U-19s target fitness ahead of TCL tourney

Saturday, November 21, 2009 10:39 PM

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by Garfield Myers Editior-at-large, South Central Bureau

Friday, July 03, 2009

Acutely aware that extreme inconsistency cost them dearly last year, Jamaica are placing great emphasis on improving fitness in body and mind as they approach the annual TCL Group Under-19 Championships which begins here next Thursday with the three-day format.

"In the three-day competition last year we were the only team to have led every other team on first innings, (yet) we ended up losing two of those matches outright after being in front," recalls a rueful Andre Coley, coach of the Jamaica U-19s as he spoke to the Observer following a practice game at Kensington Park in east Kingston recently.

Convinced that fitness can correct those "weaknesses", Coley says fitness coach Gibbs Williams "has been working for the last three months on the physical condition of the players".

"We realise that to compete in a tournament like this is physically very demanding on the players. There are five three-day matches with basically only a day in between, and this year there will be a league format for the limited-overs version which follows where every team will play each other. Again that's five games.

"So a lot of focus has been on developing core strength; we're also trying to get the players to appreciate the importance of being able to bat for a day. Remember they move from this level to first-class... and at that level if you're not able as a team to bat for a day, you're setting yourself behind very early," he said.

Allied to fitness and physical strength, there is also emphasis on building the confidence of the players through personal development sessions that incorporate such aspects as public speaking, interaction with the media and professional imaging.

"All round I'm comfortable and satisfied with how they've progressed up to now," said Coley of his charges who are now mid-way a 10-day camp ahead of the tournament.

Jamaica, led by their top batsman of recent years, Andre Creary - voted the most outstanding batsman in last year's tournament with 414 runs - open their campaign against Trinidad & Tobago at Sabina Park on the weekend.

In other first-round games, defending champions Barbados face Windward Islands at Chedwin Park and Guyana meet Leeward Islands at Up Park Camp.

The three-day championship will progress through a league format with all six teams playing each other once before giving way to the limited-overs version in early August.
The Jamaica team includes seven players from last year in Creary, off-spinner Jermaine Blackwood, fast bowlers Romeo Dunka and Jermaine Cole and batsmen Courtnay Allen and Garth Garvey.

"We're expecting those players returning from last year to provide leadership," said Coley.

The coach says he is not concerned by the enforced absence of Creary for much of the preparation camp after being called away for West Indies 'A' against touring Bangladesh in Barbados starting today.

"As far as I'm concerned this three-day game (West Indies 'A' versus Bangladesh) should be good practice going into the TCL tournament. I don't think he will lose anything. Also the players are together; they've gelled as a team, so it shouldn't be a problem," he said.

Can Jamaica win the three-day tournament? Coley is optimistic but says he is even more keen to see the players improve in consistency and quality.

"If we play well and remain consistent I would expect to win, but the focus is to get the players to play consistent cricket. Even though it's a competition it's also a part of the players' development programme. If they leave this tournament better players in addition to winning, I would be very pleased," he said.

He believes the team is "well balanced" with three specialist seamers in the left-arm swinger, Dunka, Cole and Nicholson Gordon and three specialist spinners - Patrick Harty (left-arm orthodox), Blackwood (off spin), and Akeem Dewar (right-arm wrist spin).

The specialist batsmen are Creary, Paul Palmer (son of a former national U-19 batsman of the same name), Garth Garvey, Brian Clarke (opener), Courtnay Allen, Ramon Senior and John Campbell (opener).

The wicketkeeper is Kirk Harris who is also a recognised football goalkeeper, having played at daCosta Cup level for Clarendon College.

Two who were part of the U-19 squad last year, right-arm wrist spinner Donovan Nelson and batsman Kemar Marshall, are demoted to the reserves this season. The other reserves are Hanchard Hamilton and Omar Samuels.
The Jamaica team manager is Fritz Harris.

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