BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – Head coach Emmerson Trotman says Barbados Pride are well prepared for the upcoming Regional first class season but will have to put a lot more thought into their game, if they are to have any chance at the title.
Speaking ahead of the opening game of the new season starting next week, Trotman said Pride were a talented bunch but needed to be more “situation aware” in order to capitalise on key moments during games.
“We have to do a lot more thinking. We’ve done it to a certain extent last year and we’ve just got to top it up a bit more,” Trotman said.
“The guys have to get a bit more situation awareness … the thinking power and also the right attitude and the mentality must be very, very strong. You have to have a good, strong mentality this year and even stronger than last year, and [I believe] the guys will pull it off.”
Pride will be boosted by the return of Test batsmen Roston Chase and Jomel Warrican, both of whom were part of the recent series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates.
The 13-man squad, which will be led by all-rounder Kevin Stoute, also includes out-of-favour Test seamer Kemar Roach, West Indies A captain Shamarh Brooks and experienced opener Omar Phillips who has played a couple of Tests.
Trotman, who is taking over from Henderson Springer who is on West Indies duty, said the batsmen also needed to play the thinking game.
“I’ve been mainly focussing on the batting side of it,” Trotman said.
“I got the guys to do some thinking in the nets for the last two-and-a-half months and when it came down to the last week, I allowed the guys to bat in the nets and think for themselves because it is important they think for themselves.”
Pride have found themselves frustrated in recent seasons, finishing second to two-time defending champions Guyana Jaguars over the last two campaigns.
But Trotman said the group had reviewed their mistakes and were in much better shape this season to finally break Jaguars’ stronghold.
“I feel our chances are pretty good. We’ve been preparing for about the past three months and we’ve got lots of plans and as long as the guys execute the plans properly and think a lot and do what they do as professionals, I see no reason why we cannot pull off the competition,” Trotman pointed out.
“The guys are aware of the fact they have been runners up to Guyana on a couple of occasions and the guys have done some homework on that and they are well prepared, they’re fit, they’re organised and they are disciplined, and I’m expecting them to do very, very well this year.”
Trotman said key to any victory bid would be a strong start to the competition, when they take on Leeward Islands Hurricanes at Warner Park in St. Kitts in the opening round.
“I view success [in terms of] consistency. If I get the guys to be consistent, that’s important, and winning our game would give us a head start and we can hit the ground running,” he noted.
“Winning that first game is very important and then we have to maintain that momentum.
