Griffiths adopts different approach

Gavin Griffiths has taken a philosophical approach to the winter training programme after having a setback at the end of last season.

The paceman is normally in the process of cricket specific gym work as well as working on his bowling at this time of year.

A routine end of season scan, however, showed Griffiths to have a stress response in his back which has provided the 24-year-old to exercise an alternate way of thinking.

“I’d never say that an injury is a blessing but it has given me the chance to look at my gym work in a new light,” said Griffiths. “Often the gym work is all cricket orientated but the injury has allowed me to focus on other aspects.”

Griffiths is now bowling again and will be ready to hit the ground running when the squad travel out to Desert Springs for their pre-season tour in March.

He said: “I can’t wait to get out there, bowling indoors is so different to outdoors and it will be great to be on grass again and get some overs in my legs.

“I’ve worked really hard on my rehab and our new Physio Will Garvey has come up with a ‘Get Back to Bowling Plan’ which I am sticking to in order to get back to full fitness.”

At the moment the fast bowlers are working as a group with Griffiths, Richard Jones, Dieter Klein and Tom Taylor helping one another. There is further excitement in the squad with the arrival of new Head Bowling Coach Matt Mason.

Griffiths said: “We’re keeping it relatively simple because when bowling indoors it’s easy to get carried away trying to bowl too quickly. I hope that by the time we get to Desert Springs I will be 100%.

“I’ve not met Matt as he has been out in South Africa leading the ECB Pace Programme and Zak Chappell raves about him.

“His record speaks for itself and the players he’s brought through at Worcestershire is really encouraging. I hope that Matt can emulate that success here as there is so much potential within the squad but also a big scope for improvement.”

As well as working hard on his bowling and in the gym, Griffiths is also putting in the hours on his batting.

“You have to be as good as you can in all three disciplines and my batting is an area I can really improve as part of my game,” he said.

“I did the nightwatchman role in a few Championship games last season, it was incredibly tough against Nottinghamshire in the first game of the season as I faced Stuart Broad, James Pattinson, Harry Gurney and Luke Fletcher. To walk off after seeing out seven or eight overs left me with a lot of pride.

“I’m a big lad and can hit the ball pretty hard and, in white ball cricket, numbers 8,9,10 and 11 need to be able to hit sixes. That can make the difference between winning and losing fixtures.

“My main role within the side is to take wickets; however, it would be great to make a contribution with the bat as well and show my all-round worth to the side.”

In the second part of this interview with Griffiths, the seamer talks about his new contract and reflects in greater depth after his first season as a Leicestershire player.

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