After having his season cut short with a stress fracture of his back at the tail end of May, Nottinghamshire quick Andy Carter has checked in to talk about his progress in recovery, and his aims for the winter.
Carter, who only managed three appearances for Notts this season, has stepped up his efforts in rehabilitation and recovery, after receiving good news from medical staff.
“I’ve been back in the gym, a repeat scan showed that it was healing nicely, and I’ll be back for pre season,” he said.
“Initially I won’t be able to do as much as the other lads who’ll have been training from November, but I’ll be working on my bowling action and getting some practice in as soon as I can.
“The problem had been there a while before I was signed off.
“I knew there was something in my back, but if I had pulled up the first time I felt it, about two months earlier, then I’d have missed the entire season.”
After receiving the news that his injury would rule himself out for some time, Carter has been ever-present in the dressing room, adopting an almost motivational role. But, predictably, it hasn’t compared to walking out in full whites.
“It’s really different watching from the sidelines,” said Carter.
“Of course, you’re there willing the lads on, but it’s always in the back of your mind that you could be doing a job on the pitch too.
“I’ve kept myself busy, got back training as soon as I could and even managed to bowl, but it was painful so only ended up being a short period.
“Outside of that I’ve been back at home helping my dad with his pheasant farm.”
This revelation will come as a surprise to few, Carter choosing to spend his time at home on the farm rather than taking to the golf course, or other similar pursuits enjoyed by his peers. In fact, his passage into cricket was different too.
“I’m a country boy, and growing up I never even dreamed of being a cricketer,” said Carter.
“I left school when I was fifteen and I was plumbing until I was 19.
“I was playing all the time around then, and eventually I was invited by one of the coaches at Notts to accompany them on their tour to South Africa.
“There was me, Fletch and Alex Hales on that tour, and we were all signed up from there.”
All eyes to next season, then, and hopefully a return to action. After seeing his team mates lift the Yorkshire Bank 40 trophy at Lord’s in September, Carter is excited at the prospect of the coming term.
We’ve been exceptional in white-ball cricket, it has been fantastic to watch,” he said.
“We all know that we need to improve our red-ball game, it’s still the number one competition, and it’s one that we want to do well in.
“I’m just working to back fit, back playing and want to be in contention for the first match of the season.”