Cricket: Haven sets standard

Nestled within Loughborough University in Britain's East Midlands lies a building of shimmering steel, plate glass windows and a roof which filters in natural light - the National Cricket Performance Centre, the England and Wales Cricket Board's £4.5 million ($8.9 million) base built in 2003.

The state-of-the-art training facilities include six lanes with full run-ups and enough room for wicketkeepers to stand back. Hawk-Eye cameras and advanced biomechanics wizardry pepper the 70m x 30m hangar. In addition to the indoor complex, academy players can use the university's main cricket ground and 18 grass nets. When development squads visit, they stay on-site in a couple of nine-bedroom houses.

It's holistic cricket living; you think about your forward defence when you clean your teeth.

New Zealand Cricket's director of cricket John Buchanan might be wise to pop in and glean ideas for the Lincoln-based equivalent at home. Buchanan has joined the national squad for the Champions Trophy.

The NCPC works in partnership with the university which also incorporates the English Institute of Sport. Each year the best cricket talent from around Britain is invited to train. Current England players Alastair Cook, James Anderson and Ian Bell are graduates.

The centre is entrenched in cricket folklore for its role in helping regain the Ashes in 2005. The England squad were ushered into the nets pre-series to face 'Merlyn', a bowling machine specially developed to mimic Shane Warne. Warne took 40 wickets at 19.92 in the series (16 more than any other bowler) but the overall result was achieved.

The Herald on Sunday spoke to former test spinner Peter Such who runs the spin programme at the NCPC. One of his objectives is to produce the next generation's Graeme Swann.

"We're constantly striving to get better spinners," Such says. "We don't necessarily want a Swann or a Monty Panesar clone because individuals have their own styles but it's a sound environment to develop players."

Such says harnessing spin options is a key part of England's long-term strategy, particularly with the advent of the Decision Review System. New Zealand Cricket might take note, given recent test difficulties in the West Indies, India, Sri Lanka and against Swann.

"Statistics show us spin's role is growing in the game. Suddenly the lbw has become more accessible for orthodox spin bowlers," Such says. The centre gives Such the chance to assess fledgling talent against top batsmen: "It gives them something to aspire to; where they can benchmark themselves. It's an opportunity for Andy [England coach Flower] to see some of these guys and get feedback on how they develop their game."

The NCPC is also renowned for cutting edge pace bowling technology where players are wired up like The Six Million Dollar Man.

Dr Mark King, a Loughborough University sports biomechanics expert, told the ecb.co.uk website they learn a lot by sticking a swag of reflective markers to a bowler's body before filming.

"We calculate and measure everything a bowler does. Our cameras can track accurately to about a millimetre of where they are 'in space'. That allows us to reconstruct with a high degree of accuracy how the bowler moves in their action. We link that to technique and injury prevention."