MATTHEW Fisher has given an insight into how Yorkshire’s pre-season training methods have changed this winter, becoming even more “player led”.

It is no secret that pretty much any coach’s preference is for a player to take ownership of his or her game, and that is something that has been central to the White Rose’s preparations for the 2019 summer.

Fast bowler Fisher, a Sheriff Hutton Bridge product, says the excitement is building ahead of the start of competitive cricket in April, preceded by a pre-season tour to South Africa in March and then a three-day University friendly against Leeds/Bradford at Weetwood.

“As soon as Christmas goes, everyone is eager to be outside again,” said the 21-year-old.

“The buzz is back.

“It’s a time where you can really work on things because in the summer it can be quite congested.

“The senior guys have been really proactive in helping out.

“I think they’ve realised it could be tough for the next year or two to get consistent performances, so they’ve jumped on the back of that and seized the opportunity to help the young guys become better.

“Adam Lyth, for example, has been helping us all with our batting and setting up sessions which have been really challenging. It’s been really good to learn off your fellow players.

“The coaches overlook that, and they’ll point out anything they see. But it’s been more player-led.

“That’s something we maybe haven’t done in previous years, and it’s been good.”

Fisher is still in rehabilitation mode after a stress fracture in his back ended last summer a few weeks early.

He has been able to take a full part in all the fitness work and batting skills, but his bowling is still in its infancy, and it may be that he misses the first fortnight or so of the new season as a result.

“My back to bowling programme is a 14-week thing, and when we are due to go away to Potchefstroom I’ll be on my eighth or ninth week,” he said.

“I’m going to be off around 75 percent of my full run, so it might be that I don’t go and they take guys who are fully fit given that I wouldn’t be able to play a game.

“We’ll see, but it would be disappointing if that happened.

“I’ve had a second scan, and the bone’s not fully healed, although it’s close.

“The specialists say it’s where they’d expect it to be at.

“It’s a slow process, and I could be a week or two into the season. But I’ll get there. It might be that I’m ready for the start of the one-dayers (Royal London one-day Cup, starting April 17).”