By David Harrison

THANK heavens 2007 is finally over. It certainly won't be a year that I'll look back on with much fondness.

Being out with injury for the entire season, following an operation in May, to repair a slipped disc in my back made it a frustrating time, especially watching results going so badly for Glamorgan.

Although it was a disappointing year on the field, I feel the younger players who endured their first taste of first class cricket would have learned a great deal from the experience along with coach Adrian Shaw.

From a personal point of view, I can't wait for the new season to get under way. It seemed like an age since the last time I'd picked up a bat and ball when training got under way in early January.

It turned out to be quite amusing when I missed the first 10 balls that were thrown at me by Mark Wallace in a cold and dark indoor centre in Cardiff. We were both in hysterics and decided to call it a day early.

Thankfully since then I have managed to connect more regularly and am striking the ball reasonably well.

The cricket had finally started, but the fitness and rehabilitation has been ongoing since last August. Luckily for me, Glamorgan employed a full time fitness coach from September, Rob Ahmun, and we quickly became very familiar with each other, spending most of our time in the gym.

We had identified two main areas that needed drastic improvement, flexibility and core strength. These two areas are the most important for any fast bowler, and areas that I feel I've neglected in the past and paid the price for.

September to November was basically stretching, physiotherapy and more sit ups than I ever thought possible. It was only early December when I felt like part of the team again, as I could join the weights and running programmes with the boys.

It was the morning of January 7 that I had my first bowl since March last year. Under the guidance of bowling coach Steve Watkin and physiotherapist Dean Conway, we decided that 15 to 20 balls, three times a week, will be added onto my training programme.

I found it really hard at first to have the confidence to fully complete my bowling action, my back had fully recovered from the operation but mentally I was finding it difficult. But after one or two sessions since, my confidence is back and I can't wait to get outside.

In mid December I received a phone call from the MCC asking if I would like to tour Kenya and Uganda with two other Glamorgan players - Alex Wharf and Jamie Dalyrmple, who will captain the tour - in early February.

This was seen by the coaching staff and myself as an ideal opportunity to step up my rehabilitation along with playing some good quality cricket.

As most people are aware, the political situation in Kenya at present is not ideal, so we will spend three weeks in Uganda from February 12, with the Kenyan leg being cancelled.

Our chief executive Mike Fatkin even said that if Kenya had been passed safe the club would have pulled us all out for safety reasons.

There are nine games on the tour playing against numerous Ugandan select teams, finishing off with a four-day game against the national side on February 26.

With the situation in Kenya as it is, the MCC have funded the Kenyan under-19 team to come across and play against us in Uganda. This is one of the main reasons of the MCC tour, to fund and spread the spirit of cricket' to under privileged countries across the globe.

I'm really looking forward to having the opportunity to coach some of the younger, under privileged children who love the game as much as me but sadly don't have the equipment or knowledge to progress in the game.

The MCC will be leaving equipment, but I'm going to leave my personal kit as well, as its means everything to them and feels rewarding personally.

There are also other Glamorgan players travelling abroad in the New Year - Matthew Maynard is taking six batsmen to Mumbai in India at the end of February.

There is a World Cricket Academy based there where players from all over the world congregate to practice together. It's an ideal opportunity for the boys to get some early batting practice outdoors in a hot and humid environment against all types of bowling.

Unfortunately this leaves about seven or eight disgruntled players who appear to be staying in Cardiff, and even arranging a rebel' tour of their own! This could be Matthew Maynard's first real challenge in his new role as coach!