Joe Denly joins former teammates at PCA training day

Kent batsman Joe Denly went back to school with a few former teammates as part of a Taster Day organised by the Professional Cricketers’ Association to discover more about the role of a Director of Cricket in a school.

The 30-year-old right-hander joined former Kent seamers Yasir Arafat and David Griffiths spent a day at St Albans School in Hertfordshire.

The day was organised by the PCA and Mark Ilott, the former England and Essex left-arm swing bowler, who is now Head of Cricket at St Albans School, with the aim of giving county players who are considering moving into schools coaching an opportunity to gain first-hand experience of the job.

Ilott spent time with the trio, Middlesex paceman James Fuller, former Leicestershire all-rounder Rob Taylor and Glamorgan left-arm spinner Dean Cosker discussing his role and the requirements of developing cricket in a busy school and also invited them to join him in a football coaching session – the sport he coaches in the winter months – during the afternoon.

The schools Taster Day at St Albans School follows similar sessions organised by the PCA for other careers including recruitment and broadcasting aimed at helping players make a smooth transition from playing to a career outside the game.

PCA Personal Development and Welfare Officer David Townsend said: “The day was a great opportunity for players to get a feel for what this type of job is like in reality.

“I worked with Mark Ilott to create a timetable that gave the guys a chance to work with the kids first-hand as well as get an idea of what the role of Head of Cricket really entails so that they could see if it was a potential career for them.

“The school were fantastic in giving us their time and it is something that we hope to turn into an annual event."