Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. Women’s head coach Rich Pyrah has just returned from a Mumbai training camp with Erin Thomas and Claudie Cooper.
Four Yorkshire women’s stars have been – or will be – jetting away from Headingley to ramp up their preparations for the new season, with Claudie Cooper especially busy.
Opening batter Erin Thomas, who had hip surgery at the end of last season but has recovered well, and off-spinner Cooper have just returned home from a 10-day training camp in Mumbai, overseen by head coach Rich Pyrah.
Next week, Cooper will fly out to Cape Town on a Yorkshire Cricket College tour, where herself, vice captain Maddie Ward and all-rounder Ria Fackrell will combine playing and training with some coaching.
Pyrah said: “The South Africa trip is a Yorkshire Cricket College one, which we’ve jumped on the back of a bit. We’re sending three girls on that as coaches. But it’s two-fold, really.
“They will go as coaches to further their development.
“Those three have been coaching on our Pathway this winter.
“But they’ll also be able to join in out there and play a couple of games for the college men’s first team against local schools.
Picture by Alex Whitehead/SWPix.com. Opener Erin Thomas has recovered well from early-winter surgery.
“The chance to get away and out of the East Stand will be really beneficial.”
Ami Campbell, Rebecca Duckworth and Jess Woolston have all spent their winters playing club cricket in Australia and will return home early next month ahead of a full-squad pre-season tour to Abu Dhabi in late March.
Captain Lauren Winfield-Hill will remain with Queensland until the conclusion of their WNCL campaign, which could conclude for her with a March 20 final.
“Lauren is a bit different to the others who are in Australia,” said Pyrah. “She’s contracted to Queensland, and they’re currently second in the table.
“If they reach the final, that’s three days before we fly to Abu Dhabi, so she will meet us out there.”
Pyrah travelled with Cooper and Erin Thomas to Mumbai, returning home on Thursday.
“Some budget became available for us to be able to take a few of the girls away to add to their preparation for the new season, to get some extra volume in,” he said.
Picture by Matt Lewis/Getty Images. Lauren Winfield-Hill with the Metro Bank One-Day Cup 2 title, won by Yorkshire last September. She’s currently chasing more silverware with Queensland.
“Mumbai was really good.
“Erin was batting for four or five hours every day against Indian spin bowlers and seamers on their decks. That was great for her development as a young batter.
“Claudie got through a lot of overs, and she worked on a few technical things as well. She worked with some Indian spin coaches, which was very valuable for her.
“Full winters at home, they can get quite long. And they’ve done a lot of work up to this point. They’re just ready to get out on grass now, whether it be in Mumbai or in Cape Town.
“Worcestershire’s boys’ Academy were out there, the same with the Notts’ boys’ Academy. So we trained with them.
“We had our own net, but they were there at the same time.
“We actually got Claudie bowling at Jake Libby, who was there. He’s a really good first-class cricketer, so I asked him if she could bowl at him.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. Claudie Cooper and Ria Fackrell will tour Cape Town together, starting next week.
“It was a great experience, really.”
Pyrah will return to oversee training at Headingley next week and added: “We’re getting to that stage now where we’re itching to go.
“The girls have worked so hard on both their cricket skills and the physical side as well.
“And we’re starting to get a few players back.
“Sterre’s (Kalis) back from Holland, and Slats (Rachel Slater) as well after playing for Scotland.
“Once those girls, Hannah (Rainey) as well, return from international cricket, it really feels like we’re getting somewhere near to the season.
“They’ve all qualified to play in this summer’s T20 World Cup, which is brilliant.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. Yorkshire and Scotland seamer Hannah Rainey is set to play in this summer’s T20 World Cup in England.
“I’ve said to them all, ‘There’s not many people who get the opportunity to play in a World Cup in England, at home. It’s a massive thing, playing against some of the best cricketers in the world’.
“It will be great for their development.
“It does leave us a bit short with a squad of 16 (from mid-June to early-July).
“If Sarah Glenn gets in the England squad, which we hope she does, that takes us down to 12. That’s where we were last year.
“But there’s been no change in our recruitment plans.
“We know this year there will be some ups and downs going up to Tier 1.
“We’re going to keep developing our own from the Academy and give them opportunities to perform at this level. It’s a long-term project for us, and that’s how we’re going to get these youngsters through to be good, consistent cricketers in Tier 1.”