Guyana Jaguars Manager/Assistant Coach, Rayon Griffith has confirmed that the national side will regroup with a training session at 10:00hrs today at the Bourda Cricket Ground following their six-day break after returning home from Trinidad.
“It’s regroup time for the Jaguars!” said an upbeat Griffith who spoke with Stabroek Sports yesterday as he gave an insight into the national team’s agenda in the week to come as the players switch formats from 4-day to 50 overs ahead of next month’s Regional Super 50 tournament in Trinidad & Tobago.
“I want Guyana to be a better fielding unit, the team will be going back into some physical conditioning, batting, bowling and fielding drills today. We want to focus more on the fielding because we are heading into a different format of cricket where fielding is very critical, apart from that once we strengthen that area we will become a better rounded team”, Griffith said.
He lauded the work ethic of his players who he said wasted no time in doing work on their own upon returning from a victorious fourth round innings and 60-run win against the Trinidad Red Force at the Queen’s Park Oval, Trinidad, as the WICB Professional Cricket League (PCL) 4-day tournament concluded its first round of matches before resuming in February.
“Between the six days break, the players were doing their own work in the gym and nets and the Berbice players are currently working with coach (Michael) Hyles, so all of our players not just the contracted ones but the pay-for-play cricketers who were training for the start of the camp”.
When asked about the possibility of numerous changes ahead of the 50-over competition, the former first-class player said “We have players that could come into the team but we need to see more of them before selections”. He also added that, “We have to look and see what he have home first and find the right balance before we can look to bring in other players. We have capable players who could do the job”.
Guyana which has so far dominated the four-day tournament apart from their appalling 2-run loss to Barbados Pride in round three, has been tipped to win the competition and Griffith is upbeat about his players carrying on in the same vein ahead of next month’s tournament.
“We always do well in the ODI formats so moving into Super 50 confidence will be the key, but we don’t want them (the Jaguars) to be too over confident, as long as we carry that momentum into the 50 overs we can perform well”.
Speaking of his dual role in the locally-based Cricket Guyana Inc. (CGI) Jaguars franchise as assistant coach and manager, the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) chief selector said that he is in no way affected by the varied roles.
“It’s a good experience for me so far, I have good relationships with the players there is no tug-of-war between us, we have a happy dressing room and the respect is their between both parties which makes magic”.
The camp will break on December 19th for the Christmas and New Year season and will reopen in early January ahead of the Super 50 tournament.
The Jaguars currently sit on top of the points table with 57 points with three wins and one loss in the first leg of the WICB Professional Cricket League tournament.
