Hamish Marshall Blog
29 November 2013
Winter training is here again and the lads are hard at work having spent October relaxing after a busy summer.
I embarked on my PCA Benevolent Fund and Tom Maynard Trust Bike Ride from Durham to Lord’s which was a great challenge. Joined by Gloucester man and good friend, Richard Coughtrie, we left Durham on a chilly mid-October morning and arrived 440 miles and 5 days later at the Grace Gates, Lord’s. It was one of the toughest challenges I've ever done but enjoyable at the same time.
A great bunch of people and two worthy charities helped me get through achy legs and bum muscles. Since then it's been back to business here at the Club. With a large chunk of the squad playing overseas there's only a handful of players around.
Owen Dawkins has had us testing our skills and courage with Mitchell Johnson style short bowling which got the fast twitch fibres working. It was based on finding a way to cope under pressure and outside your comfort zone so we're prepared for that type of scenario. A few helmets and bodies take hits with Ian Saxelby the only player to squeal!!
Each week brings a new skill set to test our batting and we've worked on spin and swing bowling also.
It was the first track session of the winter this week. We always head to Filton knowing Chris “the Beast” Bodman has a gruelling session waiting for us. It's not nice at times but the lads get stuck in and it certainly makes a difference to our fitness levels. Gareth Roderick pulled out his old track spikes trying to get every advantage possible but unfortunately they weren't magic shoes and “Rodders” was in the foetal position come the end of the session!
I'm off to Cape Town with my family for Xmas and some sun. I hope you all have some festive celebration planned and I wish everyone a very Merry Xmas.
