COACHING COULD PUT WINDIES BACK ON TOP AGAIN
It is great to hear that the UK has been basking in sunshine and temperatures of 30 degrees over the past few days, just like the Caribbean always seems to be! Yes, I’m still over here (don’t get too jealous) and, following Wednesday’s victory over Barbados Tridents, my Jamaica Tallawahs side have now progressed to the knockout stages of this year’s Caribbean Premier League.
It is a slightly odd situation to be in. We still have two group games to play, but have a ten-day gap between now and then, but knowing we are in the knockouts is a great feeling.
Like the IPL, you get two chances to reach the final through the play-offs so we are keen to keep the momentum going having been so successful in winning all our home matches.We’ve actually only lost once all tournament so far and you can’t beat the winning feeling.
Though we are keen to keep the momentum going, we do have to be wary – Chris Gayle has a niggle and so does Andre Russell so these guys could do with a little bit of rest. It’s also a case of wanting to keep everybody’s minds fresh. The knockout games are what truly matter.
Gayle’s back is always being monitored and his workload is slightly different to others. He’s often in the pool and on the massage table, making sure he is ready come matchday. Both Chris and Andre will be fine for the play-off matches but we do have to monitor things. Everyone will be raring to go, that’s for sure.
It’s a tournament where you regularly have long gaps of between a week and ten days before you then play a handful of games in quick succession.
It can be quite difficult to manage but we’ve had a lot of good practice sessions as well as some excellent team bonding.
There are so many local players, who are in their late 20s, but who have only played about 25 first-class games. They only play five or six games a year, which is crazy. The gaps between matches mean there is time to work on honing their techniques and working on plans. The players are all keen to keep learning, which makes my job that little bit easier.
The sad news for us is that we have lost Dale Steyn now. He took 4-27 in our 36-run win over the Tridents but has been called back by Cricket South Africa. Dale has been terrific for us, not just on the pitch but in the changing room and at training, too, where he is so insightful.
It’s frustrating to lose him but we have Dane Paterson coming over from South Africa. As a group we need to make sure we get Dane fitted in as
Chris Gayle has a niggle and so does Andre Russell so these guys could do with a little bit of rest
quickly as possible because I’ve heard he is a quality bowler and will do a great job for the team.
His stats are very good and he swings the new white ball, which is crucial. It’s what Dale has done so well for us all tournament.
Dane coming in was sorted before I got here. Mohammad Khan is our general manager and he actually picked most of the squad. There have certainly been no complaints from me with the squad that he chose.
Mohammad is a cricket buff who loves his stats and loves the game. He studies cricket all around the globe so it’s no surprise that he has picked such a quality and varied squad.
We have got some brilliant senior pros with Kumar Sangakkara, Shakib Al Hasan and Dale.
Then of course, there’s the local experienced guys such as Chris and Andre. These guys set the standards and they police the team. The impact they have in team meetings is very good so we try to use these guys as much as we can.
We are all about wanting to keep improving, though, as people as well as cricketers.
The beauty of tournaments like these is that you get to spend so much time with people and get to see them develop.When I sit back and see someone put their training into actual match-winning performances, I can’t help but smile.
I’m still absolutely loving it here, though, and not missing home just yet. Everybody knows how much I love coaching so to be over here doing it non-stop for a few weeks is a dream.
It makes it easy with the group of guys I’ve got. They’re all so naturally gifted. If the West Indies had a bit more money to spend on their infrastructure and could get a few more Level 3 and 4 coaches in, they could become the force that they were many years ago.
Yes, the T20 squad are wonderfully talented, but wouldn’t it be great to see the West Indies compete in all forms of the game?