Nottinghamshire’s Strength and Conditioning Coach Ross Herridge flies out with the England Lions tomorrow (Tuesday) for their tour of Australia believing his experiences Down Under can improve the service he provides at Trent Bridge.

He will be part of a touring party that will spend two weeks in Brisbane at the end of November, during which the Lions will play a Queensland XI at the Allan Border Oval.

The Lions then move on to Perth for the first half of December, where the schedule features three T20 matches against the Perch Scorchers Big Bash League team on 11, 13, and 15 December.

Herridge, who joined the Club ahead of the 2014 season after previously working at Reading Football Club as well as in fencing and tennis, is looking to enhance his professional development ahead of the new county season, which will start in April 2018.

“In a nutshell, my role will be to help reduce the players’ risk of injury and also help improve physical performance.”

The graduate from the University of Central Lancashire will also travel with the Lions for their tour of the West Indies in February.

“In a nutshell, my role will be to help reduce the players’ risk of injury and also help improve physical performance on the field, whether from a fielding aspect, bowling throughout the course of the day, running between the wickets or anything else,” said Herridge.

“I found out in the middle of the summer I would be involved with the Lions tour, but not for how long or when. It was great later in the season to find out I’d be going to Australia and then the West Indies early next year as well.

“Initially, I think it’s come as recognition from the guys at the ECB for the work I’ve done at Notts, but I was actually in Sri Lanka last year with the Lions, so I think this is an extension of that, which I hope was based on my performance out there.

“Hopefully I can bring some of the things I learn back to the Club to improve myself and to share with the staff and players at Trent Bridge.”

Herridge is thankful to the Notts hierarchy for allowing him to take up the opportunity, which comes during the domestic close season.

His role at the Club in the interim will be covered by Liam Price, who has joined the Club from Northamptonshire CCC, and who will also work with the Second XI and Academy players.

Herridge added: “The Club, Director of Cricket Mick Newell and Head Coach Peter Moores in particular, have been fantastic in letting me go away for so long.

“It will be a good chance to get to know Paul Coughlin better, who I’ve been working with at Loughborough.”

“It’s obviously the next level up, which is good experience, and I’ll be working with some other top level coaches, alongside the ones I already do at Notts.

“It will be a good chance to get to know Paul Coughlin better, the new Notts signing, who I’ve been working with last week at Loughborough.

“In terms of other players, there are a few who I know from when we toured Sri Lanka, half the squad at least, so it will be nice to catch up with them again.”

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