CWI High-Performance Batting Tour targets Regional player development and coaching standards

Oct 21, 2026 Sports

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(Kaieteur News) – Individualised batting plans for emerging players and enhanced coaching expertise are among the key outcomes of Cricket West Indies’ (CWI) ongoing High-Performance Batting Tour, which is designed to strengthen batting standards and improve long-term performance across the region.

The tour, which began on September 24, has completed visits to the Windward Islands, Barbados, Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago, with the Jamaica leg running from October 17–20. The programme will conclude with a visit to the Leeward Islands in Antigua from October 23–26.

Across the first four territorial visits, 45 emerging batters have undergone assessments, while 44 coaches, including franchise, pathway, club, school and youth coaches, have participated in the programme alongside batting specialist Carter and CWI High-Performance Coach Rohan Nurse.

Each four-day camp combines technical assessments, individual coaching, skill development, practical application and coach education. Particular emphasis is placed on improving players’ ability to handle pace and spin while identifying their individual strengths, weaknesses and areas requiring improvement.

Feedback from players and coaches has been encouraging, with the intensity, volume and high standards of the sessions emerging as defining features. Participants have also welcomed the programme’s emphasis on making targeted adjustments to players’ techniques rather than attempting to overhaul their natural games.

Reflecting on the tour’s progress, Carter expressed satisfaction with the standard of cricketing talent across the territories and the players’ willingness to embrace the programme.

“The tour has been very successful so far, thanks to a clearly defined programme for each visit, which has allowed us to see where the players are and their natural skills,” Carter said.

Carter explained that his approach centres on identifying small but meaningful improvements that can translate into better performances.

He also credited the players and coaches for their enthusiasm, curiosity and willingness to experiment with new ideas.

The programme has placed equal importance on strengthening the capacity of regional coaches. Across the camps, local coaches have progressed from observing sessions on the opening day to taking a more active role in coaching during the second and third days.

This practical approach is intended to equip coaches with methods they can continue applying within their respective territories long after the tour concludes.

Cleton Burnett, CWI Pathway Coach in St Vincent and the Grenadines, highlighted the value of Carter’s coaching methods, particularly his emphasis on refining existing techniques.

“ A lot of the things he spoke about is not necessarily new knowledge of information in terms of technique, but the methods, and how we go about assisting players, not necessarily changing them but, as he would say very often, tweaking,” Burnett said.

Dominica’s Sam Kirnon also stressed the importance of maintaining high training standards throughout the season, particularly as teams approach competition.

Players have similarly acknowledged the benefits of the programme’s structured approach and its focus on individual development.

Barbadian and West Indies Under-19 top-order batter Zachary Carter said the sessions challenged him beyond the standards of his regular training, particularly in the areas of technique, decision-making and bat swing.

St Lucia and Windward Islands all-rounder Shadrack Descarte said the experience strengthened his confidence in his ability to perform across different playing conditions.

He emphasised that consistent, high-quality practice, combined with a dedicated approach to shot selection and execution, would be essential to translating the lessons learned into match performances.

The initiative forms part of CWI’s broader strategy to direct resources towards programmes capable of delivering sustained improvements in player development and regional cricketing standards.

By combining technical expertise, personalised batting assessments and practical coach education, the governing body aims to establish a stronger foundation for the development of emerging talent and the long-term success of West Indies cricket.

Participants have already called for longer and more frequent camps, greater access to one-on-one coaching and video analysis, and an expansion of the programme to include younger age groups and female players.

Carter, however, believes the territories can build on the experience and knowledge gained without relying exclusively on future CWI interventions.

With the final territorial visit approaching, the tour’s broader objective remains to equip emerging batters with the tools to improve their performances while empowering regional coaches to sustain those gains and contribute to the continued development of West Indies cricket.

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• coaching standards, Cricket West Indies, CWI, High-Performance Batting

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