Hong Kong coach Simon Cook says the national squad’s acceptance into the Hong Kong Sports Institute has already had a huge impact in the off-season.

In the three months since the end of a disappointing ICC World T20 campaign, the Men’s squad have been put through a gruelling fitness program during a gap of fixtures on the calendar.

Cook says the results are a direct result of the increased professionalism that alignment with the HKSI brings.

“The HKSI has had a huge impact in terms of the resources and facilities we can use,” Cook said.

“Our contracted players are up there every Monday doing body composition testing and blood tests to ensure they are in the right training zone.”

“The data we are getting is really positive. They’ve never been as fit and the testing results have been outstanding.”

One of Hong Kong’s star batsmen Babar Hayat has been one of the sharp improvers, losing five kilos since starting the new program.

“I think being with HKSI has been really good,” Babar said.

“When we started at the beginning it was tough doing two sessions a day but once we progressed and got used to it’s much easier for us now.”

“The access to their facilities and physios and other staff has been a big factor as well.”

While cricket skills and technical practice have not been ignored, fitness has been the priority for Cook who along with Director of Cricket Charlie Burke identified it as an area where improvement was required.

“That was the big lesson from the World T20,” Cook said.

“We weren’t at a level where we could sustain a performance for any length of time.”

“We couldn’t back up our performances so we just needed to give them a platform to be able to perform as consistently as possible.”

The squad’s next assignment is their Intercontinental Cup clash against Ireland in Belfast on August 30, before also playing Scotland in two One Day Internationals.

Not only will Hong Kong have the challenge of facing two of the tougher opponents in Associate Cricket they will also be without two of their experienced players.

“We won’t have the whole squad available,” Cook said.

“Mark Chapman has exams with University and Jamie Atkinson has taken up a job with the French International School here in Hong Kong so can’t make the tour.”

“But we have some good players coming through who can make up for those deficiencies and we’ll still be looking at winning every game as we are up the sharp end of the ladder.”

Hong Kong currently sit fourth on the I-Cup (Four-day) table and second in the World Cricket League (ODI).

香港男子板球隊教練曲世民（Simon Cook）表示，香港體育學院的資助對球隊休季期間的訓練有很大的正面影響。

出戰「20回合板球世界賽」之後三個月，港隊把握休季時間，進行一連串的高強度體能訓練。

曲教練指出，體院的資助令訓練變得更專業，成果有目共睹：「體院為球隊提供支援及設施，直接將訓練質素大大提高。合約球員每星期一到體院進行體質及血液檢查，以確保他們進行適當的訓練。球員得到的數據非常正面，他們的體能質素比以前好，測試結果亦很出色。」

香港的主力擊球手之一巴巴凱逸（Babar Hayat）是其中一位進步最大的球員，從體能訓練計劃開始至今體重已經下降五公斤。他表示：「我認為能夠得到體院支援實在是非常好。訓練一開始的時候，每天進行兩節操練，隊員都感到很辛苦。不過現在大家都大有進步，迎刃有餘。體院的設施及物理治療團隊亦對我們有很大的幫助。」

曲教練與板球總監貝卓禮（Charlie Burke）均認為，在沒有忽略球技的情況下，體能是港隊最需要加強的地方。

曲教練認為：「『20回合世界賽』令球隊發覺體能的重要性。當時的體能狀況令球員不能長時間保持表現水準。我們需要將他們的體能水平提升，讓他們可以充分發揮球技。」

「洲際盃」（Intercontinetal Cup）是港隊要應付的下一個賽事，他們8月30日將於貝爾法斯特作客愛爾蘭，之後他們會與蘇格蘭進行兩場一日制國際賽。

兩個對手的實力均比港隊好，將會對港隊帶來挑戰。而港隊陣容亦缺少兩名有經驗球員。

曲教練指出：「港隊陣容並不完整，查普曼（Mark Chapman）需要應付大學考試，而艾堅遜（Jamie Atkinson）開始在法國國際學校任教，他們均不能隨港隊出戰。不過我們已經提拔了新晉球員補上，可以增強球隊實力。港隊是賽事中的爭標分子，我們仍然以每一場的勝利為目標。」

港隊暫時在四日制的「洲際盃」賽事積分榜排第四，並在一日制的「世界板球聯賽」（World Cricket League）排第二。