Franks desperate for a win in North-South Series before return home

Paul Franks has loved every minute of his involvement in the North-South Series as assistant coach to Paul Collingwood '“ but he is desperate for a win in today's decider before returning home to Nottinghamshire.
Paul FranksPaul Franks
Paul Franks

Franks was appointed to work alongside Collingwood as a reward for the Outlaws’ success in winning the Royal London One-Day Cup last summer – with one of the goals of the North-South Series being to strengthen the link between the domestic 50-over competition and England’s one-day team.

The 39-year-old, who played a single ODI for England in 2000 in a Notts career spanning two decades before moving into coaching in 2015, was delighted by the way the North team fought back to square the series at the Kensington Oval on Wednesday – but insisted the job is only half done.

“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it – but obviously we’ve still got a bit more to do tomorrow,” Franks said last night, on the eve of the last match of the series at the 3Ws Oval (start 1.30pm GMT).

“A three-match series is something new for a lot of us – you don’t get it in county cricket. So we’re not used to the one down two to play scenario. That’s another good development point of this series.

“I thought we responded really well in the second game. We were batting first in another high-scoring game. There was pressure in terms of putting a good score on the board, and then pressure when they were 200 for two with a guy on 100 and a guy on 60.

“I thought Richard Gleeson opened the game up for us really nicely and then Matthew Parkinson as a skilful leg-spin bowler did a really good job to close out the innings.

“It was a really good game of cricket. I hope tomorrow is equally as good.”

Franks believes the possibility of involvement in the North-South Series could represent a major incentive to ambitious county coaches, just as it has for players such as Daniel Bell-Drummond and Sam Hain who earned their places through their positions in the MVP Rankings for the Royal London One-Day Cup developed by the Professional Cricketers’ Association.

“I was fully aware of the opportunity that was being presented to me,” he added. “It’s an opportunity to step up a level, and work with different players, Lions players, and national coaches.

“I’m ambitious and I make no secret of that. I’m determined to try and make the most of what’s in front of me. This opportunity has been one of those situations where working with different players you learn a lot very quickly, about your style and how you are as a person. With that in mind I’m encouraged by what’s gone on so far, and I’m really looking forward to the last game.

“Colly and I have known each other a long time, played against each other, and worked together when I was working for the UAE before the 2015 World Cup, when Colly was brought in as a fielding coach. That helped us when it came to working out how we’d work around this team.

“The lads have got a bit less resource per team than they’re used to in the Lions environment, which isn’t a bad thing – it puts a bit more responsibility on them to drive things along. One or two of those lads who have come off the back of a tough Lions trip have responded really well. Hopefully they’ll go back to their counties feeling good.”

Franks has also relished Steven Mullaney’s appointment as a feisty North captain – and believes that Notts will benefit from that this summer.

“Mull’s loving it, and he’s fully deserving of it as well, as an aspiring county cricketer who keeps getting better,” Franks added. “He’s used to playing in pressure situations, he’s done well in quarter finals, semi finals, Finals Day. I think he’s handled the players very well out here, and he’s certainly interacted with the coaches very well.

“County cricket captaincy will be very different from this series, but to have to make those key decisions when we were defending a total the other day – that’s fantastic experience.”