DAVID Bernard, the physical trainer for the Jamaica senior cricket team, expressed satisfaction with the level of fitness shown by players during evaluations last week.

Members of the training squad were evaluated last Tuesday before undergoing medical tests on Wednesday. All-rounder Andre Russell and left-arm pacer Sheldon Cotterell were among those in attendance.

“The results from the physical evaluations show the guys are in very good condition,” Bernard said as he worked with some players at Sabina Park on Thursday.

“The players are above where they are expected to be at this stage. Even the young players, here for the first time, fit in well because they’ve worked with me before at the youth level.

“But the [previous] season was long and the programme continues after the season is finished, so it was no surprise the players did so well,” the veteran trainer continued.

He said attention is being paid to varying aspects of the players’ physical fitness.

“Obviously, we’ll be looking that their aerobic and anaerobic capacity is up there. The strength can be added gradually,” said Bernard.

Former West Indies Captain Ramnaresh Sarwan, who is set to try out for the Jamaica Scorpions franchise ahead of the 2015-16 regional professional cricket season, did not turn up for the evaluations due to personal reasons.

But the Jamaica Observer understands the Guyanese-born middle-order batsman, registered to play for Kingston CC in the local 50-over club cricket competition, maintains hope of participating in a two-day trial match rescheduled from a September 11 start to September 10.

If included in the Jamaica squad, the 35-year-old would be paid on a game-by-game basis.

–Sanjay Myers