While the England Lions were facing India A in February, 600 miles up the coast in Mumbai two more talented young English cricketers were taking part in a spin development camp organised by the ECB.

Derbyshire’s Matt Critchley and Leicestershire’s Callum Parkinson spent a month on placement in the city, learning the art of bowling spin in the subcontinent, while also receiving a masterclass from Indian legend Anil Kumble.

Critchley spent two winters Down Under playing grade cricket in Sydney, working with Australian leggie Stuart MacGill while playing for Fairfield-Liverpool CC as part of the ECB Overseas Placement Programme.

He was in Australia with Hampshire spinner Mason Crane whom, whilst playing for Gordon CC, became the first overseas player to turn out for New South Wales in a first-class game since 1985.

And while MacGill and Shane Warne were Critchley’s leg spin idols growing up, he took a keener interest in Kumble’s game as he got older and noticed the traits they share as tall leggies.

“The main thing [for me] is he’s quite similar to me being tall,” Critchley said. “He said that people see the classical leg spinner getting big in-drift, slow up and down and spinning it away.

“He said to stick to what I’ve got – you’re born with the assets you’ve got, so you might as well use them. Not many [spinners] are my height and can get my bounce – and he made a career on that. He had a googly that spun, but he didn’t really spin it massively away from the bat; he just used his bounce and always tried to hit the batsman on the knee-roll.

The spin camps, generously funded by an external backer, see promising spinners expanding their talents in different conditions around the world.

Also this winter, finger spinners Andrew Salter (Glamorgan), Imran Qayyum (Kent) and Alex Thomson (Warwickshire) have been working with Jeetan Patel in Wellington, New Zealand.

Peter Such, ECB National Lead Spin Coach, said: “With these placements we are looking to expose talented young spin bowlers to overseas environments where they are likely to play tough cricket and have to learn to take personal responsibility for their own game whilst looking after themselves at the same time.

“Of course we don’t just abandon them, we also look to add considerable value to their time overseas by exposing them to top quality mentors and coaches to assist with their development; guys that have a deep understanding of what it takes to become a top class spin bowler.”

With the county season now just a few weeks away, Critchley is keen to use his new knowledge and experience to boost Derbyshire’s fortunes in 2019.

“I’ll go back to Derby and talk to [coach] Steve Kirby and the coaches to discuss what will help me in the roles I play at Derbyshire to try and win games,” he said. “Obviously you want to do well yourself, but the reason we play is to win games and try and win trophies. It’s about filtering my knowledge and going back to try and win games for Derbyshire.”

Source: https://www.ecb.co.uk