FOLLOWING his team’s lone practice game, organised by the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) against a Rest XI at the Police Sports Club (PSC) ground Eve Leary, national cricket coach Ravindranauth Seeram would like to see his charges exercise more patience in the game.

“First of all, that practice game materialised because of us and after winning the toss and opting to bat first, I thought we had a good opportunity to get some much needed batting practice, but the guys did not make full use of their opportunity.

Some got scores but failed to carry on and, knowing that this is probably our lone practice game, I expected them to capitalise on the opportunity to get some time in the middle, especially after the intense fitness session they were under in previous weeks, as well as the starts they got on such a wicket,” Seeram stated.

The 48-year-old Seeram, who in his own right is a former national middle order batsman and one of three selectors on the selection panel, took over the duties of national coach from Berbice’s Albert Smith after the team’s dismal run in this year’s competition, where they lost their first four matches, including an innings defeat to minnows Windward islands and Combined Campuses and Colleges (CCC).

He continued, “I was looking to see the batsmen bat out the first day especially with the start they got and lead us into the second day, probably midway through that or even late in the day, but the main focus was patience, coupled with occupation of the crease – something they did not display, which means it is lacking.

Apart from that, poor shot selection as well as taking the initiative to the bowlers, even though Latcha and Bishun bowled well in tandem, was another area that needs to be worked on, while to my mind, the batsmen were having problems picking Bishun.”

When asked to comment on his bowlers, Seeram, who used to dabble with a little medium pace back in his days, said they failed to penetrate the opposition’s batting lineup.

“Even though the Rest XI openers, Barnwell and Arjune, batted well for their 100-odd partnership, I think my bowlers failed to penetrate the batting order, along with failing to bowl to the field that was set to them.

No disrespect to both Barnwell and Arjune, with the latter looking very solid in his 66, but it would have been a good test on the characters of our bowlers if they had bowled to their field on such a wicket, which was flat and conducive for batting,” Seeram stated.

Of the 10 wickets that fell, left-arm orthodox spinner Veerasammy Permaul took seven and even though the coach was high in praise for the spinner who will be entering his third first class season for Guyana, he called on the faster bowlers to offer their support to the spinners, while calling for faster pitches on the local scene.

“I would like to have another practice game at a different venue before we leave and for such, would like to see a pitch with lots of bounce in the wicket – something that is conducive enough for both the batsmen and bowlers.

“With that in mind, I would also love to see the fast bowlers back their spinners more in the bowling department, especially Permaul and Devendra Bishoo who did not play this game, as he is under the weather with influenza.”

Seeram is also hoping to have a net session under the lights at the Banks DIH ground, if that would be possible, seeing that Guyana’s first game against Trinidad and Tobago will be played under the lights in Antigua.

“The balls that will be used for the night games are not here as yet. It is not the regular white ones, but pink and I am hoping they can arrive in time, so that we can have a few sessions under the lights and if possible, a game with the Banks DIH ground being the only venue that is conducive enough for such in the unavailability of the national stadium.”

West Indies ‘A’ team speedster Brandon Bess sent down a whopping 23 no-balls in the game and according to Seeram, it is of concern to the management team, but at the same time they are working with him on rectifying the problem.

“We asked him to bowl fast, even faster than before as we know he can do same and it was evident on such a flat wicket here, but the no-ball problem is of major concern to us. We have been working on it during the encampment period and we will be doing the same when the guys re-enter the camp early in the New Year, after the festive season.

According to Seeram, it would have been disrespectful to him if he did not compliment the guys on their fitness level and having done such, expressed kudos to Cricket Development Officer of the GCB Reon King and his team for doing a satisfactory job.