Sports
June 13, 2008

Local batsmen getting attention

Thirty of this country’s best batsmen are undergoing intense training with a view to improving their batting techniques and mental toughness, when it comes to match situations.{{more}}

This is as the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Cricket Association seeks to get young cricketers here engaged in formal coaching in the different components.

The batting course follows on the heels of one held last year for fast bowlers.

Already in train, and fully in gear, the current training sessions should finish sometime in July.

One of the coaches, Irvin Warrican, told SEARCHLIGHT last Wednesday that thus far, the sessions have been going much in the grain of their objectives.

“I must say the sessions have in the main been good. So far it has been good”, Warrican said.

Warrican said that a lot of work is being done on the players’ mental preparations.

“We have insisted on target batting, where they bat as long as possible, to develop the batsmen patience’, Warrican, a former St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Windwards spinner, added.

Warrican revealed that part of the coaches’ concerns was that many of the batsmen were not using their feet.

“In addition, we are working on the running singles and keep hitting the ball in specific areas”, Warrican stated.

But it will not be all practical sessions as off the field aspects will get some attention.

The batsmen were involved in sessions on how to deal with the media last Wednesday. Conducting the session with the media was E . Glenford Prescott. Prior to last Wednesday’s sessions, the batsmen were given a talk on being true ambassadors from former St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Windwards, Combined Islands, and West Indies wicket keeper, Michael Findlay.

Sessions will also be held in etiquette. Apart from Warrican, Ian Allen and Nixon Mc Lean are the coaches working with the batsmen. (RT)