FIRST-class batsman Tagenarine Chanderpaul has expressed joy at being selected among 16 players to attend a Cricket West Indies High Performance training camp, starting tomorrow at the West Indies High Performance Centre (WIHPC), Coolidge Cricket Ground, Antigua.

Aimed at enhancing their red-ball cricket skills, the training camp runs until the end of the month.

Speaking exclusively with Chronicle Sport yesterday, the former West Indies youth player, who played 35 First-class matches, said he aims to make full use of the opportunity, adding that the Centre is geared towards refining the skills and charting the way forward in the development of the best young cricketers in the region.

“I’m really happy to be part of this. This means so much to me,” he reckoned.

He added, “This is certainly an opportunity for me to better my cricket skills. I’m also looking forward to the other aspects of the programme, because this is not just about cricket, but shaping a well-rounded individual.”

The HPC works in a similar fashion to the ‘A’ teams of other countries, where they will be educated on facets such as mental conditioning, media training, anti-doping, anti-corruption, and other personal development skills.

Meanwhile, Programme Manager of the WIHPC, Graeme West, said the HP training camp was all part of CWI’s ongoing investment into player development to fortify the pool of talent available, which is a key aspect of the CWI strategic plan. It also follows new policies outlined by new president, Ricky Skerritt, and vice president, Kishore Shallow.

“This camp is another opportunity for the CWI selectors to recognise and reward players that have impressed in regional cricket,” he said. “Many of the players selected have come through the CWI talent pathway and have benefitted from our investment in Youth, Under-19, High Performance and ‘A’ Team programmes over the last five years.”

The 23-year-old Chanderpaul, along with Chandrapaul Hemraj, Sherfane Rutherford and Romario Shepherd, are the other Guyanese selected.

Both Rutherford and Shepherd will feature for West Indies ‘A’ in their upcoming home series against India ‘A’ next month.

The full squad for the HPC training reads: Keacy Carty, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Dominic Drakes, Akim Fraser, Keon Harding, Chandrapaul Hemraj, Kavem Hodge, Chemar Holder, Brandon King, Shermon Lewis, Marquino Mindley, Kharry Pierre, Rovman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd and Jeremy Solozano.