News Items
Dateline: | 16th January 2017 | |
Source: | Desert Springs Resort | |
Subject: | Cricket at Desert Springs | |
Title: | Somerset County Cricket Club Set To Return To Desert Springs For Pre-Season Warm Weather Cricket Training Camp | |
With the domestic cricket season drawing ever closer, Somerset County Cricket Club will be stepping up their preparations for the 2017 campaign by completing their ten (10) day warm weather training camp at the Desert Springs Cricket Academy between Monday 6th – Thursday 16th March.
To view the video of the Desert Springs Cricket Academy click here
The Somerset CCC training camp will comprise twenty-two (22) players and six (6) coaches, all of whom will be spending their time completing a specific and carefully planned programme of numerous training sessions each day covering technical skills, bowling and batting, strength and conditioning and both individual and group activity. As they will be outside and on grass, the squad will also be able to do fielding and throwing practice in realistic conditions, something not possible indoors back in the UK.
The players and coaches will be accommodated in some of the privately owned Villas, Apartments and Townhouses at Desert Springs and the resort’s executive chef will be on hand to cater for the special dietary requirements of individual players dining in the Crocodile Club Restaurant.
Almanzora Group Sales & Marketing Manager, Simon Coaker remarked: -
"We are delighted to welcome the return of Somerset CCC for their third annual pre-season winter training camp at the Desert Springs Cricket Academy.”
Speaking of their visit to Desert Springs Cricket Academy in 2016, Somerset CCC Director of Cricket, Matthew Maynard remarked: -
"Extremely happy again with another great pre-season trip to Desert Springs. The service that we receive as a squad is just sensational and the wickets were prepared perfectly. Thank you to all the staff, look forward to seeing you again next year.”
The feedback from previous training camps Somerset CCC have enjoyed at Desert Springs Resort can be viewed here
For further information contact: Kirk Lovell
Telephone: +34 647 414 899
Email: kl@almanzora.com
Dateline: | 18th March 2016 | |
Source: | The Almanzora Group Ltd | |
Subject: | Cricket at Desert Springs | |
Title: | Somerset County Cricket Club completes a successful eleven days of warm weather pre-season cricket & fitness training at the Desert Springs Resort | |
Somerset County Cricket Club players are now back in England having completed a successful eleven (11) days of warm weather pre-season cricket and fitness training between Monday 7th and Friday 18th March at Desert Springs Resort, Europe’s only international award-winning luxury family resort and championship desert golf course with its very own dedicated Cricket Academy, in the Almanzora region of Almeria, Andalucía in south-east Spain.
Matt Maynard, Somerset CCC Director of Cricket and his team of seven (7) staff accompanied seventeen (17) players who completed bowling, batting and fielding practice as well as strength and conditioning training sessions as they stepped up their physical preparations for the upcoming 2016 season.
Matt Maynard a former English cricketer who played in four Tests and fourteen ODI’s for England remarked of the pre-season training camp:
“We are extremely happy again with another great pre-season trip to Desert Springs. The service that we receive as a squad is just sensational and the wickets were prepared perfectly.
Thank you to all of the staff and we look forward to seeing you again next year!”
TThe training camp worked on a specific and carefully planned programme covering technical skills, strength and conditioning and both individual and group activity.
Somerset CCC Strength and Conditioning Coach, Darren Veness commented:
“We love coming back to Desert Springs Resort for our pre-season training camp, it has exactly what you need for perfect preparation for the season ahead. See you next year!”
Somerset CCC players said of their pre – season training experience at Desert Springs Resort:
“What a great stay, the cricket facility is perfect for pre-season. See you next year!”Jamie Overton
“It has been awesome to be back again, the practice facilities are great and they have definitely got us ready for our season ahead!” Craig Overton
“This has been my first visit to Desert Springs Resort. I thoroughly enjoyed my stay and I feel ready for the season ahead thanks to the standard of the facilities that we were able to utilise!” Liam Redrup
“This has been an awesome training camp, just perfect for what we needed. First class facilities with first class service and I have really enjoyed my time here, see you next year for sure!” Jack Leach
“Another great stay at Desert Springs Resort, I love coming here. The crocket practice facilities are fantastic!” Lewis Gregory
“This was my first time at Desert Springs Resort and I wouldn’t have wanted anymore from a pre-season camp. Great facilities & top food, thank you!” Adam Hose
“What a great stay, my first time at Desert Springs Resort and it has just made me want to come back again!” Ryan Davies
“Another awesome pre-season training camp, hospitality has been incredible, see you next year!” Tom Abell
The players and coaches were accommodated in some of the privately owned Villas normally reserved for holidays and short breaks at Desert Springs and the resort’s executive chef was on hand to cater for the special dietary requirements of individual players dining in El Torrente Restaurant.
For further information contact : The Almanzora Group Ltd
Tel: +44 (0) 1242 680 299
Email: tag@almanzora.com
Somerset County Cricket Club Assistant Coach Development Paul Tweddle (Third Right) Lead Physiotherapist Jamie Thorpe (Eight Right) Bowling Assistant Coach Jason Kerr (Tenth Right) Strength & Conditioning Coach Darren Veness (Eleventh Left) Academy Director Steve Snell (Ninth Left) Director of Cricket Matt Maynard (Fourth Left) with players attending the Pre-Season Training Camp
‘Nets Bowling Practice Session’ at the Desert Springs Cricket Academy
‘Batsman Practice Session’ at the Desert Springs Cricket Academy
Dateline: | 12th January 2016 | |
Source: | The Almanzora Group Ltd | |
Subject: | Somerset County Cricket Club | |
Title: | Somerset County Cricket Club set to return to Desert Springs for Pre-Season Warm Weather Cricket Training Camp | |
With the domestic cricket season drawing ever closer, Somerset County Cricket Club will be stepping up their preparations for the 2016 campaign by completing their 11-day warm weather training camp at the Desert Springs Cricket Academy between Monday 7th – Friday 18th March.
The Somerset CCC training camp will comprise eighteen (18) players and six (6) coaches, all of whom will be spending their time completing a specific and carefully planned programme of numerous training sessions each day covering technical skills, bowling and batting, strength and conditioning and both individual and group activity. As they will be outside and on grass, the squad will also be able to do fielding and throwing practice in realistic conditions, something not possible indoors back in the UK.
The players and coaches will be accommodated in some of the privately owned Villas and Townhouses at Desert Springs and the resort’s executive chef will be on hand to cater for the special dietary requirements of individual players dining in El Torrente Restaurant.
Almanzora Group Sales & Marketing Manager, Simon Coaker remarked:
"We are delighted to welcome the return of Somerset CCC for their annual pre-season winter training camp at the Desert Springs Cricket Academy."
Speaking of their inaugural visit to Desert Springs Cricket Academy in 2015, Somerset CCC Captain, Marcus Trescothick said:
"It went brilliantly – I couldn't ask for more, it's great that you get the extra preparation time, so already you've had a week out on grass – then you're coming back here a week ahead of where you need to be."
The excellent feedback received from visiting groups has further confirmed the quality of the training facilities and services provided at Desert Springs Resort.
For further information contact : The Almanzora Group Ltd
Tel: +44 (0) 1242 680 116
Email: tag@almanzora.com
Dateline: | 30th March 2015 | |
Source: | The Almanzora Group Ltd | |
Subject: | Cricket at Desert Springs | |
Title: | Somerset County Cricket Club completes a successful nine (9) days of warm weather pre-season cricket and fitness training at the Desert Springs Resort | |
Somerset County Cricket Club players are now back in England having completed a successful nine (9) days of warm weather pre-season cricket and fitness training between Wednesday 4th & Thursday 12th March at Desert Springs Resort, Europe’s only international award-winning luxury family resort and championship desert golf course with its very own dedicated Cricket Academy, in the Almanzora region of Almeria, Andalucía in south-east Spain.
Matthew Maynard, Somerset CCC Director of Cricket and his team of five (5) staff accompanied twenty-one (21) players who completed bowling, batting and fielding practice as well as strength and conditioning training sessions as they stepped up their physical preparations for the upcoming 2015 season.
Jason Kerr, Somerset CCC Assistant Bowling Coach, commented:
“The cricket training facilities are excellent and I enjoyed my stay.”
“I enjoyed the camp and am already looking forward to returning!”
“Excellent training camp, great facilities, food and gym.”
Those were the remarks made by Somerset CCC Academy Director Steve Snell and Strength & Conditioning Coach Darren Veness respectively.
Marcus Trescothick has hailed his participation in Somerset's pre-season tour to Spain as having gone "brilliantly" as he completed his first overseas cricket trip for almost five years.
The Somerset captain said the pre-season trip had reminded him of how much he had enjoyed tours when he was younger.
Trescothick had previously endured a number of issues with touring overseas, having withdrawn from England's tours of India and Australia in 2006 owing to a stress-related illness. He later withdrew from Somerset's pre-season tour to the United Arab Emirates in 2008 for the same reason, and returned from India after completing only two matches of the county's 2009 Champions League T20 campaign.
When Somerset qualified for the tournament in 2011, Trescothick had no intention of travelling, so last week's trip to the Desert Springs resort represented a significant step forward for the 39-year-old.
"Last week was great – it was the first time I've been on a pre-season cricket trip for a number of years, so that was a nice feeling, to get away and get a bit of sun on the back, and do a bit abroad," he said.
"You forget what it's all about. I'd forgotten what touring was like – and the week I spent reminded me how much I used to enjoy it.
A bit of cricket in the morning, a bit of golf in the afternoon, and go from there – I really enjoyed it."
On the experience as a whole, Trescothick said completing the trip had shown him he was "generally moving in the right direction", and not only in terms of his cricket.
"It went brilliantly – I couldn't ask for more," he said. "It's great that you get the extra preparation time, so already you've had a week out on grass – then you're coming back here a week ahead of where you need to be."
"I think it just gives you that extra little bit of confidence that you need to know that you're generally moving in the right direction – not just cricket-wise but also in terms of lifestyle and those things."
The training camp worked on a specific and carefully planned programme covering technical skills, strength and conditioning and both individual and group activity.
The players and coaches were accommodated in some of the privately owned Villas and Townhouses normally reserved for holidays and short breaks at Desert Springs and the resort’s executive chef was on hand to cater for the special dietary requirements of individual players dining in El Torrente Restaurant.
For further information contact: The Almanzora Group Ltd
Telephone: +44 (0) 1242 680 299
Email: tag@almanzora.com
Somerset County Cricket Club players during their last evening following their Pre-Season Winter Training Camp at Desert Springs Cricket Academy
Somerset County Cricket Club staff (Left to Right) Guy Lavender Chief Executive, Matthew Maynard, Director of Cricket, Jason Kerr, Assistant Bowling Coach, Steve Snell, Director of High Performance, Paul Tweddle, Assistant Coach, Jamie Thorpe, Lead Physiotherapist and Darren Veness, Strength & Conditioning Coach
‘Somerset CCC Nets Practice Session’ at the Desert Springs Cricket Academy
‘Somerset Fielding Session’ at the Desert Springs Cricket Academy
Dateline: | 10th February 2015 | |
Source: | The Almanzora Group Ltd | |
Subject: | Sussex and Somerset Cricket | |
Title: | Sussex and Somerset County Cricket Club Set To Visit Desert Springs For Pre Season Warm Weather Cricket Training Camp | |
With the domestic cricket season drawing ever closer, both Sussex and Somerset County Cricket Club playing squads will be stepping up their preparations for the 2015 campaign by completing their warm weather training at the Desert Springs Cricket Academy from between 23rd February – 4th March and 4th – 12th March respectively.
Sussex CCC will comprise eight players and four coaches and Somerset CCC twenty-one players and five coaches, all of whom will be spending their time completing numerous training sessions each day, which will include net practice, both bowling and batting, strength work, running, speed and agility work. As they will be outside and on grass, the squad will also be able to do more fielding and throwing practice in realistic conditions, something not possible indoors back in the UK.
A spokesman for Desert Springs said:
"We've been supporters of English cricket for a long time, and since the addition to the existing cricket facilities in 2013 of six top quality grass wickets at the Cricket Academy we have hosted numerous cricket teams, both professional and amateur, as well as university and school groups.
The feedback received from those visiting groups has further confirmed the quality of the training facilities and service we provide.
Combined with the Resort accommodation used to house the players and officials with the food provided at El Torrente restaurant and our unique winter climate, it is clear to see why Desert Springs is fast becoming renowned as the perfect one-stop-shop for Cricket teams to come and train."
For further information contact: The Almanzora Group Ltd
Telephone: +44 (0) 1242 680 299
Email: tag@almanzora.com