David Payne interview
27 February 2012
David Payne is the subject of the first in a series of question and answer interviews with players which will appear on this website in the build-up to the new season.
The young left-arm seamer will be looking to build on an excellent season last year in which he took 42 LV=County Championship wickets.
What sort of winter have you had?
It has been different. Previously I have always had a tour of some sort and this is the first time I have stayed at home for the whole winter. I’ve simply been doing what you have to do to prepare for the new season. Pre-Christmas I concentrated on building up fitness and strength and more recently it has been a case of doing more skills work. Fitness training can become tedious, but it has to be done.
Are you still developing physically?
Yes, I’ve still got a couple of years where that will be the case, but I am happy with where I am at the moment. The coaching staff do a really good job with the programmes we are set, which are specific to each individual player, so hopefully we are all progressing in the right direction. With such a small and young squad, keeping us on the park this summer will be very important and both Chris Bodman and Steve Griffin are working hard to try and ensure injuries are kept to a minimum.
How do you feel about the size of the squad and the extra work-load it could mean to you as a bowler?
At this stage of my career gaining as much experience of as many types of cricket as I can is very important. I have a good season under my belt and I am eager to play in all formats. Although the squad looks inexperienced, I believe we have some real talent in it so I am really looking forward to the new season.
How do you need to adapt your bowling for 40-over and T20 cricket?
The game is constantly changing and one-day cricket is a much tougher challenge for bowlers these days because batsmen are continually developing different shots as well as becoming a lot stronger and more powerful. It means bowlers have to develop new skills too and become a lot more cunning. All the seamers at Gloucestershire get together each week and discuss what we are doing. I am working on a slow bouncer, which has become a very effective delivery in one-day cricket. I have never used it before, at least not on purpose!
Where do you hope to improve with your Championship bowling?
The first thing to think about is the change to the Duke ball which not many of us have used before. It doesn’t look as though it will be hugely different from the Tiflex ball we have used in recent seasons. Both swing, although there might be more late swing with the Tiflex. That means bowlers may have to be a bit more patient and I am working on being more consistent in hitting the right areas. The lads are looking good with the Duke balls and I don’t think the change will worry us too much.
These days every team member is expected to be able to bat. How is your batting coming along?
I was happy how I progressed with the bat last season. Towards the end of the summer I was feeling quite confident in my ability and hopefully I can creep up a couple of places in the batting order this season. I managed a top score of 62 against Glamorgan and had an early knock of 46 so I know I can score runs in the Championship. That should stand me in good stead this summer.
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