Email This Article To Someone!

The New Year was welcomed in with a bang in Leinster Cricket as the first week of 2006 saw a full week's coaching activities held at the impressive North County indoor centre of excellence North County have just invested further by installing air conditioning/heating and the cold outside temperatures could be forgotten as over 100 cricketers of various ages were put through their paces by Brķan O'Rourke (right), the Leinster Cricket Development Officer and his assembled coaching team.

Owen Morgan (Ireland and Middlesex CCC) and Irish Senior Squad members Gary Wilson and Finton McAllister in conjunction with various senior members of the Leinster Coaching and Management Team organised squad sessions for players from the Leinster U12's to U14's which included many important skill sessions along with nets and match play practice. As a result of the increased player base the U13's have had to be offered for first time both an A & B squad, true evidence of player commitment and development.

The Leinster Cricket Union (LCU) also flew in ECC Coach Richard O'Sullivan for two days during which the players and coaches experienced LTAD sessions which used cones and speed ladders in ways they may never have thought possible. With the centre also providing the opportunity for Brķan to utilise his new data projector the players could even compare themselves during the rest breaks with the Laras, Flintoffs and Warnes as they watched the ICC coaching DVD 'his is Cricket.'

With the Irish U19's who are off in February to compete in ICC U19 World Cup in Sri Lanka taking advantage of the facilities at various times during the week and the promising Sinead Lyons a transition year student who departs to play for a period in Australia in mid January spending an hour and half grooving all her batting shots with Brķan, the centre was hardly ever empty.