Over the winter months many domestic players head off shore to gain experience in different cricketing environments.
Players head to the likes of the UK and Europe to play for clubs. Some coach teams as well to help build their skill sets within the game.
During the winter months www.blackcaps.co.nz will be talking with a number of domestic players who are playing off shore about their experiences.
Auckland Aces’ right hand batsman Andrew de Boorder left for the UK recently to take up a position at Bovey Tracey Cricket Club near Devon, England.
He said he chose Bovey Tracey because of the smooth transition between domestic cricket here and club cricket in the UK. “It is always hard deciding where to go and what club to play for as you are stepping into the unknown most of the time,” he said. “The reason I eventually chose Bovey was because the person I was liaising with at the club seemed genuine and he answered all my questions fully and was always available to have a chat and he was honest.
“These are always important for me personally in the decision making process. I would much rather play for a club where you are going to have a settled time and things are going to go smoothly.”
De Boorder, who has played for the Auckland Aces for three seasons, said the playing conditions and style of play over in the UK is a lot different to home. “The wickets are very low and slow with seam movement and the game is played differently to back home,” he said. “Batsmen are very front foot orientated with back foot shots being almost non-existent. Bowlers, due to the wickets, are very slow in general and just place it waiting for you to make a mistake.”
The 21 year old is in the UK until the end of June, before he heads off to a winter training camp in Queensland. His goal while at Bovey Tracey is more about building mental strength than physical. “There are a lot of lessons to be learnt from playing over here and they are mental lessons rather than technical or anything else,” he said. “It’s learning to deal with being the ‘pro’ and the expectations on you to deliver performances and what techniques you use to deal with that.
“I honestly believe it helps you simplify things and helps you deal with clutter in head while playing.”
When he’s not playing cricket de Boorder is planning to do some sight seeing and is spending some time helping out at a garage that specialises in fixing minis. “It is a great experience and is worth doing at least once if cricket is something you take seriously,” he concluded.
