James Foster Coaching. I’ve been really pleased with how that has gone and especially delighted that a number of my Essex team-mates were able to lend a hand in putting on a series of ‘Masterclasses’. This is something I am very keen to continue but it will be difficult to fit too much coaching in during the summer as I’ll be full-in with the playing side. I’m hoping to bring some of the kids I’ve coached along to a day at the cricket at Essex during the season to meet a few of the ‘superstars’! I’ve had excellent feedback on the sessions I’ve done so hopefully this is just the start!
Posted by: Tracie Pinto at April 23, 2008 12:15 PM
Hopefully it wont be too long before you are back playing again
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The Contributors
James Foster was still a student for Durham University when he was called up to the England A squad in 2000-01, before progressing to full
international honours the following winter. However, he broke his arm in the nets early in the 2002 season which allowed Alec Stewart back into the side and he has played just one further Test, at Melbourne in 2002-03. But two strong seasons have put him back in the frame and he was part of the England Lions squad during the 2007-08 winter tour to India. He was appointed
Essex's vice captain in 2007.
Nick Compton, grandson of the legendary Denis, was raised in South Africa before moving to Harrow as a teenager. Like many young South Africans, he excelled at handball sports and, although he took some time to
cement his place, he's been a consistent and elegant batsman at the
top of the order for Middlesex ever since. This winter, instead of
spending it in the gym, he and Graham Napier trekked in the foothills
of Mount Everest to stage the world's highest ever cricket match.
Will Smith was 22 when he sparked Nottinghamshire's interest with a fine 156 for Durham Universities in 2005, and it was enough to earn him a
contract and three games with the county in their Championship-winning
season. A strong opening batsman, he had to wait until 2006 to hit his
maiden first-class hundred following a winter in which he had double
hernia and shoulder operations. He joined Durham in 2007 and has a
range of curious nicknames: Posh Kid, Smudge and Jiggy.
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