10:00am Tuesday 9th March 2010
By Tom Guest
WORCESTERSHIRE skipper Vikram Solanki believes team-bonding exercises such as yesterday’s golf day are invaluable ahead of the forthcoming campaign.
The New Road side came together as a squad at The Worcestershire Golf Club in Malvern Wells to battle it out for team and individual silverware.
However, the County captain believes the real prize of the day will be the strong bonds forged among the players. Steve Rhodes has assembled a new-look squad for the coming season after a number of key departures, but Solanki is happy with the way pre-season is shaping up.
The former England batsman said: “Days like this are very important in the build- up to a season — it’s all part of the preparation for a long season that will be hard work.
“The guys have worked hard on their cricket and training over the winter, so it’s important that they enjoy some down time in each others’ company.
“It is vitally important because there will be some tough times during the season — as there always are — and you really do need a group of guys who are happy enough spending time together, so when there are tough times, you can draw on the banter to get you through.”
Solanki added: “The lads have worked extremely hard over the winter. More latterly, there has been a bigger emphasis on cricket work, which will increase, but the fitness side of it has also been done to serve the lads in good stead.
“Our winter base at Malvern College has been brilliant. The facilities are ideal because we have everything we need in one place — pools, gyms and a quite brilliant indoor surface that we’re making use of.
“We are really happy with where we are at as far as our preparations for the season are concerned.”
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