ST JOHN’S, Antigua, (CMC) — With the clock ticking down to next week’s One-Day International series against Sri Lanka, West Indies assistant coach Floyd Reifer says the first couple of days of the team’s 10-day high-performance camp in Antigua have exceeded expectations.

Reifer, who oversees the batting unit, spoke to CWI media on Monday and painted a picture of a squad fully locked in.

“The first two days of the camp went really well,” Reifer said. “The objective for us, the first couple of days, is to get the guys back into a frame of mind for international cricket.”

That mental reset has come with a sharp technical focus. According to Reifer, the batting group has been drilling specifically on neutralising Sri Lanka’s spin threat, a clear signal of the visitors’ likely strategy.

“We focus a lot on really training and batting a lot of spin,” he explained. “Focusing on strike rotation and trying to score off as many balls as possible. Also, boundary options to spin while batting, especially in the middle overs. So that was one of the main focuses over the first two days.”

While Reifer tends to the batters, veteran fast-bowling coach Otis Gibson has put the pacers through their paces on the other side of the ledger.

“The fast bowlers did a lot of technical work with the coach, Otis Gibson,” Reifer noted.

But beyond individual drills, the former West Indies captain emphasised the collective energy inside the camp.

“Guys coming in, the energy levels are high. The intensity level is very high at practice sessions. So everybody’s on board with what we want to achieve.”

That buy-in is no accident. Reifer pointed to a remarkable two-year run in ODI cricket that has built genuine momentum.

“This team has been doing really well over the last two years in ODI cricket. And for us to get 18, 19 points over the last two years has been a great achievement.”

Perhaps most striking is the West Indies’ recent dominance on home soil, a trend Reifer is determined to continue against Sri Lanka.

“We’ve done well at home. We’ve been unbeaten at home. That’s something that hasn’t been done in years,” he said. “So it’s good for our batting department. We’ve improved in many areas and improved in terms of the middle overs.”

With a couple of days before the series opener, Reifer’s message is clear: No complacency.

“It’s for us now to keep moving forward and in the right direction,” he said. “It’s just a matter now for us to continue to improve.”

The first ODI between West Indies and Sri Lanka is scheduled for next Wednesday at Sabina Park in Jamaica.