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DLCA face off against another academy from Melbourne
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A clash of two academies
A clash of two academies 1600 1200 dlca-admin
DLCA face off against another academy from Melbourne

DLCA face off against Da Future Stars from Melbourne between 21st – 24th January, 2019

 

After months of preparation, the DLCA welcomed Da Future Stars to Adelaide for 4 days of actioned packed cricket.

The academy from Melbourne engages predominantly local Australian players and were always sure to be a quality opposition in the T20 and three day fixture.

After flight issues due to cancelled Tiger Airlines flights, Da Future Stars eventually arrived on Monday 22nd January in the morning. The stage was set for our first match of the week at Adelaide Uni sports fields, with a T20 to decide who had the best short form game.

DLCA captain Raff Hussey won the toss in the T20, electing to bat. With Charles Clist and Kieran Grey opening the batting, the pair got off to a great start. Clist was punishing the bowler, smashing them all over the park. On 0-45 from four overs, the DLCA were looking promising, until Clist had a lapse in judgement and attempted a ramp shot to be eventually be bowled out for 34. Billy Buckingham and Murray Whitaker were next in and both struggled to get off the mark, as did Ned Dunning who was trapped LBW. Eventually Mahaaz Ahmed came to the crease and steadied the ship with a mature 34 from 37 balls. The DLCA were eventually bowled out for 8/110 from 20 overs.

Da Future Stars started slowly, losing an early wicket for not many runs. Some tidy bowling from Billy Buckingham and Raff Hussey early set the stage for a close run chase. Unfortunately a few expensive overs in the middle of the game and a lack of concentration, saw the opposition get some quick runs and the target began to look in reach. After a fightback of two quick wickets from Mahaaz Ahmed, the game was in the balance. However, Da Future Stars ran way with the game in the last six overs and reached a comfortable winning total of 161.

It was a great learning experience for the DLCA players with Head Coach Mark Harrity discussing the match post game.

“It was fantastic for our boys to see the mentality you need to take into a competitive T20 match – it certainly exposed the way we approached the batting order and fielding tactics”

Following the match, all players went home and rested up ahead of the three day game.

Arriving early on Tuesday 22nd January,  both teams met for the coin toss at the prestigious Karen Rolton Oval. For those unaware, the oval is the premier ground in Adelaide behind Adelaide Oval and boasts great facilities.

Ahmed lost the coin toss for the DLCA and Da Future Stars elected to bat. After the first couple of overs, the game was reminiscent of the Boxing Day test at the MCG due to the slow wicket. Cameron Laird opened the bowling with the Dukes ball and offered some variety early. However as the first session dragged on, it was apparent that it was a batting wicket that offered little for the bowlers.

Billy Buckingham began to take control from one end, however no wickets prevailed. Ned Dunning was leaking runs with his right arm off spin, however in a miraculous turn of events, this became redundant.

A component of spending a summer away in Australia for these young Englishmen is to adapt to situations and explore new opportunities outside of their home environment. Ned Dunning returned to the crease. Right arm over the wicket exclaimed the umpire. However, this was looking a little different with Dunning at a fast bowlers run up. Whilst it took a few overs to eventuate, a miracle was born. Dunning had successfully turned himself into a medium-fast seamer without practice to scalp 4/64 from the innings. Amazed teammates could not believe it.

With the excitement of Dunning’s revelation in the field, the extremely hot day of 38 degrees only turned warmer. It was a testing day in the field as Ben Bryant from North Sydney District Cricket Club scored 204 for Da Future Stars. The day eventually came to a close with the opposition declaring on 7/535. A mighty fine effort from a squad that appeared very well-rounded.

The players all needed to hydrate overnight as the temperature on Wednesday 23rd was sitting at 40 degrees. It appeared that Day 3 would be called off due to extreme temperatures of 46 degrees, meaning the DLCA had to use the day to best effect.

The chase was off to a slow start with early wickets falling from Charles Clist and Billy Buckingham. However Alex Eckland and Mahaaz Ahmed came to the crease and steadied the ship with an important partnership to get the DLCA back in the game. Eckland was politely knocking the away teams fast bowlers around the field, starting to establish a good long-form innings. Ahmed remained at the crease, executing a couple of nice sweep shots to help Eckland reach 41, his high score for the season so far.

Going into lunch the DLCA were 2/94 and Mark Harrity encouraged the boys to keep at it and look to close out the day.

Unfortunately in the first ball back from lunch, Ahmed played one too many sweep shots and was caught at short fine leg.

Joining Eckland at the crease was childhood friend Ned Dunning after an excellent performance with the ball.

Just as Dunning looked steady, Eckland was out. Joining Dunning at the crease was Olly Nathanson – so dedicated to his studies that he is currently completing Upper Sixth Form whilst attending the DLCA. Nathanson spent the entire game with his his french and physics textbooks at the table whenever he was not required in the match.

The two steadily reached a composed 175 partnership, with Nathanson knocking up a beautiful 105 not out, his best score in Australia against arguably the most difficult opposition. Dunning also scored a career best 54, displaying his prowess as a genuine allrounder.

However, the DLCA experienced a lower order collapse and finished up on a commendable total of 345, with Da Future Stars running away with the win.

Day 3 was inevitably cancelled due to forecasted temperatures of 46 degrees and the two squads had a day off to recover at the beach.

Head Coach Mark Harrity reflected on a strong week of cricket stating, “the modern cricketer has more challenges than ever, guys need to adapt between the different formats of cricket”.

“Allowing the DLCA players to compete in a T20 with a white ball, then switching over to a 3 day game with a red swining duke ball is difficult”

“You’ve got to change your mindset from attack to putting away the fancy shot and being patient”

Thank you to the umpires for a great week in the scorching conditions and we look forward to playing Da Future Stars next year!

High Performance Players tour the South Australian Sports Institute
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DLCA players visit South Australian Sports Institute
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High Performance Players tour the South Australian Sports Institute (SASI)

High Performance Players tour the South Australian Sports Institute

 

The South Australian Sports Institute (SASI) has the produced the likes of Alex Hill, Anna Mears and Kyle Chalmers.

You may not know of all three, but what they have in common doesn’t fall too far from the tree for our High Performance Program players.

Alex Hill is a world-champion rower and olympic silver medalist. Anna Mears is an elite track cyclist with gold medals at the olympics and commonwealth games, while Kyle Chalmers is arguably Australia’s best swimming prospect and is already a 100m gold medalist at the olympics.

These athletes were a credit to themselves and SASI, dedicated to fostering the best athletes in the world.

It was an eye opening experience for our High Performance Players to tour the elite facility and hear from High Performance Manager Tom Patrick. Prior to his role at SASI, Patrick has been in high ranking positions at India, Qatar, Argentina, Canadian and New Zealand’s national sports institutes.

It was exciting to explore the facilities on hand including an altitude chamber, biomechanics lab, physiology lab, weights gym, playing fields, oversized treadmill and more.

What really stood out for the boys was Patrick’s talk about elite sport. From his past experience, he used analogies to describe what he saw in the differences between countries High Performance environments.

“It has nothing to do with who has the best facilities, who has access to the best supplements or who has the most money”

He emphasised that the differences were the athletes themselves and the coaches they have.

“You have to do things differently if you want to get different results. It’s about those who sacrifice and why they do it”

The most important factors discussed were how you personally approach your diet, recovery, strength & conditioning, elite habits and goal setting.

Although not all DLCA High Performance Players have the ambition to go on and play at a County, State or International level, it was great information about how they can step up to the next level on their scale.

We look forward to returning to SASI again with next year’s High Performance Program squad and being fortunate enough to hear Patrick’s wise words of wisdom.

 

Bailey Doe from Westminster and Brad Young working one-on-one during the 2019 DLCA Schools Program
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Inaugural DLCA Schools Program
Inaugural DLCA Schools Program 1728 1296 dlca-admin
Bailey Doe from Westminster and Brad Young working one-on-one during the 2019 DLCA Schools Program

Bailey Doe from Westminster and Brad Young working one-on-one during the 2019 DLCA Schools Program

 

In the past, the DLCA High Performance Program (HPP) has been exclusive to those who sign up for the 10 or 20 week program.

This summer we opened the doors to ten up and coming junior stars from Adelaide’s backyard.

The players came from across South Australia to not only link up with our world-class coaches, but to also train alongside our High Performance Players.

The week commenced with players arriving for our Monday morning batting and gym session at Gillespie Sports – excited for the week ahead. What better way to start a week than a gruelling gym session – right? The DLCA strength and conditioning guru, Sean Baker, opened up the gym and took them through their paces with body weight exercises. Soon after, it was straight into the nets to work with batting specialists Mark Cosgrove and Andrew Zesers.

The Monday session provided a great opportunity for the coaches to get their heads around the strengths and weaknesses of each player.

With all feeling sore from Monday’s gym session, Baker was back in the action on Tuesday. It was time for a yo-yo test in the gym at Prince Alfred College. Players in the Schools Program had the chance to test their fitness levels with the best in the business.

While many of the lads naturally struggled against the HPP players due to their younger age, there was one standout. Bailey Doe (14), Westminster student and Sturt District Cricket Club player, pushed himself to the best of his abilities and managed to beat a couple of the HPP players aged over 18. A tremendous effort from you Bailey.

The Schools Program players also had the pleasure of watching promising HPP athlete Ned Dunning from Somerset rate elite in his test scores. Following the yo-yo test, players had the opportunity to sit down with our leadership and mentoring expert, Stewart McCully to discuss their mental approach to cricket. It was excellent for the young players to be exposed to advice that is normally delivered to elite athletes.

To finish off the session, the boys worked outside for a skills session with Danny Perkins (Wicketkeeping), Mark Cosgrove (Batting), Brad Young (Spin Bowling), Peter Muggleton and Mark Harrity (Pace Bowling).

In rising temperatures of 38 degrees, Wednesday offered an opportunity for the boys to engage in some match simulation at Park 25. Coaches set game specific targets for the batters and bowlers, requiring the players to adapt. The session offered an opportunity for them to think strategically and go beyond executing their skills.

A highlight of the day was the ability for Schools Program and High Performance Program players to mix across nets. Fergus Southon, Prince Alfred College and Aldgate Cricket Club player, faced off to some top class bowling from Billy Buckingham (Norfolk) and Harry Lee (Cumbria). Similarly, wicketkeepers Kieran Grey (Berkshire) and Olly Nathanson (Buckinghamshire) had the opportunity to face bowling from the likes of Joel Stone, Woodcroft College student and Southern Districts Cricket Club player.

Thursday at Prospect Oval allowed the boys to practice batting and fielding, whilst also squeezing in another gym session. The program then finished on Friday with a core, pilates and recovery session at Henley Beach.

It was a great week for all involved and a big thank you to Josh Bevan, Bailey Doe, Mitchell Jones, Travis Mickan, Michael Parker, Fergus Southon, Joel Stone, Angus Turner and Jayden Wilton for coming along.

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High Performance players take the Barossa Valley
High Performance players take the Barossa Valley 4608 3456 dlca-admin

After months of training and playing in the Adelaide metro region, it was time for the players to adventure outside the city and explore the country. What was an action packed day, the DLCA held an internal T20 in Nuriootpa, followed by a wine tour in the world renowned Barossa Valley.

The team line-ups for the first internal hit-out for the season were packed full of talent, reflecting a mix of players across the world. Due to time restrictions, players could only face a maximum of 20 balls at the crease and could not bowl more than 4 overs.

Team 1: Charles Clist (C), Tim Rouse, Alex Eckland, Matt Stiddard, Joshua Bishop, Sam Beadsworth, Arham Hashmi, Murray Whitaker, Billy Buckingham, Harry Lee, Jack Pearson

Team 2: Tommie Pregden, Martin Andersson, Kieran Gray, Mahaaz Ahmed, Olly Nathanson, Ned Dunning, Raff Hussey (C), Saurabh Kumar, James Harris, Joe Hagan-Burt

The match started off with a bang, as Team 1 lost the toss and were sent in to bat. Tim Rouse (22) quickly set the precedent and showed why he is a dominant force at Bath and Somerset, establishing a top order partnership with Charles Clist (19). The partnership was soon broken with two quick wickets from Raff Hussey.

Alex Eckland (20) and Matt Stiddard (22) were impressive with quick-fire scores, launching sixes out of the picturesque country ground. However, it was Joshua Bishop who represents Barbados Pride and West Indies U19 that stole the show with 49* from 20 balls. Bishop launched them all over the ground, displaying his class whilst sweltering through the heat. However, his determination to reach a half century saw an unlucky Sam Beadsworth (3) be run out.

Team 1 finished with a commendable total score of 6/191. The score was going to require a huge effort from Team 2 to chase it down, with Raff Hussey most likely regretting his decision to bowl first.

Martin Andersson from Middlesex came out firing for the chasing team, piling on 47* from his 20 balls with Tommie Pregden (15) at the top of the order. Hope was not lost for Team 2, however a superb run out quickly ended Kieran Gray’s day (1) and began a lower order collapse. Olly Nathanson (3) put one in the air from a terrific spell from Jack Pearson and Ned Dunning (7) failed to get going.

Mahaaz Ahmed from Barnards Green CC steadied the ship with an impressive top score of 59 from his innings, however it was not enough to get them over the line, finishing with 8/176. Coaches for the day Mark Harrity, Mark Cosgrove and Peter Muggleton were delighted with the showcase, however the match also exposed aspects of the game for individual players to work on at training.

After an impressive match displaying some world-class talent, the group were excited to explore the Barossa Valley wine region, with multiple impressive wineries in the vicinity. First stop, Hewitson Wines.

Upon arrival at Hewitson’s, the group were extremely impressed with the breathtaking views of the vineyard. The lovely cellar door staff showcased all that was on offer at the family run winery and for many, it was their first time learning about how tannin and acidity are crucial components of wine. After experiencing tastings of various reds, whites and a rose, it was time to move on to Whistler Wines down the road.

Treated to another private tasting session, the team at Whistler set up a gorgeous picnic area in front of the cellar door. With summer tunes playing away and the wineries border collies running around, the group were again treated to another set of beautiful wines. A huge thank you to the team at both Hewitson’s and Whistler for accomodating the DLCA and we look forward to returning again with next summers intake of High Performance Program players.

Foakes scores 100 on debut
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Returning profit, the key for Foakes
Returning profit, the key for Foakes 968 681 dlca-admin

Foakes scores 100 on debut

The summer of 2015 saw 21-year-old Ben Foakes travel to Adelaide, Australia and put his best foot forward with the DLCA.

A key member of the U17 and U19 England squad, it was clear that Foakes had the talent to make it to the top and excel, for both Surrey and his country. However, there were fundamentals within his game that the coaching staff including Shaun Seigert and Mark Sorrell recognised needed development.

Specialist batting coach Sorrell stated, “with his batting, he tended to fall over and be off balance…the key was getting his head to come at the bowler”. By the end of the program, Sorrell noted that “Ben hit the ball very hard and clean, displaying talent that is rare and up there with the top internationals”.

Seigert played a fundamental role in the development of Foakes’ mental game, helping him to make his game more self-driven. Seigert spoke with Ben about the concept of him being the CEO of a company; with cricket being his company that had to return a profit. Seigert recalled that “he had to initiate these outcomes and not have people telling him what to do…it allowed him to grow in previously untouched areas”.

Foakes similarly excelled in his strength and conditioning work, being recognised for his professional work ethic and elite aerobic capacity scores. His development and progress saw Foakes return home and star regularly for Surrey’s 1stXI.

Playing for Adelaide University during his time in Adelaide, Foakes had success with both the bat and gloves. He hit his top score with 122 against a strong Glenelg outfit and was the club’s first choice wicket keeper. The DLCA also travelled to Sydney and played a round-robin cup against Big Bash sides Sydney Sixers and Sydney Thunder, where Ben was a strong performer.

Recently, Foakes became DLCA High Performance Program player number 23 to represent their country in international cricket. He made his debut for England against Sri Lanka on the 6thof November 2018 in Colombo. With past company including Joe Root, Liam Plunkett, Jason Roy, Alex Hales, Monty Panesar, Tammy Beaumont and Kathryn Bryce achieving the same feat, Foakes stood out from the rest; becoming the first DLCA alumni to score a century on debut. He scored an impressive 107 from his first innings to help England secure a victory.

The DLCA team are very proud of Ben’s achievements and wish him the very best in his future endeavours!

 

DLCA vs South Africa
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DLCA bowlers rewarded against Proteas
DLCA bowlers rewarded against Proteas 4608 3456 dlca-admin

DLCA vs Proteas

Left to right: Mahaaz Ahmed, Raff Hussey, Joshua Bishop and Ned Dunning

It is not every day you are able to bowl to an international opponent. However, for four lucky DLCA players, they were rewarded for their hard work at the DLCA and their Australian clubs, and were provided such an opportunity.

The afternoon prior to the second Australia vs South Africa One Day International, Mahaaz Ahmed, Joshua Bishop, Ned Dunning and Raff Hussey walked into the prestigious Adelaide Oval change rooms. Awaiting them, the entire South African team.

Mahaaz Ahmed, an 18-year-old from Worcestershire and Malvern College, was rewarded for his strong performance at his Australian club Southern Districts. Mahaaz played one game for the B-grade premier side, however quickly advanced into the A-grade side. Here, he has seen solid results with both the bat and ball, scoring a game winning 61* with his best figures of 2/112 from 21 overs.

Joshua Bishop, from Barbados and U19 West Indies player, has been extremely economical for his Adelaide based club Woodville. Starting off in the A-grade premier side, Josh has successfully battled against the strong spinning line up at Woodville, including state representative Tom Andrews, and has claimed best figures of 3/14.

Ned Dunning, from Somerset and Millfield School, has featured for his Adelaide club Northern Districts, coached by Mark Cosgrove, claiming best figures of 3/22. Raff Hussey, based in Barton on Sea and Arnewood School, has been solid for Port Adelaide, claiming best figures of 3/19 from 16 overs.

For many of the players, this was their first experience bowling to players of an international calibre. Whilst daunting at first (and a few loose balls hitting the turf), the boys soon were in the swing of it; landing multiple dot balls against the likes of Quinton De Kock, Faf du Plessis and David Miller. A highlight from the bowling session was when Ned Dunning had Proteas T20 powerhouse Farhaan Behardien tangled at the crease and spun the ball past his bat, hitting him right in the sweet spot. The result saw Behardien rolling on the floor in pain, with an amused Dunning unsure how to react at the top of the wicket.

In further exciting news, the same four boys, with the additions of Mishal Khan and Joe Hagan-Burt, will have the opportunity to bowl to the Indian test team; featuring the likes of Virat Kohli, Ajinka Rahane and Ravi Ashwin.

It is sure to be an exciting time for these DLCA bowlers and we look forward to the incredible opportunities ahead for them.

 

New DLCA coaching group
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New DLCA coaching group
New DLCA coaching group 2048 1365 dlca-admin

New DLCA coaching group

New DLCA coaching group

Left to right: Sean Baker, Peter Muggleton, Darren Lehmann, Mark Harrity, Brad Young and Mark Cosgrove

 

A new season calls for a new coaching lineup.

The DLCA welcomes Mark Harrity (third from left) as the new Head Coach, succeeding Shaun Seigert who had previously lead the academy for 15 years. Mark brings a fresh set of eyes to the program and a wealth of experience.

A fast bowler by trade, Mark played 84 first-class games for South Australia and Worcestershire between 1993-2004 and was part of the South Australia Shield winning team in 1995/96.

After retiring, Mark moved into coaching and spent 3 years with the SACA as a Strength and Conditioning and Bowling Coach. Outside of the DLCA, Mark is currently Head Coach at the West Torrens Cricket Club.

Mark has compiled a strong group of specialist coaches to work alongside him, including Peter Muggleton (Fast Bowling), Brad Young (Spin Bowling), Mark Cosgrove (Batting), Peter Sleep (Spin Bowling), Sean Baker (Strength & Conditioning) and Andrew Zesers (Batting).

A major focus for the new coaching group is to focus on the players physical wellbeing upon returning home, ensuring their body is ready for the upcoming season.

We look forward to the new look coaching group working together to continue to deliver the world renowned High Performance Program.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Darren Lehmann and the 2018/19 High Performance Program players
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2018/19 High Performance Program Launch
2018/19 High Performance Program Launch 2048 1365 dlca-admin

2018/19 High Performance Program Launch

Darren Lehmann and the 2018/19 High Performance Program players

The DLCA High Performance Program kicked off for the 2018/19 season this week! After long haul flights from the other side of the world, players arrived in Adelaide over the weekend from Scotland, England and Barbados. The group were hosted by Darren at a welcome dinner on Sunday night, where players had an opportunity to network and were presented with their playing kit.

With some players still bearing weary eyes, they were thrown into their first training on Monday morning which involved batting and fitness. When they weren’t working on their batting technique, the players were completing their first 2km time trial. Not easy in the windy conditions Adelaide was thrown that day!

On Tuesday the players were back at it at Gillespie Sports, this time working on their craft and strength – the batters bat, bowlers bowl and wicket keepers are behind the stumps. The specialty coaches were in for their first session with the players, and they had good one on one conversations about what they players goals are while they are at the High Performance Program. In the gym, the players completed a number of strength tests which will become the basis of programs specially tailored to them.

Darren attended training on Tuesday and was really excited by the talent he saw on display. He was also really pleased with how passionate the players are and how seriously they approached trainings, soaking up everything they were being told.

Away from the training nets, the players have also been finding their feet around Adelaide, settling into accommodation, and have had their first trainings with the local clubs they will be playing for while they are out in Adelaide!

The start of any cricket season is always an exciting time and we can’t wait to see how this crop of players develops over the coming months!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ben Wilkinson
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From Scotland to a Cricket World Cup – Ben Wilkinson
From Scotland to a Cricket World Cup – Ben Wilkinson 1200 630 dlca-admin

From Scotland to a Cricket World Cup – Ben Wilkinson

Ben Wilkinson

It is not every day you hear the words Cricket World Cup and Scotland in the same sentence.

But for Ben Wilkinson, making the 2015 U19 Cricket World Cup in Bangladesh was everything. And it is was a dream he achieved.

Wilkinson arrived at the Darren Lehman Cricket Academy (DLCA) as an 18 year old in 2014, destined to put his best foot forward for the six months he was going to be in Australia. However, it was always going to be a challenge for the powerful right-handed batsman to transition from an associate cricketing country, to a full member nation. The primary focus was for Wilkinson to tighten up his game and put some structure behind technique. Head Coach Shaun Seigert stated, “he always wanted to hit the ball and he played with a lot of risk”. This was most likely due to the different formats of cricket played in each country, where Australia plays two-day matches in comparison to the one-day games in Scotland. Being a batsman in Australia requires structure to your batting game and patience at the crease.

Wilkinson played for grade club Woodville District Cricket Club and learnt on many occasions the difference in bounce and pace offered in Australian wickets. In addition, he became familiar with the strong level of competitiveness and it provided him with a tougher edge than before. Training in a professional environment was a big step up for Wilkinson, but he did not fail in his journey. He had a very open mind to different training methods and was looking at every way gain a competitive advantage.

Although the popular teenager was already in the Scottish U17 set up, being picked in the U19 World Cup team was going to be a big step up. After returning home, Wilkinson realised this dream and went on to compete for his country in the tournament hosted in Bangladesh.

Not only does the talented cricketer have a bright future ahead, Wilkinson also has a great interest from a coaching perspective. He is now coaching Dunf & Carnegie Cricket Club and looking to develop strong cricket pathways in the Scottish system.

The DLCA wishes Ben all the best in his future cricketing endeavours!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Liam Plunkett at the DLCA
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Plunkett reinvents his game at the DLCA
Plunkett reinvents his game at the DLCA 1536 2048 dlca-admin

Plunkett reinvents his game at the DLCA

Liam Plunkett at the DLCA

Liam Plunkett was dubbed one of England’s most talented and successful bowlers in the early 2000s. The year is 2005 and Plunkett is Durham’s leading wicket taker and made his Test and ODI debuts for England in their tour  of Pakistan. The right arm pace bowler is sending thunderbolts down the pitch to the likes of Younis Khan and would go on to play 9 more tests and 27 ODI matches within the next two years.

All of a sudden the dream was stagnating, Plunkett’s County form dropped away and he was brutally cut from the English squad. In 2011 and 20112, the situation spiralled out of control with the 6’3 big man playing only 3 matches for Durham during this time. Confidence had been lost in his own game and Plunkett needed a drastic overhaul to get his career back on track.

On his own funds, Plunkett decided to apply to the Darren Lehmann Cricket Academy (DLCA) and arrived in Australia at the end of the 2012 season. Head Coach Shaun Seigert described Plunkett as “very fragile” when he first arrived at the Academy.

“The key for Liam was to strip back all of the barriers and normalities that surrounded him at home”.

Playing in Australia offered Plunkett a great chance to get a lot of bowling under his belt. It provided him with the opportunity to get away from all of the issues he faced at home and focus on his game, in a headspace that he could control.

Whilst attending the DLCA, Plunkett played for Adelaide University and also had the opportunity to play against the Victorian Bushrangers 2nd XI at the MCG.

Seigert described this match as a turning point for Plunkett, who was able to strip back all of his worries and bowl with complete freedom. Rather than thinking he was bowling controlled deliveries that had to hit a specific mark, the DLCA coaching staff encouraged him to ‘let loose’ and send fiery deliveries to the opposition. He claimed 3/77 and scored 60 runs from in a match that was played on a strong batting wicket.

Seigert stated “he had to rebuild his career on his own back, he put in the hard yards and left no stone unturned”.

After returning to England, he made the switch to Yorkshire under coach Jason Gillespie and was quickly added into the England A squad. It was only a matter of months before he was reselected for the national team and now features as a regular for the Test, ODI and T20 sides.

The DLCA staff are very proud of Liam’s career defining summer in Australia and help instill confidence in every cricketer that attends the Academy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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