Eighteen (18) members of the ECB Young Lions Squad, accompanied by eleven (11) Management, staff and coaches are now back in England having completed a successful 3-day training camp between Saturday 11th – Tuesday 14th November at Desert Springs Resort, Europe’s only international award-winning luxury family resort and championship desert golf course with its very own dedicated Cricket Ground & Academy, in the Almanzora region of Almeria, Andalucía in south-east Spain.
Matt Hipwell, Team Manager remarked of Desert Springs Resort and the training camp;
“The resort staff couldn’t do enough to ensure that we had a comfortable stay. We felt very secure during our visit. The accommodation was excellent.”
The focus of the training camp was to provide an opportunity for the players to both work seriously on their batting, bowling & fielding skills as well as their fitness levels, through a specific strength and conditioning programme, to ensure that the players are in the best possible shape during their winter programme which continues with a Tri-Series in South Africa also including Namibia, as all three teams continue preparations for the ICC Under-19s World Cup in New Zealand in January.
Team meetings, catering provided at the Crocodile Club restaurant, fitness sessions at the Sierra Sports Club Gym and study sessions for the players to complete university work were all on the agenda.
Richard Dawson, Spin Bowling Coach remarked of his experience;
“The accommodation was really comfortable, lovely setting, good number of nets and additional space for fielding.”
Chris Taylor, Fielding Coach commented;
“Didn’t want for anything. Hospitality first rate, service levels exceptional. Extremely enjoyable trip.”
Andy Mitchell, Strength & Conditioning Coach said;
“The upgraded gym facilities have really added value to our training and allowed our young athletes to continue their elite athletic development.”
Andy Hurry, Head Coach commented of the training camp;
“Operationally and logistically, outstanding!”
Some of the players views of the training camp were;
“Amazing facilities in a great location which allowed us to train in similar conditions to South Africa” Adam Finch, “Excellent outdoor facilities, great accommodation and food” Tom Scriven, “Amazing facilities, great place to get some warm weather training” Dillon Pennington, “Excellent facilities, awesome resort!” Harry Brook, “Great accommodation and food, excellent facilities” Prem Sisodiya, “Outstanding facilities in a picturesque setting” Tom Lammonby, “Class, loved it all!” Roman Walker, “Lovely to get outside at this time of year. Beautiful setting with class facilities” Ethan Bamber, “Quality facilities, excellent food” Luke Hollman, “Delicious food” Fin Trenouth, “Accommodation brilliant!” Tom Banton,
Simon Coaker, Sales & Marketing Manager for The Almanzora Group Ltd. said;
“Desert Springs takes its name from the region’s desert microclimate, which is unique in Europe. It has the warmest winter weather on the continent and provided an opportunity for the Young Lions Squad to train in sunshine in the middle of November! Looking at the positive feedback received from the players and staff of their time spent at the resort, we hope this camp acts as a great lead up to the forthcoming Tri-Series in South Africa.”
- For details of Cricket, Golf & Sports Training Camps, Corporate Golf Events and Meetings at Desert Springs Resort call 01242 680 116 or visit the website, desertspringsresort.es
- To find out more about the Desert Springs Cricket Academy visit the website:
- http://www.desertspringsresort.es/home/sport-camps/cricket-camps/
Additional background Information
Warm weather winter training camps at Desert Springs
Desert Springs, Europe’s only international award-winning luxury family resort and championship desert golf course, is already known as a resort specialising in family holidays, however it has rapidly gained popularity as a centre for warm-weather training for cricketers, athletes, and footballers, as well as golfers and is proving to be one of the most popular destinations for sports warm weather winter training camps.
All sports camps to Desert Springs are bespoke. If desired, the programme can include time away from the resort for some local sightseeing in what many regard as ‘the real Spain.’
During their stay attendees have opportunities to swim, play tennis and use the gymnasium, trim trail, jogging tracks, paddle tennis and beach volley ball courts.
Desert Springs is easy to reach from the UK, thanks to three international airports. They are: Almeria Airport, 40 minutes by car; Murcia Airport, 80 minutes by car, and Alicante Airport which is a drive of less than two hours. Airlines currently flying to the region from the UK include British Airways, EasyJet, Ryanair, Jet2, and Fly Thomas Cook.
Accommodation is provided in the apartments, townhouses and villas available for holidays and short breaks at Desert Springs. Meals are served in the resort’s Crocodile Club Restaurant, part of the family-friendly Crocodile Club that is geared up for a wide variety of leisure activities and the award winning El Torrente Restaurant at the Club House.
The Desert Springs Resort & Golf Club
Facilities already completed and in use at Desert Springs Resort include:
- The Indiana course, a par 72 -18-hole USGA specification golf course, designed by former Great Britain and Ireland Golf Team Captain Peter McEvoy who was inspired by the desert courses of Arizona and California;
- a golf academy whose PGA qualified teaching professionals cater for several international teams, for the women’s elite squads of the Golf Union of Wales and for many of the English County Union’s elite squads; PGA European Tour, PGA Europro Tour and LET players.
- two tennis courts, two paddle courts, beach volley ball and two football pitches – one is a full-size grass pitch; the other is designed for five-a-side games;
- a cricket ground with an eighteen (18) wicket square, constructed to ECB standards and specifications that will be ready for play in February 2018 and will be open all year round. Complimented by a Marquee pavilion, sightscreens, scoreboard, sprint strips, and associated facilities, it provides an outstanding facility to practice and play cricket.
- a Cricket Academy with facilities that comprise; twenty-four (24) grass wickets and run up with nets, one artificial wicket with nets, a full length artificial grass wicket, a Professional Bola Bowling Machine with 28 ball feeder, requisite training equipment and a specific hard standing area, which provides outside space for facilities such as a free weights gym, stretching mats and a medical area.
- a Spanish colonial style Golf Club House with a lounge, bar, restaurant, locker rooms, TV and reading rooms, and a Ralph Lauren Golf Boutique;
- The Crocodile Club which provides family fun at the heart of the resort with pools, equipped sand play areas, a kid’s battery powered John Deere Gator circuit as well as a Jacuzzi, sun lawns and a pool bar;
- a health and fitness club and spa.
Awards
Desert Springs Resort was awarded Best Golf Resort for Groups in Europe by the 2016 European Group Travel Awards (EGTA). The Indiana Course at Desert Springs Resort has also been recognised as the 6th Best Golf Course in Spain, based on the reviews of players who rated the course on the Leading Courses website. Out of the 345 courses present on this ranking the Indiana Course at Desert Springs occupies 6th place with a score of 8,8/10, and awards Desert Springs Golf Club with the “Outstanding” badge. This distinction is only given to the best 10 courses in the country.
Desert Springs Resort has been awarded the Daily Mail Best Almeria Award and the Bentley International Property Awards for the Best Spain Development and Best Architecture, as well as the Spanish National Madera Verde Prize for Environmentally Sensitive Development, the SICTED award for the distinction of “Commitment to Tourism Quality” and Andalucía’s Premier Tourism prize for 2017, the coveted and prestigious ‘Excellence in Management’ Award.
El Torrente Restaurant has received the New Millennium International Gastronomy Award for the Tourist, Hotel and Catering Industry. This award was created by the Trade Leaders Club with the aim of distinguishing companies from all countries, for the outstanding quality of their products or services.
The climate of the Almanzora coastal region
Desert Springs takes its name from the region’s desert microclimate, which is unique in Europe. It has the warmest winter weather on the continent with an annual average of more than nine hours of daily sunshine and maximum daily temperatures of between 16°C (60°F) and 30°C (86°F) throughout the year. Annual rainfall is less than 200 mm. The Almanzora coastal waters are among the cleanest and warmest in Europe, attracting both fish and diving enthusiasts.
Reader enquiries:
NOTE: High Resolution Images available upon request.
Simon Coaker
The Almanzora Group Ltd
The Manor, Boddington, Cheltenham,
Gloucestershire GL51 0TJ
Tel: +44 (0) 1242 680116
Mob: +34 678 235 716
e: scc@almanzora.com
www.desertspringsresort.es
ECB Young Lions Squad Members; Fin Trenouth, Tom Banton, Harry Brook, Will Jacks, Prem Sisodiya, Hamidullah Qadri, Tom Lammonby, Roman Walker, Ethan Bamber, Jack Davies, Savin Perera, Luke Hollman, Liam Banks, Jack Plom, Felix Organ, Tom Scriven, Dillon Pennington & Adam Finch at Desert Springs Resort.
‘Nets Practice Session’ at the Desert Springs Cricket Academy
‘Batsman Practice Session’ at the Desert Springs Cricket Academy
A typical example of the fairway frontage villas at Desert Springs Resort where some of the ECB Young Lions players and team officials were accommodated.
