Our players are in India, and they have started the tour in the best possible way. HECC Cricket has won its first tour match, beaten a side drawn from one of the largest cricket academies in the country, and trained at one of the most famous cricket grounds in the world.
Here is everything that has happened so far, and what it means for every young cricketer training with us in Sawbridgeworth.
Match Day 1: HECC Cricket vs C11CL in Lonavala
Our first fixture took us to Lonavala, the hill town in the Western Ghats between Mumbai and Pune, to face C11CL.
This was no ordinary opposition. C11CL is an academy with around 3,000 players across India, and for this match they selected players from different regions of the country to come together and take on our squad. In other words, our players faced a hand-picked team drawn from a huge talent pool, in unfamiliar conditions, on the first match day of the tour.
And they won.
Playing in India asks different questions of a cricketer. The heat, the pace of the pitches, the way the ball grips and turns, and the noise and energy around the game all test a player’s technique and temperament. To come through all of that and win on day one says a great deal about the preparation, character and togetherness of this group.
Training at the Oval Maidan with Jwala Singh
The day before the match, the squad spent a morning training at the Oval Maidan in Mumbai.
The Oval Maidan forms part of the Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. On any given day, the ground is covered with matches and net sessions, and many of India’s great cricketers learned the game on the maidans of Mumbai. For young players from Hertfordshire and Essex, practising in that setting is a memory that will stay with them for life.
Even better, the session was run by Jwala Singh, the coach of India batter Yashasvi Jaiswal. Jwala Singh is widely credited with developing Jaiswal from a young player on Mumbai’s maidans into an international cricketer. Our players had the chance to learn from a coach who has guided one of the most exciting talents in world cricket, in the very environment where that talent was shaped.
What This Opportunity Means
A tour like this is about far more than one result.
Experience you cannot get at home. Playing against strong, well-coached opposition in Indian conditions gives our players a completely new reference point. They learn to adapt to different pitches, climates and styles of play, which makes them better cricketers when they return to English conditions.
Learning from world-class coaching. Time with a coach like Jwala Singh exposes players to the methods behind an international career. The drills, the mindset and the standards they see in Mumbai will feed straight back into their training at HECC.
Building character and independence. Touring abroad means living, travelling and competing together as a team. Players grow in confidence, resilience and maturity, qualities that matter just as much off the pitch as on it.
A clear sign of where the HECC pathway can lead. This tour shows what is possible when players commit to a structured development programme. From our Junior Development Squads through to the Emerging and Senior Academies, the HECC pathway is built to give ambitious cricketers real opportunities to test themselves at a higher level.
Follow the Tour
There is plenty more cricket still to come in India. Follow @hecc_cricket on Instagram for match updates, photos and behind-the-scenes moments from Mumbai and beyond.
Join the HECC Academy
Want your child to have opportunities like this? The HECC Academy pathway welcomes players of all ages and abilities, from school Years 1 to 9 in our Development Squads, through the Emerging Academy for ages 12 and 13, to the Senior Academy for ages 14 to 18.
Our ECB-qualified coaches, indoor facility in Sawbridgeworth and partnerships with the National Fast Bowling Academy and the Spin Academy give every player the support they need to keep improving, all year round.
Prefer to talk to us first? Call 01279 724782 or email enquiries@heccsport.com and our team will help you find the right squad.
