By Callum Dent
The arrival of James Anderson and Stuart Broad in Potchefstroom, South Africa, has given the England Performance Programme fast bowlers a huge lift.
Those are the views of Craig Overton and Boyd Rankin, two of seven pacemen who have been rubbing shoulders with the pair since they linked up with the camp last Tuesday.
Somerset bowling all-rounder Overton, into the third of four weeks altitude training in world-class facilitiesthat Olympians also use, told ecb.co.uk:“It is always nice getting those guys to come into training with us.
“It gives us a boost and it gives them a boost as well because it shows them how other people train as well. It has definitely worked well for us.”
Rankin, who has played in the senior England team alongside Anderson and Broad, added: “It definitely helps having them around.
“There is a great group of lads so everyone is getting on well with them. It gives the lads a bit of a lift.”
Anderson and Broad are both working their work back to full fitness following knee injuries that ruled them out of England’s current seven-match one-day international tour of Sri Lanka.
Providing an update on Anderson and Broad’s current condition, Overton - who confirmed his own progress on the training programme had been slightly hampered by a minor ankle problem - added: “They are training with us and are both back bowling.
“They look pretty good. I think they are pretty happy with where they are.
“I think they are taking it slowly. I think Broady is getting pretty close to where he wants to be, Jimmy has just started again, but they are working to be where they want to be.
“It is slow progress but they are definitely going in the right direction.”
Experienced duo Anderson and Broad, key members of Head Coach Peter Moores’ senior squad when fully fit, have 540 international caps between them.
While Rankin may already be aware of Anderson and Broad’s methods, the opportunity to learn from international superstars is priceless for rising star Overton.
Not often you get your warm up taken by an Olympic Champion!! #superohuruogupic.twitter.com/Q8Z104gfHl
— Matt Walker (@mattwalker275) December 4, 2014
The youngster, who has played 46 times for Somerset, said: “I’m still very young, I’m only 20, so it’s a chance to pick their brains and see how they work and see where I can improve on my game to get where they are.”
Rankin was part of the England squad that travelled to Australia for the 2013/14 Ashes series, making his only Test appearance to date in the fifth contest at Sydney.
Even though he has worked with Anderson and Broad in the past, Rankin still believes he can still learn a huge amount from them.
The 30-year-old said: “I would like to think all the lads can learn a bit from them.
“It is really good that they are around so we can chat to them and see how they go about things.
“It’s good having those couple of guys around who have got a lot of experience behind them.”