Moles fosters fitness first at ICC Winter Training Camp

Head coach Andy Moles believes his early emphasis on high levels of physical fitness has hit home with the players under his control at the ICC's Winter Training Camp in Pretoria.

"The good weather here lends itself to running around without a shirt on but at the start of the WTC a lot of the players were reluctant to do that because they were not in tip-top condition," said Moles, who is also Scotland's full-time coach.

"Now they are a lot keener. They are enjoying the work and they are looking and feeling a whole lot better. It is possible to see the change in the body shape of players and one of them has dropped six kilograms in weight since we started in mid-October."

Moles, together with his team of coaches and fitness experts, have been working with 23 players from the six Associate countries - Bermuda, Canada, Ireland, Kenya, the Netherlands and Scotland - that have qualified for the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2007.

And after those players underwent two weeks of assessments they have been put through an intensive fitness programme, including gym sessions at 7am four times a week, swimming, running, pilates and ice baths, in addition to cricket skills training.

All this has been done because, as Moles explained, he and his team have targeted the fitness of players as a major element in looking to improve playing standards below Full Member level.

"An inherent problem in the Associate world is that players are part-time and tend to play cricket to keep fit," said Moles.

"We want to change that around so that players are fit first and then play cricket.

"By raising fitness levels among these players it means they will have the ability to perform at a high level for longer and that is something you have to do at the top level in sport.

"It applies to all the disciplines. Bowlers need to be just as fresh and strong for a second or third spell as they are for an opening burst.

"Batsmen need to be able to bat for 50 overs and still scamper runs at the end of their innings while fielders need to be able to cut off extra runs at the death that could be the difference between defeat and victory."

Bowling coach Bob Cottam added his stamp of approval to the fitness regime.

"The biggest plus of the Winter Training Camp so far has been the improvement in the general fitness of the players," said Cottam.

"From the bowlers' perspective the extra fitness has meant that when they are working they do not tire as quickly and they sustain their bowling actions for longer. That, in turn, means they are less likely to pick up injuries."

But although Moles is delighted with the strides taken by the players, he knows the acid test for his methods will come after the WTC ends with the key question being whether those players involved can take the message back to their team mates.

Moles used his own Scotland players as an example of what he is looking for.

"I want my players to see the improvements in the players here, to see how much fitter and stronger they are and how that helps make them better cricketers," he said

"Once they see that, I want the other members of our squad to copy the players here and that will raise the standard of fitness across the board."

Moles does not believe the fact most Associate players are part-time is an excuse for a lack of fitness.

"Once players have a base level of fitness we will be asking them to follow programmes and do a serious gym and running session three times a week for 90 minutes.

"If they really want to be successful at this game then we do not think that is impossible," he added.

Players attending the WTC

Bermuda - Jekon Edness, Jim West, Stephen Outerbridge & Azeem Pitcher

Canada - Qaiser Ali, Umar Bhatti, Kenneth Carto & Henry Osinde (plus John Davison, who is filling a coaching role)

Ireland - Trevor Britton, Kenneth Carroll & Eoin Morgan

Kenya - Nehemiah Odhiambo Ngoche, Alfred Luseno & Kalpesh Patel

Netherlands - Tom de Grooth

Scotland - Richard Berrington, Kasim Farid, Gordon Goudie, Ross Lyons, Dewald Nel, Qasim Sheikh, Fraser Watts & Sean Weeraratna