Guyana cricket team break camp for Christmas

Dec 24, 2008 Sports

---

Coach Albert Smith (stooping) has a word with skipper Travis Dowlin during a practice session

Coach Smith pleased with team’s fitness level

 

By Sean Devers
The Travis Dowlin-led Guyana cricket team preparing for the 2009 Carib Beer regional first-class competition ended the first phase of preparations on Sunday when they broke camp for Christmas.

Coach Albert Smith, who was with the team during the 10-day camp which began on December 10, informed that the emphasis was placed on physical preparation and disclosed that he is satisfied with the team’s fitness level.

The 53-year-old Smith, the national senior team coach since 2002, said the touring squad and seven standby players (with the exception of Leon Johnson who is in New Zealand with the West Indies team) were involved in the camp at the Guyana Cricket Board’s Hostel. The Georgetown based players were allowed to remain at their respective homes but participated fully in all of the sessions.

Smith, who was the Guyana under-19 team’s coach from 1993-1999, disclosed that in addition to two endurance runs at the Guyana National Stadium at the start and the end of the 10-day period, the players were also involved in Gym work and sessions at the Colgrain Pool.

“I am pleased with the first phase of preparations and I can say that the fitness level of everyone improved from when we began. I hope that the guys will enjoy the break for Christmas but will be careful with what they eat and drink during the festive season. We will be testing their fitness level when the second phase of the camp is held on December 29 and 30. The guys worked really hard and we hope that when they return they will continue to be fully focused on cricket and that their fitness level would not have dropped,” Smith, a former Police medium-pace bowler, said.

While the emphasis was on fitness, we also did some mental work along with some technical sessions and fielding drills at the Stadium.

Smith, who teamed up with the late Patrick Legall (who was the Manager) to give Guyana an unprecedented five consecutive regional under-19 titles from 1993, explained that a lot of what was done by and Legall and himself at the youth level in the 1990s was implemented during the training sessions this year.

“We had two one and a half-mile runs and plenty of cardiovascular workouts. Judging from what I saw here I realized how unfit our one-day squad was,” informed Smith, who was also the coach of the Guyana team which last month failed to qualify for only the second time in the last decade for the regional one-day semi-finals.          

“Although we will be without Ronnie (Sarwan), Shiv (Chanderpaul) and (Sewnarine) Chattergoon for the first two away games, I think this team is a lot more mentally fit and united than the squad which played in the One-Day series at home,” Smith explained.

“Travis (Dowlin) implemented a lot of what he learnt from (Roger) Harper during the Stanford Super Series in Antigua while Narsingh (Deonarine) also made a positive input from his experience as a West Indies player. I would say everyone is in high spirits and eager to get into action next month,” Smith added.

The Coach was also high in praise for the magnificent drainage system at the Stadium which facilitated practice even after heavy rain.

Smith feels that despite the absence of the Test players, the team is a balanced one and thinks that while it is always a bit more mentally challenging for the players to begin their campaign overseas, the fact that Guyana will play the Windward Islands and the Combined Colleges and Campuses (CCC) in their first two games is a positive.

“We play the Windwards in Grenada and then CCC in Barbados and since these two teams cannot be considered regional powerhouses we have a great chance of getting as many points as possible to gave us a solid foundation for our home matches when the Test players returns,” Smith said.

After drawing a bye in the third round, Guyana face the Leeward Islands in Antigua and Barbados in Barbados as once again they play their first four matches ‘on the road’ due to the rainy season in Guyana early in the year.

Former Guyana youth opener Shemroy Barrington is the lone new player to Guyana senior cricket, while national 20/20 all-rounder Chris Barnwell is the other player in the touring squad without first-class experience and Smith has high hopes for both players in their debut season at this level.

“Barnwell is a natural athlete and a very talented all-rounder while I am very impressed with Barrington’s attitude to the camp and his fitness level. He is from Georgetown but opted to stay at the Hostel to get to know his teammates better. He was one of the players who would always give a 110% effort in everything he did. I expect much from him with the bat in this competition,” Smith said.

Smith, also a national selector, lamented the poor strength, fitness and discipline levels of many of Guyana’s talented players at all levels and said he hopes that players like off-spinner Zaheer Mohamed and Gajanand Singh will work really hard on their game since he feels that if they are prepared to focus exclusively on their cricket development they have the natural ability to be outstanding cricketers.       

The final phase of their encampment will be from January 3 to when they depart for Grenada on January 7
Since Carl Hooper led Guyana to the 2002 Busta International Shield title, the South Americans have not captured the regional first class title.

---

---