Now, you can get all the USA Cricket updates via Facebook.   Also follow us on Twitter via @dreamcricket

By Peter Della Penna

Muhammad Ghous has returned to New Jersey after spending four weeks training with reigning English County champions Nottinghamshire. The 21-year-old USA off-spinner was joined at the county by fellow USA prospect Adrian Gordon and can’t say enough good things about his time there.

“The atmosphere was really good,” said Ghous. “They had a standard. Everything was really good. The practices were totally different, like I had never seen before. It was totally proper cricket, proper training. Everything was set up, organized in a good way. It was probably the best organization I’ve seen.”

“I would like to go back there. The people are really nice. I would just want to go every year.”

The trip was organized by ICC Americas Performance Officer Andy Pick and financed in part by USACA. According to Ghous, the experience allowed him to participate in training sessions for up to four hours a day.

Image (right) - Muhammad Ghous bowling against Australia at the 2010 ICC U-19 World Cup in New Zealand. [Courtesy Daniela Zaharia/USACA]

“We had the best training,” said Ghous. “They provided everything. We attended all the practices with the first team, the second team and the academy. Afterward if you wanted to do another little practice, you could use the indoor [facility], the gym. We used everything.”

Ghous particularly enjoyed getting to work with some of the various players with international experience including Chris Read, Adam Voges, Samit Patel and Stuart Broad.

“I got a chance to work with Stuart Broad,” said Ghous. “I had a net session with him twice. I was bowling to him. It was a good experience. I bowled good to him. He actually was injured so he couldn’t bowl. He had a rib injury so he was just practicing batting.”

The one thing that stood out to Ghous that he felt set the county players apart from those he’s played with and against in the USA is their fitness.

“Every time we practiced, the first 15-20 minutes, the physio will take us and do some fitness training. If we don’t have a practice, we would just go to the gym, do some cardio and lift some weights,” said Ghous. “Once you’re fully fit, you can compete with these players too. These guys are all fit.”

Ghous realizes it’s a major challenge to achieve the same fitness standards in the USA and the success that it can lead to for the national team without a professional structure in place. Until then, players will continue to struggle for consistency heading into tours.

“I don’t think it’s the players fault. We don’t have enough time. Before the tournaments, everyone is busy with their work. If we don’t have contracts like these other players… these other players have contracts. All they do is practice and fitness. That’s all they do rather than work.”

“With us, we have to go to school. We have to go to work. In our own time, we have to go to the gym which is really hard to stay on track. If you’re not gonna make money, you cannot run your family… unless the board is paying you good money, and in that case, you can practice every day. You can go to the gym every day and you don’t have to worry about working and you can support your family too.”

While in the UK, Ghous played as a club pro for a pair of matches in the Durham area for Evenwood Cricket Club. He also played one match in Doncaster and two matches for the Notts Academy side. Ghous says the only grounds that are better than the ones he played club cricket at in the UK are the ones he played on in New Zealand during the 2010 Under-19 World Cup.

“The grounds are so nice,” said Ghous. “Everything is properly organized so you want to come there early to do your warmups, throwdowns, a little bit of bowling practice. You want to play cricket. Everybody is an hour early.”

Outside of the cricket, the players were taken by Nottinghamshire batting coach Paul Johnson to a Nottingham Forest soccer match on one of their first nights in the city. Ghous was grateful for the hospitality provided by everyone in Nottingham, but especially the generosity shown by Pick and Johnson.