By Scott Heinrich BBC Sport at Loughborough

We want them to come to us and tell us what they need Academy director Rod Marsh Academy changes emphasis

IDP is the 'in' acronym among students at the England Cricket Academy's Loughborough campus.

It stands for Individual Development Programme, and it's the latest initiative designed at putting the education of England's bright young cricketers into their own hands.

The current intake are given 11 hours per week to do as they please. And Rod Marsh, the Academy's notoriously strict director, really means it.

"If they want to go and sleep in their beds, that's fine by me," Marsh said.

"I don't really care what they do in that time, because what we're trying to do is make them more responsible and more accountable for their actions.

"We want them to come to us and tell us what they need. It's really up to them to start thinking about what is best for them and it's high time they did that.

"If you want to win you have to go about it the right way. It's no good taking short-cuts.

"These guys are not young players this time, they are men who are paid a lot of money by their counties in some cases and if they want to make more money by taking the next step up they are going to have to do it - we can't do it for them."

The shift away from the 'one programme fits all' policy of the first three intakes is quite radical and shows that the Academy itself is maturing.

It has been given the thumbs up by the players, who, in case you were wondering, plan to use their spare time wisely.

At the end of the day, Rod Marsh can't go out there and bat, bowl and keep for you Matt Prior

"The individual aspect is great for me because it means I can go away and work on whatever I feel like," said Warwickshire batsman Ian Bell.

"The first year was new and everyone was new to it, but now it's developed and moved forward.

"For the guys who aren't going away on tour until after Christmas, they can work on their fitness as well as their cricket if they think they need it.

"Responsibility is a big thing for a cricketer. It's important to mature, and by being our own coach for part of the time that has to help."

Sussex keeper-batsman Matt Prior, who will make his England debut against Zimbabwe next month, relishes the hands-on aspect of his cricketing education.

"We've been given a great opportunity here at a great facility to learn about ourselves and the game," Prior said.

"We have all we need here, and having a hand in what we can do is great. If we want, we can go and grab a coach and tell him 'this is what I want and this is what I need'.

"I'm really keen on that, knowing your own game and knowing what you need to do to progress.

"At the end of the day, Rod Marsh can't go out there and bat, bowl and keep for you. When you walk over that line, you've got to know what your game's about otherwise you're in trouble."

James Hildreth, one of seven part-time students who attend the Academy along with 12 full-timers, is impressed at what the Academy has to offer.

"While I'm here there's various courses I can choose to do in my IDP," Somerset batsman Hildreth, 20, said.

"There's IT, public speaking and a number of others. You don't just have to do cricket, so it really does concentrate on the all-round aspect of the students."