Kent all-rounder Adam Ball heads to Sri Lanka today looking to get some valuable practice in ahead of the new season.

The teenager will join up with some of the Academy side as they spend time preparing in better weather conditions and Ball told KSN how he is hoping to spend some good time in the nets:

“We’re going out there for ten days as a bit of a training camp. We’ll have access to nets and outdoor facilities. It’ll be nice to have a good bat outside against some decent bowlers and have a bowl to get into some rhythm ahead of pre-season.”

“There will also be some other counties out there with a few of their pros, so it will be good to have a few sessions with them.”

Ball will be joined by the likes of Henry Pickering, Jack Laraman and Sam Weller for the trip with Academy Director Simon Willis overseeing proceedings.

They were all set to go to India, however political issues between the ECB and BCCI have lead to the players having to switch to Sri Lanka, something that doesn’t really faze Ball:

“I’m not to sure what the politics were behind it, but it’s great that we can go to Sri Lanka. I’ve been there before and actually played at the same place as where we will be training.”

Ball is just one of a handful of Kent’s playing staff that haven’t been away this winter to play some cricket and he told KSN how he is looking to get away after spending a long time in the indoor nets:

“It’s been quite a long winter at Canterbury, so it’ll be nice to get away and get some warmth. I’ve been looking at the weather in Columbo and it’s been about 30 degrees out there.”

“This period after Christmas has been pretty lonely. I’ve been in mostly on my own or with Geraint Jones, so it’ll be nice to get away and get some cricket under my belt.”

On his return to Kent towards the end of the month, Ball will join up with the rest of the squad as they begin preparations for the season ahead with the new “greenhouse” just going up at the St Lawrence Ground this week.

The players will use the facility to get outdoor practice in all weather conditions and the all-rounder is hoping he will be able to cement a place in the first eleven this season:

“That’s my main target. I’ve been working hard on my batting which I think is going to be the main aspect of my game moving forwards. Hopefully I get a few opportunities this year and I can prove what I can do with both the bat and ball.”

Ball turns twenty on March 1st and studies at the University of Kent, whilst battling for a place in the Kent side. With just over a year left on his course, the all-rounder is hoping to combine the two, but is hoping to be able to play a lot more cricket for the county this summer now his England Under 19 days are over:

“I got my first assignment back this week and got a 2:1 so I was happy with that. There’ll be no jet setting off for me half way through the season this year or having to go for training camps in Loughborough.”

“It’ll be nice to be around all the time and have a full season of playing county cricket.”

When Ball returns from Sri Lanka, he like the rest of the squad will sit down with new skipper James Tredwell as they plan the season ahead and the all-rounder told KSN how he is looking forward to working with the spinner:

“Once we get nearer to the new season, I’m sure we will all sit down and discuss our roles in the team. I get on well with Treddy and he’s been through the ECB set up like me, so we have got lots to talk about.”

“I’m looking forward to working with him this season. It’ll be interesting to see how he goes about the captaincy, but I’m sure he’ll do a great job.”