Ogle on track for big things

28 January 2010

NICK BROWN

HAMILTON cricket hopeful Corey Ogle has returned from an action packed week of being put under the microscope by some of Australia’s top coaches in Brisbane and Canberra.

This time last week the 16-year-old was on a plane to Brisbane, where he took part in Cricket Australia’s under-19 talent camp.

Once Ogle’s plane hit the tarmac it was down to business as he was acquainted with his new training partners.

“It was pretty full on. When we got to Brisbane we had about four hours sleep when we got off the plane, then we met everyone and got into training pretty much,” Ogle said.

Like Ogle, it was a big week for these promising youngsters as most have just finished playing under-16s cricket, but that didn’t stop the coaches from giving them an insight into the training of professional cricketers.

From net sessions to fielding drills and ice baths, the 28 players invited to the camp did it all.

“We had an hour and a half of getting balls smacked at us, then another hour and a half of just bowling. Then we got into the ice baths,” Ogle said.

“It was good just to be a bit professional. All the ice baths and rehab (sic) stuff made a huge difference, I didn’t have an ice bath last night and I’m pretty sore today.”

A big week at camp in Brisbane would be enough for most teenagers, but Ogle took an early departure as he flew to Canberra to a camp designed just for bowlers.

Arriving in the country’s capital city, Ogle’s jam-packed schedule continued as the talented bowler underwent further screening and testing to develop his cricket.

And who better to help Ogle do so than one of Australia’s best ever fast bowlers.

“On the last day I flew back early to Canberra to a camp for bowlers, which was all about seeing how fast we bowl and looking at our action,” he said.

“To do that they put glue on me with wires and senses. So I was pretty much just wearing skins and runners with all the senses on me.

“Craig McDermott came up to me and gave me a bit of advice on swinging the ball and the angle I should be running in at. Because I angle it in and then swing it away so he was trying to adjust that.

“Knowing what the skill standards are for Australia and where you need to be, was probably the biggest thing I learnt.

“We now know we need to jump up to that next level, because there’s a big jump from club cricket to playing with Victoria.”

The week of full-on cricket wasn’t all tough work, with the 28 aspiring cricketers sitting in corporate seats at the GABBA in Brisbane, watching Australia take on Pakistan before entering the change rooms.

“Yeah, it would be right up there. Just even with things like going into the Aussie change rooms after the last one-day match, and to see Ricky Ponting on the phone or the players just taking ice baths, was pretty amazing,” he said.

“I was shaking most of the time, but I spoke to a few of the boys, and they asked how I was going with cricket and were real nice about it all.”

Ogle has plans of getting back to playing cricket with his club Geelong, and enjoying one of his favourite sports, before re-focusing on next year’s aims.

“Yeah my aim is taking a few wickets and make some runs. Now I can just go and enjoy cricket as all the hard work’s done,” he said.

“There wasn’t really much talk about the contracts up there, they are more for the sort of 18-year-old guys, where I am only 16.

“I hope I get asked to go again next year, because I’ve got the under-17s carnival again. When the next under-19s world cup is on I’ll be bottom age, but I’m hoping to get into that, that would be the ideal goal.”