Photo © ECC

Introduction
I went to the cricket academy with the aim of preparing myself for the Scottish season and developing my all round game.

Saturday 6th April
We arrived on to the Hotel Mendoza (a pleasant family-run hotel) in Alfas. We were greeted by the staff and given an introduction to the course. In the evening a reception was held for us in the Casa de Cultura where we met the various members of the Alfas Council and International Cricket Council.

Sunday 7th
Breakfast was laid on for us at 7.30 am. Simon Shepherd (the physio) had a chat with us about general fitness, highlighting the importance of fitness in cricket. By 8.30 we were out on to the running track where we were put through a gruelling fitness test. After being put through our paces we congregated back at the hotel for our first player/coach interview. In this we discussed our strengths, weaknesses and goals for the two weeks. In the afternoon we arrived at the Columbus Oval for our first net session that allowed the coaches to assess our playing abilities. In the evening we were treated to a team dinner allowing the guys to chat and get to know each other that bit better.

Monday 8th
In the morning we headed out to the oval for a fitness and net session. The boys were shown various advanced techniques for warming up and during nets the players had the chance to be videoed for more in depth technical coaching. This was a new experience for many of the players. In the evening we had a talk on cricket culture. This was of vital importance as it gave the boys the chance to expand their knowledge on how cricket should be played.

Tuesday 9th
The players had a one to one with the coaches. A fielding session followed as preparation for the inter-group match later that day. The match situation was important for the players as it put them under pressure conditions.

Wednesday 10th
After a close match the previous day we sat down and reviewed the game. The players learnt a lot from the match as it produced a lot of scenarios from a close one-day game. We then had a fielding session and a one-to-one with the coaches. In the evening another cricket culture talk was held, further educating the players on the international game.

Thursday 11th
Unfortunately the weather got the better of our net session. We then transferred to Javea later that day.

Friday 12th
This part of the trip placed more emphasis on development of the game. The staff and players held coaching session for the cricket youth in the area. Later that evening we were given a civic reception, which produced many laughs and again allowed the players to build as a team.

Saturday 13th
A much needed rest day.

Sunday 14th
We went to a beautiful hotel complex where the boys were allowed to relax in the swimming pool or play golf. The players were given an introductory course to coaching.

Monday 15th
The players held a coaching session for the cricket youth in the area. It was tough work but good fun. In the afternoon John Holder gave us an informative talk on umpiring, about his experiences and the various regulations. We transferred back to Alfas. In the evening we had a team dinner and discussed pre-match plans.

Tuesday 16th
The match was unfortunately cancelled due to bad weather. But we still managed to get out later in the day for a training session.

Wednesday 17th
Had a long net session giving the players a chance to have one to one coaching and make good use of video analysis.

Thursday 18th
This was the first of two matches against local select sides. Unfortunately we were beaten in a close match, but the game produced a lot of positives. The players faced scenarios that they had not seen before, which is of vital importance when learning the game.

Friday 19th
The grudge match. This game was even closer than the first. The scores were drawn on 217, but we claimed victory on the fact that we had only lost six wickets compared to their seven. This was another excellent match that taught the players so much about tight situations. In the evening the squad headed out to celebrate a superb two weeks.

Saturday 20th
The players were given their final interviews in which they received a report discussing achievements and points to work on.

Sunday 21st
Left at 4.30 am and arrived in Edinburgh at 2.20 pm.

Conclusion
I would like to thank the entire ECC staff for a fantastic time. The organisation of the two weeks was superb and no complaints could be made. The boys selected could not have acquitted their respective countries any better. The squad gelled almost immediately and, as a result the team spirit on the trip was fantastic. On a personal note, the two weeks has helped me to become a more rounded cricketer and, I'm sure will act as a great kick-start to my season.