de Bruyn pleased with preparation

Leicestershire CCC Head Coach Pierre de Bruyn felt there was progress during the 2016 season but now wants the team to turn the Fischer County Ground into a fortress.

With that in mind, the winter programme started in early November at the Fischer County Ground and the majority of pre-season matches will be played at home.

de Bruyn said: “I think there was definitely a culture established over the last two years under Andrew McDonald and the players understood it. There was clarity in how the three formats would be played and what the gameplan looked like in each competition.

“If your skill work is done, the homework is finished and preparation is good, then whether you’re home or away shouldn’t be a factor. We were quite poor in playing at home, we need to treasure playing here. We want to make it uncomfortable for opposition.

“We did end with a home win, which was a great way to finish the season. We ended on a high note and you always remember your last game. It has helped me a lot with preparation going forward, giving us something to hold on to.

“The pre-season games will mainly be intra-squad because I want to see that competition in the squad against each other and play matches at the Fischer County Ground. I also want to incorporate the players with the new coaches and to familiarise themselves with my style, because I am different. We want to make good connections early.”

de Bruyn is happy with the high standards he has seen in training so far and is expecting them to continue throughout pre-season. A 13-man squad will travel on a tour to South Africa which will allow a number of the new signings to integrate with their new teammates.

It will also be a fantastic opportunity for some of the club’s younger players to experience a different culture, and allow for good practice in a high-quality environment in good weather.

For now, de Bruyn is focused on player preparations at the Fischer County Ground and around other parts of the world.

“The winter programme is really important for every player, wherever they are in the world at this moment in time,” said de Bruyn.

“The players who have been training at the Fischer County Ground have shown an absolutely phenomenal attitude and their attention to detail and work rate has been exceptional. They are staking their claim for a place in the side because I have seen total sacrifice and commitment from all of them.

“The guys abroad, when they connect with us on the pre-season tour to South Africa or straight after for the start of pre-season in England, it’s important that they get up to speed with what we have put into place. The games after the tour will be played here and will play a massive role in us finding the right combinations for that first game.

“For me it is all about measuring. In a highly competitive environment, if I can measure myself against my competition, I can see where I am. There can be a misperception, like ‘I’m okay’ after playing against an opponent. But in the meantime, that competition down the road is moving at a different pace. I want guys to measure themselves against other people in the squad.

“We will get more quality out of playing against each other than playing against someone else because guys are going to fight and they are going to know exactly what it means - we want to pick a final XI out of all of the players involved in those games.”

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