It’s March – so it’s beginning to feel like we’ve all had enough of winter and are easing ourselves into the pre season countdown. For the players and coaching staff, that means a trip to South Africa, and Assistant Coach Iain Brunnschweiler can barely keep the grin off his face as he tells me about it.

“I couldn’t be looking forward to it more – for the third year in a row we’re going to Cape Town. The lads have worked really hard this winter and it’s a chance for us to get outside to play cricket and run around in the sun. We’ll be based at Western Province Cricket Club which is a fantastic facility. We’ve got three cricket pitches, loads of nets, a very well equipped gym, swimming pool, lawn bowls – everything a young cricketer could want, really! So we’re going to play a few matches, have some training days and do a bit of team bonding stuff.”

‘Team bonding stuff’ can only mean Brunchy’s legendary Cape Olympics and from memory there was unfinished business from last year as not all the events were completed. “I think the teams are going to change slightly and there are going to be a couple of new events. With the help of James Tomlinson we’re looking at a pub sports evening to test out the finer skills of darts, table football and pool to complement the more active events outside.” It turns out that darts is one of Tommo’s hidden talents. “He’s even represented The Walnut Pub on several occasions,” Brunchy tells me, and we agree that this is an honour making him the man to set the standard for the rest of the guys.

Last year's Cape Olympics

The vast majority of the squad will be travelling to South Africa, with the exception of Michael Carberry, who’s on England duty in Bangladesh; Michael Lumb and Dimi who are playing in the IPL and Dominic Cork who is also unavailable. “That’ll make it a bit of a quieter tour” Brunchy jokes, “and it will make the football a lower standard. But it does mean we have a fantastic young squad going out there, which will open up opportunities for the likes of Michael Bates, Danny Briggs and Chris Wood to get more cricket than they otherwise would have done.” Hampshire fans will also be pleased to know that Duncan Fletcher will once again be joining the tour as part of his ongoing commitment to the club.

Also extremely encouraging is the general level of fitness in the squad. Obviously Simon Jones is still working his way back, but otherwise Brunchy is delighted. “I’m buzzing with Hampshire and fitness – and Hampshire in general. I couldn’t be more happy with where we are as a squad. They guys’ attitudes towards their training this winter have simply added to everything we’ve done over the last couple of years. This group never ceases to amaze me – they’re just getting better and better, and their understanding of what they need to do and why it will help them is great.

“My phrase for his winter has been ‘bridge the gap’, between the gym and the cricket field. Firstly so that they know why they’re doing it in terms of their cricket, and secondly putting it into a cricketing context. Not just telling them to go for a ten kilometre run and not explaining why.

“We’ve been able to do a bit more power development work which I’m hoping will make them faster as well as being stronger. I did some testing at the beginning of January and again at the beginning of February and some of the guys’ power output was up by about 20%, which for an athlete is an enormous increase.

“Guys like Daws, who hasn’t been a particular fan of the gym in the past, this winter has really taken to it. The other day he actually said he was enjoying it, which had me rubbing my eyes and shaking my head, but I think he understands how it can improve him as a cricketer. He’ll hit balls and bowl balls all day, but now he’s adding gym work to his armoury.” Gleefully Brunchy shows me a video from his mobile phone of Liam Dawson lifting 80kg of dumbbell plus his own weight off the floor. “That’s all through his lower limb power” he explains. “So when he moves just his own body weight he’s only having to shift 70 kilos so he can do it more powerfully, so it’s likely to make him a faster fielder and be able to run between the wickets quicker.

Brunchy in the gym

“Then there’s someone like Dave Balcombe who’s a brilliant trainer, so we’ve looked at a different area this winter. And the usual candidates; the Benhams, Adams, Pothas, Lumbs – those guys have been brilliant for several years now and their fitness levels are very high. Plus the Academy boys – 15 year olds doing things that a couple of years ago 25 year olds couldn’t do. Where they’re going to be when they’re 20 or 21 I have no idea, but hopefully we’re giving them the best chance.”

As well as working with the Hampshire players and studying for his Level IV coaching qualification, this winter has seen sales of Brunchy’s book, Inspired Cricket, top 700 copies. “I haven’t been able to do any real marketing – it’s purely been through word of mouth and the website [www.inspiredcricket.com]. What’s been nice is that the ICC sent out a load of copies to their European network and Hampshire and Surrey Cricket Boards have taken a load for their coaches’ associations. The feedback I’m getting is that it’s a useful resource for coaches to give them new ideas for drills.”

Drills which are doubtless already benefitting the Hampshire players, giving us that all important extra competitive edge. And now a few weeks in South Africa where the hard work indoors over the winter will move outside into the sun. Chelmsford, 9th of April – here we come!

Jane Cable

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