Almost a month into his tenure as Jamaica’s senior cricket team coach, Augustine ‘Gus’ Logie, said he has been satisfied with the preparation of the team heading into next month’s West Indies Cricket Board Caribbean Twenty20 (WICB CT20) tournament to be jointly staged in Barbados and Antigua.

Speaking after Thursday’s practice session, the former Trinidad & Tobago and West Indies batsman told the Sunday Observer that he has been encouraged by the positive attitude of the players.

“I think the youngsters we have here are willing to work and willing to try new things and that’s what it’s all about. We must be prepared to evolve and embrace new ideas because change is constant and we can’t afford to stay behind.

“There have been some encouraging signs and players are starting to understand their roles and responsibilities in the side. Some of the players are still getting used to the whole setup of the Twenty20 game. We don’t want to be too static and we have spoken about that so they are understanding the responsibility of batting in different positions, if needs be, and bowling in certain situations as well,” he said.

Logie is scheduled to oversee the preparation of the team for both the Caribbean Twenty/20 and West Indies Cricket Board’s four-day tournaments. He said recently that he does not envision staying beyond his original four-month arrangement.

Jamaica’s second-place finish at the Stanford 20/20 tournament in 2008 remains their best showing in the shortest format of the game, and Logie said he has been using the squad matches to fine-tune the squad in order to make a strong run this season.

“In the recent practice games we have been looking at different options and we are looking at intensifying the preparation in the coming days. We will simulate other situations because we have to start preparing for instances where you have a tie, and have to complete the Super Over (to determine the winner). We are also going to try using a wet ball in case of rainy conditions (during the tournament).

“I don’t want them to be surprised when they face a spinner opening the bowling. Once we can prepare ourselves mentally and physically it should not be surprising. We still have a few more weeks before we are off to Antigua and by the time we get there I think we will be quite happy in our minds,” said the 50-year-old.

The 14-member squad, led by captain Wavell Hinds, has been allowed a break until December 28, and Logie told this newspaper that so far he has been pleased with the support he has received from the Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA) and the rest of the coaching staff.

“Everybody has been quite supportive and they are doing the best that they can. I keep telling the players that we have a job to do and we just have to go out and do it and to react to changes in the best way possible,” he said.

The regional four-day kingpins have been grouped with reigning T20 champions Guyana, as well as Combined Campuses and Colleges, Windward Islands and English County team Somerset for the January 10-23 competition.

Squad: Wavell Hinds (capt), Xavier Marshall, Danza Hyatt, Marlon Samuels, Horace Miller, David Bernard Jr,Carlton Baugh Jr, Andre Russell, Jerome Taylor, Nikita Miller, Krishmar Santokie, Odean Brown, Shawn Findlay, Sheldon Cotterell.

HINDS… to lead Jamaica into battle