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Lead Fast Bowling Coach Kevin Shine is preparing a host of pacemen for the summer ahead at his training camp in Potchefstroom.
England seamer Mark Wood is amongst the quicks who have made the trip down to South Africa along with the likes of Stuart Meaker, Tymal Mills, Jamie Porter and Tom Helm.
The players arrived in Potchefstroom three days ago and the focus of the camp is on getting them fit and firing for the upcoming first-class season.
Wood is working his way back to fitness, after an ankle injury ruled him out of the Test tour of South Africa, and is set to be joined by Liam Plunkett who left the England Lions’ tour of United Arab Emirates today to join the squad as he recovers from a thigh problem.
“The primary objective is to get these younger bowlers ready for first-class cricket so that they have strong first-class seasons,” Shine told ecb.co.uk.
“They’re a little bit off playing for England yet but if they can have some strong first-class seasons then they hopefully go through to the EPP and England Lions.
“The primary objective is to get them strong and then to work technically and tactically with them.”
. @Liam628 is heading to Potchefstroom to continue his thigh injury recovery: https://t.co/62kBXJ5Amu #getwellsoon pic.twitter.com/3TH4cG0tij
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) January 27, 2016
The players will also get the opportunity to train alongside England’s one-day international squad during the upcoming series against the Proteas.
Shine brought forward the training camp to fit in with the ODI tour and allow England’s coaching staff to see the depth of talent first-hand.
“We have changed it this year. We’ve come a little bit earlier so that we can go to Joburg and work in two of the practices that England are having,” Shine revealed.
“There’s a game at the Wanderers and there is a game at Centurion and we’ll be practicing the day before those games which is going to be a great experience for the players and hopefully it will be good for Farby and Trevor to see to boys play.
“Ottis hasn’t seen some of them so it will be brilliant for England to see what’s coming through.”
The players underwent their second training session today and, while the workload has been lighter after recently arriving, Shine will put them through specifically-designed programs after consultation with their county coaches.
“We’ve put their technical work-ons together with their coaches from their counties,” he said.
“They’ve only just got off the plane three days ago so it’s only their second session. We’re building them up and we were just keeping an eye on some work-ons, but as we move on through the camp we’ll look to make sure that they’re all in good form.”
Source: ECB