00:02Nick, just a week away from the Open game of the season against Essex.
00:06How's the group feeling and everyone feeling looking forward to it?
00:09It always feels quite early at this time of year.
00:12Woolly hats are still on and it's a brisk northerly.
00:15It's been a chilly pre-season, but the usual stuff.
00:20Everyone's really excited, everyone's raring to go.
00:22Everyone's been doing different things this winter.
00:25Some have been overseas, some have been here.
00:26It's nice to be all back together and get a long season underway.
00:31And yourself, your winter? How's that been for you?
00:33Very good, thank you. I've got a family here.
00:36No Australian winters for me, but we managed to get away to Delhi,
00:41thanks to GMR in February, which was an amazing trip for the Badders.
00:44And then Selenbosch just recently in pre-season.
00:47No complaints there and ready to go. Really looking forward to it.
00:52And Essex first up, obviously a good tough test to start with.
00:56But obviously a place to be at home, I presume.
00:57Yeah, had a lot of good games against them over the past few years.
01:00They're a really good side.
01:01They'll be challenging at the top, I'm sure, this year.
01:04As are we looking to do.
01:06So, a big game first up.
01:08You look around in Division 1, they're all big games.
01:10There's a lot of good sides around.
01:12So, should be a real good test of everyone.
01:15Yeah, and Hampshire obviously for a few years was sort of pushing towards the title.
01:19And last year obviously was a bit lower.
01:20So, presumably this year looking to get back up there, presumably.
01:23Yeah, I think momentum is a massive thing.
01:24We got on a roll the last few years.
01:26We had a really strong, settled side.
01:28Very experienced.
01:29Slight transition over the past few years, which has been well documented.
01:34But it doesn't take much to get back up there.
01:37Just like it doesn't take much to be battling relegation.
01:40There's such fine margins in this division.
01:43So, the importance is to stay level and not to get too up and down.
01:48And Russell Domingo in as new coach.
01:50Settled in well with the group?
01:51Absolutely, yeah.
01:53Russell's come in and it feels very much like AD.
01:58He's very good friends with AD.
02:00Very similar methods and managerial aspects.
02:03So, I think the group are really looking forward to working with him.
02:06And yeah, heard great reports from everyone who he's coached before.
02:10So, really looking forward to it and so far so good.
02:12And all the new signings as well, obviously, all fit in well with the group?
02:16Yeah.
02:17Obviously, Jake Lehman's an outstanding signing.
02:21He's done so well in the Shield the last few years and a really experienced batter.
02:25So, it would be really good to add him into the fold and look forward to sharing and dressing with
02:29him.
02:29And as well, we've got some youngsters pushing through.
02:32So, yeah, we've got different aspects of the squad, but all quite exciting.
02:36And obviously, those youngsters, you know, high ceiling, high growth potential, isn't it?
02:40Which, at that age, is going to be exciting to see, isn't it?
02:42Yeah, huge ceilings on them.
02:43We've seen it over the past few years.
02:45And, you know, it's credit to the Hampshire and the academy to keep turning them out.
02:50And yeah, it will be really exciting to see how they all go this year.
02:52And kind of, for us older players, it's trying to help them navigate their way through the professional game
02:58and, yeah, don't make the same mistakes we did.
03:00Yeah, obviously, as a senior player, I presume you take that very much as part of your role to pass
03:04that sort of...
03:04Yeah, I love it. I really enjoy helping young players where I can.
03:08And yeah, definitely see it as part of my responsibility now.
03:13So, yeah, really looking forward to seeing how they go this year and watching them flourish in the Hampshire shirt.
03:18And I'd say, obviously, Essex here in a week to start.
03:20And obviously, Couch Championship is very much the focus to start.
03:22But other formats as well, obviously, Hampshire are strong in T20.
03:26Regularly at the finals there. Obviously, one day cup as well.
03:29So, you've done well in that as well, under your leadership.
03:32Yeah, thoughts?
03:33Yeah, absolutely.
03:34It's probably a credit to the strength in the squad that you've generally competed across all fronts in the last
03:40few years,
03:41particularly white ball trophies.
03:42It's a pretty long history in Hampshire's DNA of competing and winning white ball trophies.
03:48That all feels a long way away at the moment.
03:50We all know how intense and important this April and May is.
03:54So, I think it's fully switched on to the Red Bull staff and getting the club off to a good
03:58start in the championship in a week's time.
04:01Yeah, it's a real sort of solid block of games, isn't it?
04:02And if you come through that well, then you're well placed, obviously, for the later of the season, aren't you?
04:06Absolutely, yeah. It's a huge chunk of the season.
04:09Seven games, I think. So, seven four-day games, it's intense. It's on every week and, yeah, it's important that
04:15everyone gets going
04:16and, yeah, gets the club off to a good start and then the season can take shape from there.
04:22Yeah, obviously, you'll need runs on the board, but taking 20 wickets as well, sort of here, sort of, you
04:26know,
04:26obviously, you'll have the attack, and I presume you'll sort of work out what pitches you're playing on and that
04:30sort of thing
04:31and how you sort of look to take your 20 wickets.
04:33Yeah, you've got to take 20 wickets to win, don't you? And you've got to work out how it's best
04:40to do it.
04:41But four days is a long time, so it's important to play the long game and be prepared to go
04:45four days.
04:46And if you play better cricket over four days, there's a good chance you'll come out on top
04:49because if you grind a team for four days, not many last. So, yeah, that'll be our mantra.
04:56I'm assuming yourself, obviously, you've got targets in your mind. You might not share them, but obviously, you know, looking
04:59for a strong start, obviously.
05:01Absolutely. I think as a batsman, there are so many variables, whether it's pitches, wickets, good balls, bad decisions, bad
05:07shots.
05:08You've just got to stay as level as possible and treat every ball the same.
05:12So, I haven't got any targets or numbers in mind, but I'm just going to do the best I can
05:19and, yeah, just respond to what I get, what gets chucked at me, basically.
05:23And just sort of generally for everyone in county cricket, it seems the messaging from England earlier in the week
05:29was potentially might be a bit more open selection-wise.
05:32So, that's sort of exciting for everyone, really, isn't it, at the start of the season?
05:35Yeah, I guess actions speak louder than words. So, we'll see what becomes of that later on in the summer.
05:41So, up until now, there's obviously been a bit of a disconnect, which has been well documented across the country.
05:48But who knows? There might be places up for grabs and whoever's playing the best might get a go. So,
05:54we'll see.
05:55And just finally a message to the supporters, obviously looking to get them back here and watching their cricket.
05:58Just a message to them.
05:59Yeah, just really looking forward to seeing you guys all back.
06:03We're going to try our hardest for you guys, as we always do.
06:07And, yeah, look forward to sharing the journey with you and look forward to seeing you here.
06:12We'll see you next time.
06:12Bye.
06:12Bye.
06:12Bye.
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