Global reach of game will help kids develop, says Moores
PETER MOORES believes the wealth of opportunities available to cricketers in the off-season can only help improve them as players and individuals.
The creation of tournaments like the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), Pakistan Super League (PSL) and South Africa’s soon to be replaced Ram Slam, have opened up a whole new world of cricket playing – and moneymaking opportunities – to county cricketers.
It’s a very different situation presented to the young Peter Moores and his county colleagues, who would spend the odd winter playing in Australia, New Zealand or South Africa before heading back to Hove in the dark days of the New Year to prepare for the big off in April.
In fact, it wasn’t too long ago that a good many cricketers would spend their winter behind the desk of an office rather than in front of a bowling machine in the indoor nets.
“A few of our (Nottinghamshire) guys are overseas this winter, probably not as many as last year, but we’ve got Samit (Patel) playing in the BPL, a couple of the youngsters are going away and Steven Mullaney is heading over to Australia at some stage as well,” says the Notts coach.
“The game is changing, you’ve got a lot more options now. Players can go and get experience of playing overseas and more importantly experience of playing in tournaments that mean something in unfamiliar conditions.
“I didn’t play Grade cricket but I appeared for (Orange) Free State in South Africa. I was lucky enough to play for them when we beat Western Province in the B&H final (in 1988/89) when we had a young Allan Donald opening the bowling. He came from nowhere and started bowling rockets, which was pretty handy.
“I had been playing club cricket out there and had done pretty well and ended up getting into the one-day side towards the end of the tournament. I stayed in the side and ended up playing in the final.”
Now, of course, the cricket world has opened up to such an extent that it’s possible to stay in gainful and often lucrative employment from the moment stumps are drawn in September to the instant they’re re-inserted in April.
“Back then players would go one way, to Australia or New Zealand, or South Africa,” says Moores. “Now players can go pretty much wherever they want.
“Anywhere you go as a young bloke you pick things up that you learn and playing overseas is a great way of reinventing yourself. I was a keeper who batted but I fancied myself as more of a batsman in that Free State side and ended up batting at five.You can get some great exposure by going and playing overseas and away from your county.”
It certainly seemed to help another member of the Moores’ family last winter, with Tom going to play Grade cricket in Australia before returning to play a key role in the county’s success in the domestic T20 competition.
Others following his lead will have a similar blast.