HEAD coach of the Guyana Amazon Warriors, Roger Harper, yesterday, told Chronicle Sport the local-based players who have commenced the preparatory encampment period the day before are very enthusiastic and willing to work.

“The purpose of this camp is to get the players together, to get them in the best possible shape physically, technically, tactically and mentally ahead of the CPL. “We wanted to get the players together so we could do remedial work on their game and continue to set plans going forward and what is expected of them.
“Today is the second day, but things are going pretty well, with the players being enthusiastic and willing to work hard, while being very receptive and that’s all I can ask for, while we have been very fortunate with the weather being kind to us and I hope that continues,” said Harper.
Trevon Griffith, Veerasammy Permaul, Steven Jacobs, Navin Stewart, Ronsford Beaton, Robin Bacchus and Leon Johnson, along with the six Under-19 players in Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Shimron Hetmyer, Kemo Paul, Kevin Paul, Daniel Basdeo and Avishkar Persaud, were yesterday going through some warm-up drills by the team’s physical instructor.
Asked to reflect on the pre-preparatory encampment work he had done with four of the local-based players in Bacchus, Jacobs, Griffith and West Indies T20 all-rounder Christopher Barnwell approximately three weeks ago, Harper said it was advantageous for them in many ways.
“It means that these players can hit the ground running, as they have been doing some physical conditioning and skill work, while at the same time playing some cricket for their respective clubs, so that should be a plus for them coming into this camp,” stated Harper.
Looking at the composition of the team, which lost last year’s inaugural tournament final to the Jamaica Tallawahs, 10 of the players have been retained, with recently appointed captain of the West Indies Test team Dinesh Ramdin, being handed the reins of captaincy.
“We are pretty happy with the team that we have. In fact we think it is one that is capable of being successful this time around. I know what to expect and what we have to look for from certain players. Since last year everyone gelled well and showed good team spirit we are expecting a good transition this year”,
Speaking on the specific areas of target during the various sessions with the respective cricketers, Harper said, “With individual players they will be areas that we will naturally look to zoom in on, but generally we want to gear the players and the squad as a whole for T20 cricket.
“We want to ensure that we do the basic things pertaining to T20 cricket as efficiently as possible and then they are some key areas as well that we think we need to take to a different level.”
Harper, who was ably assisted by his elder brother Mark, along with Roderick Lovell and Orin Bailey in the absence of Curtly Ambrose, said the Guyana Amazon Warriors will have two practice games this weekend at the Guyana National Stadium, while their encampment period runs until July 8 before they head off to Grenada for their opening game three days later against Antigua Hawksbill.
Meanwhile, Essequibo Under-17 skipper and all-rounder Kemo Paul has been named in the Guyana Cricket Board Under-17 squad which will leave these shores on Sunday for Tobago where they will compete in the Regional Under-17 tournament.
Quizzed on whether Paul, would be given the okay to leave the preparatory camp, Harper said, “As you know, it is duties for his country so I am sure there will not be a problem with him leaving and rejoining the team on his return.”
Guyana Amazon Warriors comprises Denesh Ramdin (captain), Sunil Narine, Mohammad Hafeez, Lendl Simmons, Martin Guptill, Krishmar Santokie, Christopher Barnwell, Veerasammy Permaul, Ronsford Beaton, Navin Stewart, Steven Jacobs, Leon Johnson, Robin Bacchus, Corey Anderson and Trevon Griffith.
The Under-19 players are Shimron Hetmyer, Akshaya Persaud, Kevin Paul, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Daniel Basdeo and Kemo Paul.
Written By Calvin Roberts