FORMER West Indies cricketer Nikita Miller says “unearthing the next generation” of regional players is central to his decision to launch an academy catering to youngsters five to 18 years old.

“When I was coming to the end of my playing career I actually sat down and had a brainstorm of what I could do after I’ve finished playing, how could I give back to the sport that gave me so much,” the retired slow left-arm orthodox bowler told the Jamaica Observer.

“The thought came of having an academy where I would have an input in terms of unearthing the next generation of cricketers to transition to the West Indies cricket set-up. I thought an academy would be a good way to do so, and it would have my stamp on it as well.

“After I retired from playing and started to do some coaching… I thought it would be a good chance to put things in place,” the 39-year-old Jamaican, who is a Level II certified coach, said.

The 4Milla Academy, welcoming girls and boys, is set to open Saturday, November 13 at Melbourne Cricket Club.

The cricket development sessions, ranging from 60 to 90 minutes, are to focus on three age categories.

“I’ll split the participants into three groups: the beginners, 5-10; the intermediates, 11-14; and the juniors, who would be 15-18. The whole thinking behind these age groups is that while I was coming through the ranks I really didn’t always get a lot of structured training.

“I was very lucky to attend St Elizabeth Technical High School — we had a structure and a very good coach, so I got a good foundation to work on.

“I was playing club cricket in the latter days of high school and that sort of helped me [because] at clubs you had senior guys like Courtney Walsh and Robert Samuels who would come back from Jamaica and West Indies duties and they would offer words of encouragement and guidance. I’m thinking this academy could offer that level of training that is required now,” he explained.

Miller is a member of the Trinbago Knight Riders coaching staff in the Caribbean Premier League, and has worked with Jamaica Scorpions in the regional four-day and 50-over competitions.

He first played for Jamaica in 2004 and retired from professional cricket 15 years later.

A wily and skilful left-arm spinner in his day, Miller claimed 511 wickets in 91 regional four-day matches at an eye-popping average of 15.37. His wicket haul is the highest in the modern era — 1966 and onwards — of regional four-day cricket.

Overall, he took 538 wickets in 100 first-class outings at 16.31. A determined lower-order batsman, he accumulated 2,296 first-class runs at 17.52.

He featured in 50 One-Day International matches, capturing 45 wickets, and took 11 wickets in nine Twenty20 Internationals. He went wicketless in his lone Test for West Indies — against touring Bangladesh in 2009 — when a number of elite players went on strike.

Miller, while acknowledging that not all players will make it to the top, emphasised that he wants to create opportunities for aspiring cricketers to develop.

“What I really want from my academy is the complete development of all participants, whether they make it to the highest level or not. I want this academy to develop world-class cricketers and individuals. Not everyone will make it to the top, but if you can develop that well-rounded individual that will be a success for me,” he told the Observer.

— Sanjay Myers