Former Worcestershire Academy player James Taylor is relishing the chance to work with the County’s Director Of Cricket Steve Rhodes in a new look Young Lions coaching team this weekend at the Desert Springs Resort in southern Spain.
Ex England and Nottinghamshire batsman Taylor has been appointed batting coach for the first half of the Young Lions’ winter programme.
It will continue with a Tri-Series in South Africa also including Namibia ahead of the ICC Under-19s World Cup in New Zealand in January.
Rhodes will take charge of the Young Lions ahead of that World Cup campaign – having agreed to join on a short-term basis following Andy Hurry’s appointment as director of cricket at Somerset.
Hurry and Rhodes will both attend the four-day training camp in Desert Springs, before Rhodes takes over for the Tri-Series in South Africa.
Taylor said: “I can’t wait to get started. I did some work with the Young Lions at their first camp of the winter in Loughborough, and I liked what I saw.
“I’m looking forward to the chance of getting to know them better in Spain and then South Africa, and hopefully helping them with their game.
“Andy Hurry has been fantastic getting me involved in the programme, and now it’s going to be great to have the chance to work with Steve Rhodes.
“He’s had so much experience and a lot of success with his county, both in terms of winning promotion and in the number of young talented players they bring through.
“I think for both of us, the aim will be to create an enjoyable atmosphere for the players, starting in Spain this weekend. I’ve heard good things about Desert Springs – it will be nice to get some sun on our backs.”
Neil Killeen, the former Durham seamer who has been a regular on ECB programmes in recent years, will be the Young Lions fast bowling coach for the winter.
Gloucestershire head coach Richard Dawson will work with the spinners in Spain and South Africa, linking up with Steve Griffin, the long-serving physio at Bristol who recently joined the ECB.
Young Lions squad: Ethan Bamber (Middlesex), Liam Banks (Warwickshire), Tom Banton (Somerset, wk), Harry Brook (Yorkshire), Jack Davies (Middlesex, wk), Adam Finch (Worcestershire), Luke Hollman (Middlesex), Will Jacks (Surrey), Tom Lammonby (Somerset), Felix Organ (Hampshire), Dillon Pennington (Worcestershire), Savin Perera (Middlesex), Jack Plom (Essex), Hamidullah Qadri (Derbyshire), Tom Scriven (Hampshire), Prem Sisodiya (Glamorgan), Fin Trenouth (Somerset), Roman Walker (Glamorgan).
