Interview: Dan Salpeitro reflects on Second XI Championship victory
Lancashire Cricket’s Second XI head coach Dan Salpeitro said it is an “amazing feeling” to see his side lift the Championship this season.
The Red Rose lifted the title after a draw away to Sussex earlier this month. It was their second draw of the five-match campaign, to go along with three victories, ensuring they had an invincible season in the longest form of the game.
The 92 points they earned across the season were more than any other county, and enough to earn them the title, pipping Warwickshire by three points.
Securing the title down on the South Coast was an achievement that Salpeitro told LancsTV he is extremely proud of, from the perspective of the team and from a personal point of view.
“When you set out at the start of the season, you ideally don’t put those performances in sight and say it’s all about winning the title.
“But when you get here, and a moment to reflect, as soon as we have done what we’ve done and achieved what we have, it’s an amazing feeling, and I’m sure the players feel exactly the same,” said the Second XI head coach.
“I’m so thankful to the players, the group and the support staff, all the way from Crofty [Lancashire head coach Steven Croft] down. Being able to put me in a position where I’m in an environment where I get to help my players thrive and get the best out of them.”
It has been an unforgettable year for Lancashire. As is the case in a title-winning season, there have been some standout performances along the way, which have been season-defining moments.
Head coach Salpeitro, who is from Brunswick, a suburb of Melbourne, picked out a few significant parts of the season which helped Lancashire secure the Championship.
“I think if you reflect on the whole time, to be undefeated was certainly, once you get to the end you realise how good of a job you have done. Truth be told, we actually had a pretty tough white ball campaign, so it wasn’t [a case of] we had the best team to just go out and play every single game. We had to work out as a group what was best to get each individual to perform at their best.
“There was a certain key moment down at Northants where Kesh [Fonseka] and Singhy [Harry Singh] played an unbelievable innings on a wicket that nipped the whole time.
“Jack Blatherwick with the new ball, we know at times when he’s got the new ball, how potent he can be. A little one just recently with Michael Jones’ hundred [108 vs Sussex], he certainly just set it alight and then the whole team got on the back of that, and it just sort of flowed that way.”
Of course, the Second XI plays a huge part in getting players ready for first team cricket. Be it younger players looking to break into the side under Croft, or more senior players with different circumstances, it is imperative that there is synergy between the two teams.
In his role at Second XI head coach, Salpeitro explained the working relationship between himself and Croft, which helps to ensure the seamlessness between the sides.
“Ultimately, this is what I would always talk about, the challenges of being a second team coach. Realistically, you’ve got guys suffering set-backs, so obviously communication is strong between myself and the first team coaches, just to ensure that we’re really aligned in what that is that the player is suffering.
“But also, then from me, my challenge is to try and get them on a deeper level and understand, ‘is it just a mode of dismissal’? No, it’s probably not, there are probably other layers to them in what we’re trying to figure out.
“So certainly, making sure communication is strong, and why we’re linked up to the first team so much.”
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