Dubai, UAE (January 12, 2023) –Desert Vipers Head Coach James Foster has been busy at work over the last six months, collaborating with Director of Cricket Tom Moody and CEO Phil Oliver to put together the best possible squad for the inaugural DP World ILT20.Speaking to the Vipers Voices podcast, Foster described his journey and looked ahead to what promises to be an exciting first season for the Desert Vipers.Foster said: “There has been such a big lead up into this tournament. Back in July I thought we were ages away, but now we are here, and I am absolutely delighted.“I am fortunate that the support staff we have here are so experienced. It is a very exciting time and a huge opportunity for growth for me, and for the players, to be bouncing ideas off new people and adding to their own games.”Along the way there have been various changes made to the Desert Vipers squad, and one star player – Ben Duckett – has been lost to the tournament due to national duty.James Foster, though, is very pleased with the squad in place and said: “I think we have got a quality squad and the new additions have really strengthened the team.“It is a shame that Ben Duckett could not be here, but his progression has been great to see. You select players as a franchise, and obviously you would love them to be here, but also, in the same breath, you have to be delighted that their game is continuing to grow, getting that England recognition, and playing all formats; hats off to Ben.”Amongst the new additions is former Sri Lanka captain Dinesh Chandimal, and Foster is pleased to have him in the squad: “(Dinesh) Chandimal has come in, (and) what a performer he has been over the years; a great man, great experience and great leadership that comes with his package.“We have got a squad of 20 and a lot of options to choose from. Among the UAE players, I have been involved with Ronny before (Rohan Mustafa) and with Sheraz (Ahmad) in the T10 and I am fully aware of their capabilities.”Team selection is one of the key roles for Head Coach James Foster, and it will not be easy taking a call on who will open the innings, given the wealth of talent and experience available in that department, whether that is captain Colin Munro, ICC Men’s T20 World Cup hero Alex Hales, or Adam Lyth, who performed outstandingly for Yorkshire and the Northern Superchargers in the 2022 UK season.Foster explained the process he intended to use to make those difficult calls when he said: “Myself, Colin Munro and Tom Moody will get together and start shaping up what we think is the right line-up for the first game.“It is a great headache to have, and we have quality performers there. There is an opportunity that we could fit those guys all in (Adam Lyth, Colin Munro and Alex Hales). But again, you need to look at the balance, and the make-up of the side, and take a call from there.” Foster said.Going in to the first game against Sharjah on Sunday, the Head Coach said he preferred focusing on his own team’s strengths.“You have to remind your team and the players what their strengths are,” he said. “You cannot be too fixated on the opposition. At the same time, you have to do your planning and due diligence and (to) make sure we are fully aware and fully prepared. It is also about going out there and delivering your skill sets to the best of your ability.”The Desert Vipers schedule is tightly packed during the tournament, playing 10 games across 21 days in the group stages, and it is likely to challenge even the most experienced of players.When asked how the coaching team was approaching this schedule and preparing for it, James Foster answered: “It is down to us – the support staff – to get the balance of training and recovery right.“I am a huge believer in players being mentally and physically fresh. We have experienced campaigners, and they will know if they need to train and have some days off. With the amount of cricket that we have, a lot of our fixtures are on-off, on-off, on.“These guys have been around a long time, and they know what they are doing. In addition to that we have a huge squad so if we need to plug and play and if we need to rotate, we have got those options too.”Most importantly though, James Foster said he was pleased with the excitement and buzz he has seen across the squad and the coaching staff, and he said he believed this is crucial to the success of the team.“There is a really nice buzz around the group. The set-ups that we have, training at the ICC Academy and training at the JA Resort in Jebel Ali, are phenomenal.“We are in Dubai, at a great hotel, so everyone is loving it. And we have an injection of new players, with those that have recently arrived, and they have brought that energy with them. All the guys are excited about starting, and everyone is ready to go and fully prepared.”So, can the Desert Vipers win the DP World ILT20? “Hundred Percent!” is the reply from James Foster.The Vipers Voices podcast features the full interview with James Foster and can be downloaded via this link:https://www.buzzsprout.com/2092289/12017085-james-foster.mp3?download=trueA full transcript of the interviews can be found below:James Foster on whether the reality of the fact the tournament is about to start has hit yet:“I have been prepping for a long time, with Tom Moody (Director of Cricket) and Phil Oliver (CEO, Desert Vipers). A lot of preparation has gone into it, and it is great to be here. (Now it is) not long until it all kicks off. We have had half the group with us for the first four or five days, and it has been great to have them around and introduce them to Dubai. Now, the guys from the Big Bash League and the West Indies boys have arrived, we are pretty much at full capacity.”James Foster on whether he feels ready for the DP World ILT20:“Absolutely.”James Foster on whether the team’s preparation will focus on their own skills or what the Sharjah Warriors can do:“You have to remind your team and the players what their strengths are. You can’t be too fixated on the opposition. At the same time, you have to do your planning and due diligence and make sure we are fully aware and fully prepared. It is also about going out there and delivering your skill sets to the best of your ability.”James Foster on how he feels about the changes and additions to the squad:“I think we have got a quality squad and the new additions have really strengthened the team. It is a shame that Ben Duckett could not be here, but his progression has been great to see. You select players as a franchise, and obviously you would love them to be here, but also, in the same breath, you have to be delighted that their game is continuing to grow. Getting that England recognition and playing all formats, hats off to Ben.“(Dinesh) Chandimal has come in (and) what a performer he has been over the years, (he is a) great man, (and has) great experience and great leadership that comes with his package. We have got a squad of 20 and a lot of options to choose from.“With the UAE players, I have been involved with Ronny before (Rohan Mustafa) and with Sheraz (Ahmad) in the T10 and fully aware of their capabilities. I had not seen a lot of Ronak (Panoly), and Ali (Naseer) and I have been very impressed with what I have seen so far.”James Foster on how the UAE players have fitted in to the wider group:“Good (they have slotted into the wider group well). We have not had the full quota of players here and it has been quite nice to get them in a smaller set-up to begin with. We have had get-togethers and training sessions as well. They have fitted in absolutely perfectly.”James Foster on whether all four or even three frontline spinners in the squad might play in the same side:“Yes, absolutely (all four or even three spinners in the squad might get to play in the same side). As is the case with all these things (choosing the team), you do your preparations and you have a look at the opposition, and we have a look at the strengths that we have. Obviously, you need to get a balance with your side, but then you need to assess what the conditions are going to be like. Maybe they might change as the tournament goes along. Absolutely there is a chance that quite a lot of our spinners (Jake Lintott, Mark Watt, Rohan Mustafa, and Wanindu Hasaranga) can get to play (together).”James Foster on whether the team will miss Wanindu Hasaranga at the start of the tournament:“It looks like (Wanindu) Hasaranga is only going to miss the first game (because of international duty for Sri Lanka in India). We have got some quality spinners to fill in his position. We are absolutely thrilled with the spin stocks we have at the Desert Vipers – hundred percent. And when Hasaranga comes in there, obviously, it is not just his bowling, but also his batting. We have a full package there, with his fielding and leadership and experience, and it will be great to have him here when he arrives.”James Foster on solving the problem of plenty at the top of the order:“It is something that myself, Colin Munro and Tom Moody will (do, to) get together and start shaping up what we think is the right line up for the first game. It is a great headache to have, and we have quality performers there. There is an opportunity that we could fit those guys all in (Adam Lyth, Colin Munro and Alex Hales). But again, you need to look at the balance, and the make-up of the side, and take a call from there.”James Foster on whether he and Colin Munro will pick the playing eleven:“Yes, (Colin Munro and I) will pick the final eleven, along with inputs from Tom Moody and senior players and coaching staff whom we will lean on. But effectively it will come down to myself and Colin.”James Foster on the reasons for picking Colin Munro as captain:“We (Tom Moody and James Foster) looked down at the list and Colin really jumped out at me. Through various other franchise tournaments, I have always enjoyed conversations we have had around cricket. I feel he is one of the most experienced franchise cricketers we have out there. He has probably played in more teams than all of us put together. I feel it is a really good time in his career to be taking on this new challenge, which he is absolutely thrilled about.”James Foster on whether it will be a disadvantage being the last team to start the tournament:“I don’t think it is a disadvantage (being the last team to start the tournament). We have been well prepared we have a practice game coming up soon. There are pros and cons for starting at the beginning or the third game of the tournament. There is no problem about that from our side. “James Foster on the busy tournament schedule, with 10 group matches in just 21 days:“It is a challenge, but guys are fully aware, and the fixture lists have been out for some time. It is down to us – the support staff – to get the balance of training and recovery right. I am a huge believer in players being mentally and physically fresh. We have experienced campaigners, and they will know if they need to train and have some days off. With the amount of cricket that we have, a lot of our fixtures are on-off, on-off, on. These guys have been around a long time, and they know what they are doing. In addition to that we have a huge squad so if we need to plug and play and if we need to rotate, we have got those options too.”James Foster on the mood in the squad:“There is a really nice buzz around the group. The set-ups that we have, training at the ICC Academy and training at the JA Resort in Jebel Ali, are phenomenal. We are in Dubai, at a great hotel, so everyone is loving it. And we have an injection of new players, with those that have recently arrived, and they have brought that energy with them. All the guys are excited about starting, and everyone is ready to go and fully prepared.”James Foster on how important the warm-up game will be:“For me, with warm-up games, I just see it as an opportunity for the guys to come together. A lot of these guys would not have necessarily played together before. So, it is just about getting that understanding and feel on the field, (like) which people might be fielding in which positions. I would not read overly too much into the selection. Yes, we will be looking to play twelve, maybe thirteen, bit it is just a chance for the guys to get out there and play some cricket and come together as a side. It is a chance for Colin (Munro) to work with his bowlers and take it from there.”James Foster on how he is feeling ahead of the tournament:“I am just excited about it. There has been such a big lead-up into this tournament. Back in July I thought we were ages away, but now we are here, and I am absolutely delighted. The family came over for Christmas and they have gone back home to England now. I have been here for a while already. Guys are starting to come in, and I am just ready and excited. I am fortunate that the support staff we have here is so experienced. It is a very exciting time and a huge opportunity for growth for me, and for the players to be bouncing ideas off new people and adding to their own games.”James Foster on whether he gets nervous, both as a player and a coach:“As a player I liked to be relaxed, but no doubt there were nerves, I do not know many players who did not have nerves. As a coach, it is about the preparation you put in, and you do what you think is the right thing for the balance of your side, and (try to have an) understanding (of) the pulse of the group. And then it is down to them. What I love about coaching is that I almost get to live in their (players’) shoes in a way, because they are playing against quality opposition and they are quality players themselves, at great grounds with great surfaces and great stadiums. I absolutely love it. When I first got into coaching after I finished playing, it has always been such a buzz – sitting there and watching the game. And it is completely down to the players. Yes, you might have a few tactical thoughts, and who might go into bat at a particular point of time, passing on your advice to the skipper. But really for me it is about enjoying the opportunity.”James Foster on how important the side’s start is:“I have been in many sides where you get off to a flyer (and then) slowed down a bit, or you might lose the first game and then, all of a sudden, you get on a roll. You want to win every single game you play, but the reality is, is that always going to happen? Maybe not. It is just about accepting that there is a process in place, when you play the game, and hopefully if everything goes well, you win. Will you win every game? It doesn’t always happen like that. But it is about making sure we stay calm, and we keep trusting what we are doing and keep backing ourselves.”James Foster on whether the team can win the DP World ILT20:“Hundred percent.”

Fast bowler Tymal Mills, one of three players to sport the new Desert Vipers kit at the jersey launch on Monday, said he would be ready for the Desert Vipers’ DP World ILT20 opener after a family crisis ruled him out of a spell in Australia’s Big Bash League.

Mills was due to play for the Perth Scorchers but had to pull out when his daughter was taken ill.However, speaking just a day after arriving in Dubai to link up with his Desert Vipers team-mates, he said the trauma of that situation was now in the past and he was looking forward to getting back into action.“My daughter was sick and in hospital for a few weeks, but she has recovered brilliantly,” he said. “I am really fortunate they are out here with me, so that is nice, and I do not have anything to worry about at home and I can keep an eye on them here.“It was really good of the team to facilitate that so I can focus on the cricket now.”

“Unfortunately, I missed the Big Bash League (with Perth Scorchers as) I was supposed to arrive here with seven or eight games under my belt. So, I need to take this week, to get up to speed again.“But you do not forget (how to bowl) – hopefully!” said Mills, with a smile on his face. “And come game one I will be ready to go.”The 30 year-old left-arm quick was part of England’s ICC T20 World Cup-winning squad at the back end of 2022 but that joy was tempered by the knowledge he did not feature during the tournament.And Mills said it meant he was determined to use the DP World ILT20, together with future cricket that follows, to remind the England selectors of his credentials in the shortest international format.

“It was disappointing not to play (in the T20 World Cup),” he said. “It was brilliant to be a part of the squad, but as any player will tell you, you want to be in the eleven, you do not want to be on the side-lines. I would have rather been out there with the boys, and we had a great four or five weeks in Australia and obviously a very successful one as well.“I am looking forward to getting back and playing some regular cricket now. I have got this tournament then maybe the PSL (Pakistan Super League) after that, so I am just looking at stacking some games together and hopefully having some success and, moving forward, I hope to get back in the (England T20 International) playing eleven.”Mills said he also expected to be entrusted with the tough overs at the back-end of the bowling innings, when the opposition looks to accelerate – and he confirmed he was happy to take on that role if asked.“I have not had those chats (with the coaches and the captain) yet,” he said. “(But) I am happy to fill whatever role the team wants. I always like bowling in those big situations. That is why I am here. It is what I like to do. It is what my skill-set is favoured towards. Whatever they want me to do, I will certainly give it my best.”Speaking at the jersey launch event in which he appeared alongside captain Colin Munro and UAE all-rounder Ali Naseer, Mills said he was confident the Desert Vipers had a good chance of winning the tournament.“We are certainly here to win it,” he said. “Every team starts from scratch, from zero, and only one team can win. I have been lucky enough to play in some winning sides over the last couple of years. It would be a great feeling to come here and lift the trophy and have a little party afterwards, and hopefully we will have that to come.”Reflecting on the Desert Vipers squad Mills said he was impressed with the group of players who have been brought together.“I think all the squads are strong, but I think we have assembled a really good group,” he said. “A lot of guys I know personally, having played with them or against in different tournaments around the world. There are a lot of English guys in the squad that I know as well.“I think we have got a good variety, a lot of left-arm fast bowlers, we have wrist-spinners of both kinds, off-spinners and obviously we have got batters that can hit it out of the park as well.“Fingers crossed we have got all our bases covered. I am sure all the teams will be saying that as well. So, we will have to go out there and perform.”Mills is known for his impact bowling in the death overs, and said he expects to play a similar role for the Desert Vipers. And when asked about the abundance of left-arm quicks on the squad, he said: “You cannot go wrong with a left-armer! Also, it gives Colin Munro and James Foster the flexibility to chop and change.“Sheraz Ahmad, one of our UAE players, is a left-arm fast bowler, as well (as myself, Ruben Trumpelmann and Sheldon Cottrell), so I think we have four left-arm seamers in the squad.“(It’s) always good to have variety in your bowling attack. Selfishly I want to play every game (and) I do not want to sit on the side-lines. I will leave those big decisions up to the coaches.”A full transcript of the interviews can be found below:Tymal Mills on how it feels to be in Dubai wearing the Desert Vipers team jersey ahead of the DP World ILT20:“It is nice to be here, and I am looking forward to meeting everybody – the whole squad – and getting into training. It is always nice when a new tournament rolls around with a new team and new environment and trying to set up a new culture. Hopefully when the fun starts next week we will be successful on the field.”Tymal Mills on the family situation, which had caused him to miss traveling to Australia for the Big Bash League:“My daughter was sick and in hospital for a few weeks, but she has recovered brilliantly. I am really fortunate they are out here with me, so that is nice, and I do not have anything to worry about at home and I can keep an eye on them here. It was really good of the team to facilitate that so I can focus on the cricket now.”Tymal Mills on the appeal of the DP World ILT20 over other franchise tournaments ongoing at the same time:“It is a great time to be a cricketer at the moment, especially a short-form cricketer. The opportunities are endless. This tournament (DP World ILT20) is one of the new leagues, along with the one in South Africa (SA20). Both are very appealing, and both are going to be equally successful and equally tough to play in. I have played a lot of cricket in the UAE, and I am very familiar with the conditions here. There is less travel involved, you are not flying around as you are in other leagues. We have a base for a month or so, in one room; those little things make a lot of difference over the course of 4 or 5 weeks. I am really looking forward to meeting my new team-mates and getting started next week.”Tymal Mills on whether wearing the team kit has brought home the reality of the tournament, and how soon it is about to start:“It has become more real. The next stage is getting the first training session in. I have been lucky enough to play in a number of teams in a lot of different leagues, and I have got a good collection of kits back home. So (I am) looking forward to adding this one to the collection as well.”Tymal Mills on how ready he is to get going for the Desert Vipers in the DP World ILT20:“Unfortunately, I missed the Big Bash League, I was supposed to arrive here with seven or eight games under my belt. So, I need to take this week, to get up to speed again. You do not forget (how to bowl) – hopefully (laughing)! And come game one I will be ready to go.”Tymal Mills on how the Desert Vipers team has multiple left-arm quicks and whether they might all be playing together in a match:“Hundred percent (you can have multiple left-arm quicks in a playing eleven). You cannot go wrong with a left-armer. Also, it gives Colin Munro and James Foster the flexibility to chop and change. Sheraz Ahmad the UAE player is a left arm fast bowler as well (as Ruben Trumpelmann and Sheldon Cottrell), so I think we have four left-arm seamers on the squad. (It is) always good to have variety in your bowling attack. Selfishly I want to play every game (and) I do not want to sit on the side-lines. I will leave those big decisions up to the coaches.”Tymal Mills on whether he expects to continue playing the role of a premium death bowler for the Desert Vipers:“I assume so (but) I have not had those chats yet. I am happy to fill whatever role the team wants. I always like bowling in those big situations. That is why I am here. It is what I like to do. It is what my skill set is favoured towards. Whatever they want me to do, I will certainly give it my best.”Tymal Mills on whether he hopes to use this tournament to re-ignite his chances of England selection:“It was disappointing not to play (in the T20 World Cup). It was brilliant to be a part of the squad, but as any player will tell you, you want to be in the eleven, you do not want to be on the side-lines. I would have rather been out there with the boys, but we had a great four or five weeks in Australia and obviously a very successful one as well. I am looking forward to getting back and playing some regular cricket now. I have got this tournament then maybe the PSL after that. (I am) just looking at stacking some games together and hopefully having some success and moving forward I hope to get back in the (England) playing eleven.”Tymal Mills on how he rates the Desert Vipers squad:“I think all the squads are strong, but I think we have assembled a really good group. A lot of guys I know personally, having played with them or against them in different tournaments around the world. (There are) a lot of English guys in the squad that I know as well. I think we have got a good variety, a lot of left-arm fast bowlers, we have wrist-spinners of both kinds, off-spinners and obviously, we have got batters that can hit it out of the park as well. Fingers crossed we have got all our bases covered. I am sure all the teams will be saying that as well. So, we will have to go out there and perform.”Tymal Mills on whether the Desert Vipers can win the tournament:“Of course, that is why we are here, we are certainly here to win it. Every team starts from scratch, from zero, and only one team can win. I have been lucky enough to play in some winning sides over the last couple of years. It is a great feeling to come here and lift the trophy and have a little party afterwards, and hopefully we will have that to come.”

The Desert Vipers have announced two exciting additions to their commercial partner roster ahead of the inaugural edition of the ILT20, starting on January 13th.

Batwinner is an online sports news and sporting goods platform that has a proud history in collaborating with sports players and teams. Batwinner is the Principal Partner of the Desert Vipers. Umbro has been producing high-quality sportswear for 99 years.The Desert Vipers, Batwinner and Umbro have come together for the inaugural edition of the ILT20, a tournament that belongs to the United Arab Emirates, based in the United Arab Emirates, and committed to growing the sport locally.

Phil Oliver, CEO, Desert Vipers, said: “As we approach our first ILT20 match on 15th January our preparations have been given a huge boost through our collaboration with two esteemed, international businesses in Batwinner and Umbro as partners of the team. We are grateful for their support and look forward to a successful campaign”.

Team Batwinner, said: “We are thrilled to announce our Principal Partnership of the Desert Vipers for the upcoming season of ILT20 2023. Being part of the Desert Vipers’ first campaign in what is a ground-breaking event for cricket in the UAE will be an exciting journey. We wish the team the very best of luck”.

Tom Fonti, Umbro brand manager for Brandfolio, said: “The partnership between Umbro and the Desert Vipers for the ILT20 is the first in cricket in our history. Seeing the Desert Vipers take to the field wearing the double-diamond logo will be a proud moment for us and create new opportunities for our brand in the UAE and beyond”.

About Batwinner:https://batwinner.winAbout Umbro:https://www.umbro.com/en/