Confidence high as a new season begins

As a county cricketer, having a birthday in the middle of April means celebrations are always likely to be subdued – especially this year as it came the day before our first match of the Championship season at home to Northamptonshire at Chelmsford.

As with every competition it is important to get off to a winning start because all successful teams thrive on momentum. Confidence plays a huge role in cricket and we enter the season as a confident team but one that now needs to make good of that. Having been given the news that Andre Nel will be hot-footing it from Heathrow in time for the opening match was also a major boost at the right time.

There is a new regime under Paul Grayson (our first-team coach) at Essex and he’s impressed all of the squad with the way he goes about his job. Paul is someone who lets you work things out for yourself but is always approachable when you need him. Everything is done for a reason in his training methods and there are no sessions where you go through the motions. Our captain, Mark Pettini, is also in his first full season in charge and he has already proved a very strong leader who dovetails well with Paul.

From a cricketing point of view the main positive I could take from my winter was selection for the England Lions tour to India.

My call-up came as a great surprise but I was obviously thrilled and delighted to have been selected after so long on the outside looking in. Touring India is always tough but I learnt a lot and it was fantastic to work with David Houghton, who the ECB took over as batting coach. Unfortunately I never managed to get going with the bat but I’m hoping to implement a few of David’s ideas when the county season begins. Being drafted in a week and a half before the team left (following an injury to Steven Davies) wasn’t ideal as I hadn’t worked on my batting over the winter until that point. Nonetheless I wouldn’t have given up an opportunity like that for anything, so I’m grateful to have got another chance with England. On the up side I learnt a lot about myself while I was in India and was very pleased with the way I kept.

Upon returning to England I needed another injection in my shoulder – having already had one towards the back-end of last season – after it flared up while I was away. That seems to have done the trick and I was fully fit and raring to go by the time of Essex’s pre-season tour of the Emirates in March. Pre-season trips are always great for team bonding and this particular one was a good way to welcome our three new signings – Jason Gallian, David Masters and Chris Wright – and two Academy professionals – Adam Wheater and Jaik Mickleburgh – into the fold.

There was no initiation ceremony for the new players as such – like there used to be in the old days! – but all of them have fitted in well and feel comfortable in our environment.

We are a group of mates at Essex but there is no comfort zone here and everyone is determined to have a great season.

Outside of my unexpected England call-up the bulk of the winter was taken up with my new business venture – James Foster Coaching. I’ve been really pleased with how that has gone and especially delighted that a number of my Essex team-mates were able to lend a hand in putting on a series of ‘Masterclasses’. This is something I am very keen to continue but it will be difficult to fit too much coaching in during the summer as I’ll be full-in with the playing side. I’m hoping to bring some of the kids I’ve coached along to a day at the cricket at Essex during the season to meet a few of the ‘superstars’! I’ve had excellent feedback on the sessions I’ve done so hopefully this is just the start!

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