Club kleuren

Nice training initiatives

The Flamingos have never lacked initiatives to take cricket in the Netherlands to a higher level. At the beginning of 1954, the plan arose to organize a cricket camp somewhere in the east of the country for thirty boys between thirteen and sixteen years old. The main aim was to give young people from southern and eastern clubs the opportunity to learn cricket under good guidance. When they lack expert guidance, they are quickly lost to their club.

In those lean years, only a few financially powerful associations were allowed to appoint a cricket coach. Other associations were dependent on a coach appointed by the association who had to perform his beneficial work in various places in the country. From an organizational and financial perspective this was not ideal. Hence the Flamingo plan that was thus explained by Tonny de Beus in a letter: 'If the Flamingos would succeed in setting up youth cricket camps where, according to their age, boys from all kinds of places in our country would meet to learn cricket and all that goes with it under proper guidance, this would be an excellent means of promoting cricket and its best traditions.’

The camp participants stayed at the farm "Het Leutink", with a large swimming pond that made the stay even more attractive. The training took place on the premises of PW and was led by two English cricketers who studied in Cambridge. Supervisor was Tonny de Beus. In these post-war years there was a great shortage of equipment. Participants must bring their own bat, a pair of leg guards and a pair of gloves, although the latter attributes could be shared. Each participant had to bring at least two blankets in addition to a knife, fork and spoon. The costs were not too bad. For 35 guilders you are in under the roof. The camp was a success.

Workshop for spinners

Spin bowling was neglected in the Dutch cricket world in the mid-1950s. Which is why in April 1957 the cricket association invited the famous English leg break and googly bowler Charles Robins to give a workshop. Sufficient animation! So much so that, in addition to the participants, a list of interested parties is noted who were given the opportunity to "be there with their noses". Their assistance with the exercises was greatly appreciated. Entrants were requested to wear cricket clothing and tennis shoes, CLEAN clothing and CLEAN shoes. Furthermore, each competitor must bring a ball and, if possible, a pair of wicket-keeper gloves.

The invitation included the following urgent advice: "As you will understand that this exercise will require a lot of stamina, I recommend that you prepare well. To that end, you can start as soon as possible with simple physical exercises (deep knee bends, trunk waving, arm waving) as well as breathing exercises."

How much Robins is appreciated, and how highly he is rated, is evident from De Flamingos' 1954 report. It was the year of the anniversary tour of The Free Foresters, of which Robins was a part. We let the reporter speak: "The question is whether our English friends in the Netherlands have ever had access to such an outspoken match winner as Charles Robins. The image of the Dutch innings changed completely because of his performance, especially when he started to let go his fast-coming spinners." It is difficult to imagine a better teacher.

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