The Cricketer Guide To Touring 2022

GUIDE TO TOURING 2022

ENGLAND U19 IN INDIA ‘93 CHRIS ADAMS' TOUR STORIES OVERSEAS DESTINATIONS 2022/23

GUIDE TO TOURING 2022

TOUR DE FORCE Cricket tours provide a rich education on and off the field, writes Jim Hindson ABOVE A day/night fixture between MCC & Oman at the Al Amerat Cricket Ground, Muscat BELOW

MCC arriving at the Julius Nyerere International Airport, Dar es Salaam

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he lessons learned from my first cricket tour have stayed with me to this day. It was January 1993 and I was one of 15 young cricketers, including future England skipper Michael Vaughan, embarking on the adventure of a lifetime, representing England Under-19s on a tour of India.

Learning to adapt to alien pitches while pitting our wits against rich, raw talent under a baking

subcontinent sun made for an environment where you had to swiftly learn on the job – or spend long days in the field.

I was particularly green behind the gills as I had never been on a plane before, never mind travelled abroad.

The exotic sights, sounds and smells encountered when landing in Delhi at 4am were intoxicating and enormously disconcerting to say the least. And given mobile phones and email were a pipe dream at the time

(fax was the most cost-efficient way of contacting home!) I remember thinking this had the potential to be a very lonely experience.

These musings hadn’t taken into account that my fellow tourists were feeling the same and this shared experience quickly brought us closer together. Don’t get me wrong, it was an incredibly tough tour, but the camaraderie of the squad was incredible. We had each other’s backs and even back then, knew that

It is a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in the game and inevitably players come back more experienced and savvy.

That confidence is also reflected off the field we’d look back on our time in India with pride and huge enjoyment.

Being on tour is one of the greatest feelings you can have as a cricketer.

The knowledge that your time away is entirely focused on practising and playing the sport you love creates a golden mindset that heightens your 2 | thecricketer.com

LEFT

Jim Hindson (back row, third from left) poses with his fellow tourists in 1993 BELOW LEFT Former Durham & Hampshire fast bowler Ruel Brathwaite on MCC duty, coaching in Tanzania BOTTOM A young Michael Vaughan in 1996

senses, driving you to improve your game and soak up knowledge from fellow players and coaches.

It is a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in the game and inevitably players come back more experienced and savvy. That confidence is also reflected off the field. The responsibility of living in a team environment quickly becomes apparent. There is no get out of jail card to be played, blaming ‘mum and dad’ for your tardiness.

The buck stops with you and I

find that players tend to revel in this new found independence.

Good timekeeping, support for team-mates and respect for the new environment are key to being good tourists.

We lost more than we won on that tour of the subcontinent back in 1993 but the bonds we formed as a team remain today. I will often see a post on Facebook from a squad member, triggering myriad comments from team-mates recalling those heady days. That

trip fuelled my appetite to travel, as did a comment from former England off-spinning legend Eddie Hemmings who once thrust a cricket ball in my hand and told me: “This is your passport to the world…”

Eddie was right and I’m proud to say I’ve been lucky enough to play all over the planet. From club cricket in New Zealand, to T20 matches in Florida and MCC tours to Oman and Tanzania. Each trip packed with unique experiences that have broadened both my cricket and life experience immeasurably, a firstclass education in cultural diversity.

The aggressive tactical approach to matches in New Zealand blew me away, the passion for the game in America was a huge eye opener and the quality of cricket in Tanzania despite pitiful investment left me spellbound.

My first tour saw me go to India a boy and come back a man – hopefully a better person both on and off the field. It is something I look back on with great pride and is why I am so passionate about encouraging school and club teams to go on tour. The opportunity to travel to foreign climes is one of the unique qualities that make cricket such a wonderful sport, so pack your bags, sit back and enjoy the journey.

Jim Hindson was a professional cricketer with Nottinghamshire from 1993 to 1998. He now works as commercial director for The Cricketer thecricketer.com | 3

GUIDE TO TOURING 2022

Returning to action Touring creates memories that last a lifetime and Smile Group Travel will ensure your trip is never forgotten

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or those fortunate enough to go on a cricket tour, they are unforgettable experiences.

But while they can be the trip of a lifetime for the players, and staff, there is so much that happens behind the scenes that creates the perfect cricket tour.

Smile Group Travel take schools on tour all over the cricketing world, from the Caribbean to India, Sri Lanka to Australia.

“I founded Smile Group Travel in 2009 while I was living in Barbados where I worked as a coach, ground

4 | thecricketer.com

handler and tour manager,” Graeme Walker, founder of Smile Group Travel, tells The Cricketer. “One key issue for a successful tour is the partner on the ground. They are the person at the coalface and can really enrich a tour experience. Having been a ground handler for countless tours, I know what I’m looking for in our ground partners. Consequently, I genuinely think we’ve been able to identify the best partner in each of our key destinations. The devil is in the detail.

“Ultimately every sports tour is different. We do a lot of work with

the top cricket schools like King’s Taunton, Felsted, Bede’s and Whitgift and they will always want to be challenged. Whatever the standard and objectives of the touring team, It’s our job to make sure those youngsters and coaches get the tour they need,” Walker continues.

As well as ensuring touring sides get well-matched opposition, Smile remove all organisational stress from the tour leader, meaning they can purely focus on the cricket and the players.

“You want coaches to focus on team performance and not worry about the quality of opposition or even if the opposition will turn up.

This focus extends to off the field.

Teachers and coaches will naturally keep an eye on player well-being as well as developing tactics and managing injuries.

“A really good ground handler will take all the weight off of coaches for any other issues. Health and safety is foremost in these responsibilities and there are many other issues to manage such as accommodation, food and travel which sometimes change during the tour.

“I have even taken players to doctor’s surgeries or to get scans on injuries.

One time I had to get a dentist on a Saturday morning when Hampshire’s wicketkeeper had knocked out his tooth during practice!”

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

This level of organisation doesn’t just happen. It is the result of years perfecting the relationship between ground handlers and those back in the UK. Between them no detail is missed.

Of course, overseas travel is still uncertain in the current climate but Smile work incredibly closely with their partners to ensure that tours go ahead as planned and they are as memorable experiences as they should be.

“If I was a in charge of a tour with a bottomless budget, and no travel restrictions, I’d go to Perth in Western Australia. I love it there.

I think the approach to cricket is great and there is so much to do in the city and the surrounding areas.

“We took Whitgift there a couple of years ago, it was a pretty high watermark tour. We organised eight fixtures for them and

THIS SPREAD Barbados is a heaven-sent destination for cricket tours

it was sensational.

“It ticked all the boxes, the matches were very competitive and there were some notable individual performances.

“Sri Lanka is a sensational destination too, it’s so unique and the conditions challenge players in ways they haven’t faced before.

South Africa is a bit more familiar in terms of conditions but the challenge is whether you can deal with it! The standard of sport there is still incredibly high, matched by their desire to win although our ground handler always makes sure that the opposition is of a comparable standard.

“UAE is an option that is increasingly popular especially between October and Easter, largely because the quality of experience for the cost is exceptional.

“There are some good options in Europe as well, especially in Spain, but if you want a tour that will suit everyone then it would probably be Barbados. It’s a

heaven-sent destination. We’ve hosted many county teams over the years and they would all rush back.

I’ve taken county sides to other destinations all over the world and all they ask is when they’re going to Barbados next!”

But to add more options for their clients Smile are focussing on introducing domestic tours, competitions and festivals.

“From pre-season at Easter and through the school holidays we aim to have a sequence of festivals and tournaments across the age groups for both boys and girls.

“These will be exciting and innovative events with the competitions enhanced by masterclasses as well as range-hitting and catching competitions. Our ambition is to provide the widest range of high class opportunities to schools and clubs to have the wonderful experience of touring and so, offering UK destinations will help us to achieve that.”

To find out more about your next tour visit www.smilegrouptravel.com or call 01708 948817 or email info@smilegrouptravel.com thecricketer.com | 5

GUIDE TO TOURING 2022

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

Desert Springs Resort: The short-haul year-round cricket destination The perfect pre-season destination awaits

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here is no denying that one of touring’s biggest attractions is the opportunity to experience an environment a world away from your own. Unfortunately, this can often require a 12-hour plane journey which brings with it a host of logistical complications with time differences, visas and other small details that can take significant planning.

Desert Springs Resort in Spain, however, can provide clubs and schools with a full cricket touring experience and is only a two-and-a-half-hour flight away. There is a reason why it is frequented by the ECB, numerous ICC National teams and several professional counties from the UK. Desert Springs Cricket Ground comprises an eighteen-wicket square, constructed to ECB standards and specifications, complimented by a marquee pavilion, sightscreens, scoreboard and associated facilities.

This is further complimented by the Desert Springs Cricket Academy with a grass training ground with 24 grass practice wickets with nets and requisite training equipment.

Recognition of the superb facilities on offer were further confirmed in 2021 whereby Desert Springs was awarded venue accreditation from the International Cricket Council to host official One Day International (ODI) and T20I matches.

In April 2022 The Cricketer will also be

hosting its inaugural TCS100 competition at the resort where the UK’s top cricketing schools will be pitted against one another in the 100-ball format. Keep an eye on The Cricketer’s print and digital channels for full coverage.

“Desert Springs Resort is Europe’s only international award-winning luxury family resort and cricket facility,” Nick Gaywood, the resort’s cricket sales and services manager, tells The Cricketer.

The resort also includes world- class gym facilities, that have also been designed with the help of the ECB, to round off the perfect cricket training facility.

But perhaps another draw of Desert Springs Resort is what else is on offer.

Clubs and schools may come for quite intense pre- season training, so the activity options and level of comfort away from the pitch are crucial.

The day spa, swimming pools, gym, tennis courts, padel courts, table tennis, beach volleyball and football areas are just a few of the activities on offer. Of course, you mustn’t forget the Championship Indiana Golf Course, Europe’s only desert golf course complete with a driving range and elite short game practice area that attracts top golfers from all over the world.

The resort is self-contained, and everything is within walking distance from the guest’s accommodation and the resort’s executive chef is on hand to

cater for the special dietary requirements of individual players dining in both El Torrente restaurant and the infamous Crocodile Club restaurant.

The key to Desert Springs is the simplicity.

The aforementioned short flight is a huge bonus but so too is the facility of direct bookings. The Desert Springs team will put together an itinerary to your specifications ensuring you get exactly what you want out of the tour, whether that be preseason intense practice or a social tour.

With access from three airports, Alicante (two hours), Murcia (one hour and 15 minutes) and Almeria (50 minutes), guests have a huge range of options from British airports – guests can benefit from Desert Springs own Travel Partner to arrange flights or book their own, and once in Spain Desert Springs has excellent transfer capabilities so the team will be on a bus out of the airport in minutes.

It is no coincidence why Desert Springs are the trusted resort of the UK’s top professional sides but as Gaywood explains, “It’s there for everybody, it’s not just an elite facility. The whole resort is safe and secure, so school groups can ensure peace of mind for parents.

“It’s a very straightforward short-haul option where our outstanding grass surfaces on both match and practice facilities are open 12 months of the year.

It’s certainly a lot better than spending all the UK winter playing indoors!”

For more information, and to book your Desert Springs tour, visit www.desertspringsresort.es or call 0800 177 7051 6 | thecricketer.com

Chris Adams reflects with Ed Krarup on his touring experience including university jaunts and facing a teenage Brian Lara

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ouring is a special time whatever level of the game you are. And few have experienced more on tour than former Sussex and England player Chris Adams, now head of cricket at Seaford College, having travelled the cricketing globe as both a player and coach. He reflects on his touring experiences with great fondness.

“I first went on a cricket tour when I was 15. It was the ESCA regional tournament where they would pick an England team from the four regions. It was down in Cornwall and lasted a week,” Adams tells The Cricketer.

“I was ultimately picked – back then I was an off-spinner who batted at No.7, but at the time I hadn’t ever been away from home for that length of time without my parents.

“The following year I was picked for the Derbyshire Under-19 team that went to a festival in Oxford with other county age-group sides. They were week-long residential tours where we would stay in the halls of residence. They were a lot of fun, running riot around Oxford at night trying not to get in trouble before playing at these fancy grounds during the day.”

But it was Adams’ first overseas

The magic of touring tour which is the one that sticks in the memory.

“I went with my school, Repton, to Barbados. It was a classic Barbados tour. We got to the final of this schools tournament and on the way we had beaten a school side that included Brian Lara. We lost the final to a school called Combermere who had Roland Holder in their team.”

Holder would go on to play for the West Indies in 11 Tests and 37 ODIs and Lara needs no introduction, but this showed the magic of touring, that you never know you may come up against and how paths may cross again.

Following Adams’ hugely successful playing career that saw him travel the world with county and England sides, he turned to coaching at which point the finer details and logistics required to run a tour are properly realised.

“Touring is very different as a coach because what players don’t see is the amount of preparation and work that goes into a successful tour.

“It’s always important to have an eye on why you are touring, so you can navigate the trip and try and achieve something,” Adams explains.

This is an important point, particularly with school tours which can serve many purposes. Some schools want to go away and challenge themselves in a cricketing sense. Some want to learn new conditions. Others want to have a rich cultural experience. Many want a mixture of all this but the perfect tour doesn’t just come together accidentally. That is why the companies listed in this guide are so in-demand, as their expertise takes a huge amount of work off schools and ensures they have a fulfilling experience.

“What was always important to me was having a good pair of hands on the ground who was able to quickly manage things.

When I was working with the Netherlands we had a great guy, there was nothing he couldn’t arrange within the hour.”

Like many others, Seaford’s touring plans were felled by the pandemic, having been due to take 44 students to Desert Springs at Easter in 2020.

“It was going to be four days of training then a final day of internal matches. It would have been fabulous and was a reactively low cost. We will get the green light to go again and we will take the opportunity when we can. Now we have the girls programme off and running I’m thinking of taking both a boys and girls squad to Barbados.

“You want to give the students an experience they will remember for the rest of their life. So when they are in their 60s and 70s they will still talk about what they got up to on that trip, how they played and indeed who they played.”

You certainly get the sense Adams is referring to himself here, as he so fondly remembers his own schoolboy trip to the Caribbean.

“Nobody on our team knew who Brian Lara was at the time but the locals certainly did. We saw then he was a good player but of course he went on to become a legend.

“I still talk to people in the game about our trip on the Jolly Roger on that tour. It was four English schools on there, it was carnage! Jumping off the board and just having a great time all at the age of 17.

“I formed lasting memories on that school tour and all these years later we still giggle about it.”

ABOVE Chris Adams is now head of cricket at Seaford College BELOW Chris Adams on tour early in his career; A young Brian Lara in 1993

thecricketer.com | 7

GUIDE TO TOURING 2022

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

High performance centre catering for all The ICC Academy in Dubai boasts state-of-the-art training facilities which include South Asian, English and Australian practice pitches. This world-leading venue provides an outstanding experience for cricketers of all ages to develop their game

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ome may argue that there is never a better time to be a young cricketer.

With enhanced pathways and wider coaching and scouting networks, young players with natural talent have the ability to maximise their potential and make a push towards the professional game.

The top tier of the game is no longer exclusive, as school and club players enjoy access to the fabulous ICC Academy. Located next to the ICC headquarters in the heart of Dubai Sports City, recreational cricketers rub shoulders with international teams and franchise stars from around the world at this elite facility.

“ICC Academy is a highperformance cricket centre and one of the world’s leading cricket education and development institutes,” Salman Hanif, head of cricket business at the ICC Academy and Dubai International

Stadium, tells The Cricketer.

“From the top professionals to amateurs, it caters not only to cricketers and teams but also offers qualifications for coaches and administrators.

“It is a one-stop-shop in its true sense for everyone looking to pursue the sport across all skill levels,” Hanif continues.

At the time of writing, Hanif was busy looking after the Indian Premier League teams as they prepared for the competition’s resumption. The facility is just a short walk away from the famous Dubai Stadium which played host to the endless IPL drama as it unfolded.

The ICCA houses two floodlit ODI accredited grounds alongside a 38-bay outdoor floodlit facility with conditions similar to those found across the cricketing world. Indeed it is the world’s only cricket venue that offers South Asian, Australian and English practice pitches. Indoor nets

and gym facilities complete the ultimate training destination for schools and clubs.

Hanif concluded: “We have coaching programmes for almost all age groups, starting from threeyear-olds. I wouldn’t boast about it further; you really need to visit to believe and realise how remarkable this facility is.”

Touring sides are given the full experience at the ICCA. In addition to having the facilities ready to use, the academy has PitchVision set up as well as Jugs Sports bowling machines and BatFast technology. These analytical facilities help players take their game to the next level, helping to iron out even the most minute technical flaws that only technology like PitchVision can spot.

The ICCA gives young cricketers a taste of the game at the top level, with the variety of pitches effectively rolling two or three tours into one. This unique venue provides a fabulous opportunity for young players to fast-track their cricketing education and take their game to the next level.

For more on the ICC Academy, visit www.icc-cricket.com/about/development/icc-academy 8 | thecricketer.com

ICC Academy is a highperformance cricket centre and one of the world's leading cricket education and development institutes.

From the top professionals to amateurs, it caters not only to cricketers and teams but also offers qualifications for coaches and administrators. It is a one-stop shop in its true sense for everyone looking to pursue the sport across all skill levels. With two floodlit ODI-accredited cricket grounds, ICCA is proud to have hosted many international matches and leagues

00 971 4 448 1355 info@iccacademy.com