Franklin excited by Academy experience

Wellington all-rounder James Franklin thrilled at having spent a week at Australian fast bowling great Dennis Lillee's clinic in India.

Franklin stayed on after the New Zealand Academy team finished its participation in the Buchi Babu tournament in Madras.

"I found the Lillee experience very worthwhile," Franklin, 19, told CricInfo.

"It was just really a week of being able to totally focus on what you needed to do with your action.

"Getting tips from a guy of Lillee's calibre was pretty exciting.

"He is a very good coach and so approachable that he makes you feel very comfortable," he said.

Franklin said the adjustments he needed to make concerned his bowling arm and getting it closer to his body and the direction of his front foot when it lands during the delivery.

"He left it up to us whether we wanted to take anything from what he showed us.

"But he did say that if we took home, and practised, the points he made, he would guarantee us results.

"You don't expect immediate results, you have to work on them and we have two months until the start of the season," he said.

Franklin, who produced an unbeaten 115 not out as the New Zealand Academy team attempted to win a place in the tournament final, was reasonably happy with his performance on the tour.

"It was very hot at times. The first couple of days there were really hot. You would bowl four or five balls and then need to go and stand under a tree. After a couple of weeks it got better.

"It was very hot at times though. When I scored my 115 the physio made sure we managed ourselves well. He had cold drinks coming out all the time and in intervals we would spend 10 minutes standing under cold showers.

"But I didn't really notice it because I was so focused."

However, he was disappointed with his bowling believing he didn't take as many wickets as he should have and he felt he bowled too full a length.

"It was a good tour. Everyone at some stage did something," he said.

With trips to Australia and India with the Academy, a year in attendance at the Academy at Lincoln University and a full season with Wellington last summer, Franklin wasn't getting carried away with all that happened for him.

"It was a learning year and I now have to mould myself a certain game plan with both the bat and the ball," he said.

With attendances at World Youth Cups in South Africa and Sri Lanka, Academy tours to Australia and India, Franklin has already packed plenty of experience into his fledgling career.

But his hunger has been nowhere near satisfied.

And he hasn't forgotten his loyalty to his club side, Wellington Collegians. Last summer the proud club, which celebrated its 125th anniversary, was relegated from the Pearce Cup competition.

But Franklin hasn't been tempted to jump ship.

"I want to stick it out with Collegians. I've played for them since I was five years old and I want to help the side get back up. We have some players returning from overseas next year and it would be good to be back up again for their sake," he said.

James Franklin's first-class statistics:

Mat    I  NO  Runs   HS     Ave     W   R    Ave
Career                8   11   1   207   43   20.70    12 432  36.00