Rain robs national cricketers of practice

By Calvin Roberts On In Sports |
The pitch at the Guyana National Stadium is under covers, due to rain which prevented any play on the first day of the scheduled practice game between the national team and a Rest XI yesterday. (A Clairmonte Marcus photograph)
The pitch at the Guyana National Stadium is under covers, due to rain which prevented any play on the first day of the scheduled practice game between the national team and a Rest XI yesterday. (A Clairmonte Marcus photograph)

– Manager and trainer happy with team’s fitness level

Overnight and early morning rainfall prevented a ball from being bowled on the first day of the three-day practice match organized by the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) between the national team and a Rest XI at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence yesterday.

The pitch at the Guyana National Stadium is under covers, due to rain which prevented any play on the first day of the scheduled practice game between the national team and a Rest XI yesterday. (A Clairmonte Marcus photograph)
The pitch at the Guyana National Stadium is under covers, due to rain which prevented any play on the first day of the scheduled practice game between the national team and a Rest XI yesterday. (A Clairmonte Marcus photograph)

The match, the only one of its kind organized by the GCB as part of the team’s preparation for the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) four-day cricket competition which is set to commence this weekend, would have been a vital one to  the players.

However, despite not being able to bowl or even bat a ball, the players took the time available to engage in a game of touch rugby as they sought to keep fit for the hectic tournament that is being played on a home and away basis this year.

Both the manager Carl Moore and physical trainer Orin Bailey told Stabroek Sport that they were happy with the level of fitness shown by the players.

“The work attitude that is being displayed by this team is similar to the one displayed by the Stanford Twenty20 team.

They are eager to go out there and prove their fitness and it is only sad to note that the weather is preventing same from taking place,” said Bailey.

“I am impressed with the physical fitness these players have displayed. Apparently they put aside the festivities of the yuletide season and focused on getting physically fit for this tournament. On a sad note however, I am disappointed for them, as they were not able to get in some much needed pitch practice.

“We know their fitness levels and this game is being used to assess their mental side of things. However, I am hoping that over the next two days, they would be able to get in some valuable batting practice. It is also my humble opinion that they will go out there and perform to the best of their ability, thus bringing home glory to Guyana,” Bailey stated.

Like Bailey, the 57-year-old Moore, who has been the man in charge of the managerial duties for Guyana’s senior cricket team for six years now, echoed his disappointment at not being able to have any pitch practice.

“While I am pleased with their fitness level, based on what I saw of them during a session in the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall yesterday (Friday), I am not happy with the preparations in the area of pitch practice.”

He added, “We have had two weeks of intense preparation, where their physical and fitness levels were looked at, as we took the opportunity to get the players into shape. It consisted of work being done on the outfield, Zarif’s Gym and Colgrain Pool.

“From a managerial point of view, I am pleased with what I saw during that period, but I am not happy with the other phase of the preparation, as the weather which we have no control over, was not in our favour, thus preventing any practice on the pitch from taking place.

“I hope that they can adjust to the situation when they get out there, despite the constraints they have faced during their preparation. I am also hoping that they would turn around the results of some previous matches and bring back success to the country,” Moore said.

Guyana play her first game against the Windward Islands in Grenada from Friday to Monday  before they journey to Barbados to face the Combined Colleges and Campuses from January 16-19 at the 3W’s Oval.