Paul Franks keen for Nottinghamshire to build up solid foundations

Nottinghamshire's Assistant Head Coach Paul Franks is keen for the boys to build solid foundations this winter.
Assistant Head Coach, Paul Franks knows good winter preparations will be key to success.(Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)Assistant Head Coach, Paul Franks knows good winter preparations will be key to success.(Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)
Assistant Head Coach, Paul Franks knows good winter preparations will be key to success.(Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)

Preparations for the 2021 season are underway as Notts look to build on their T20 success last year and also bag a long-awaited County Championship win.

And Franks believes key to success next summer will be hard graft during the winter months.

“You can build strong foundations going into the Christmas break and when we come back in January it feels like the season is not too far away,” said Franks.

“The boys understand that and are ready to put the work in. You slowly build foundations, there’s certainly no time to be wasted any more in professional cricket.

“We need to get people used to being around the place and each other again to start with.

“They had an extended break and each player will have had a chance to digest what happened, their own personal successes, failures and what they want to improve on.”

And Franks says he has been pleased with the attitude of the squad since returning as a group.

“The attitude has been good so far,” he added. “There are a few aching bodies, but they know that this is all part of something bigger.

“As I got older as a player I found it harder, but the game has come a long way, even in the last five years.

“It is our responsibility to create some challenges for their personal development in the coming months.

"It used to be a case of six months on six months off but cricket has changed a lot.

"It was a lot easier for players to go off around the world and play cricket in the winter months, obviously it is not possibly to do that right now with what is going on in the world.

“You expect them to come back in decent shape and you want them to develop as athletes as well as players.

"We will be checking fitness levels to see the players are where they say they are. The responsibility of all the players is to produce the best version of themselves that they can.

“A lot of stuff before Christmas is individually based and how we develop players. Then you can start to stretch them in January and February.”