The T&T Cricket Board (TTCB) will begin an ambitious fast bowling and wicketkeeping programme today, geared to unearth budding talent and produce the next generation of local cricket stars.
Screening sessions will bowl off today and end on May 17. The screening sessions will be followed by strength and conditioning, and other technical coaching activities will get off the ground on May 27 and end on June 28.
Tarandath Sammy, one of the instructors, who is also an executive member of the TTCB said on Wednesday that the programme will be conducted in three phases. The first phase will be a zonal screening session for Over-17 cricketers, the second screening will be to select a squad of 20 fast bowlers, and in the final session video analysis and strength and conditioning will be done.
Apart from Sammy, who is the chairman of the East Zone of the TTCB and an experienced coach/manager, other key personnel will be involved. Alec Burns, former national fast bowler and current chairman of the national selectors, coach of the national team Kelvin Williams, assistant national coach David Williams, Kumar Rampat (West Indies Cricket Board Territorial Development Officer) and former national batsman Bachan Boochoon will all facilitate the screening sessions.
National coach Williams and Rampat will conduct the video analysis and speed testing of the fast bowlers, while Ronald Rogers, who has been associated with the successful national team, will be in charge of the strength and conditioning sessions.
Sammy stated: "We are hoping that all young cricketers with an eye on their future development will make use of this valuable opportunity and come out and participate. The programme is yet another effort by the TTCB to help our cricketers with the best human resource available to develop and maintain their supremacy in the sport."
Zonal Screening Schedule
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South: Today, Evergreen Ground, 3.30 pm - Facilitators: Randy Mangaroo (contact number: 369-8260), David Williams, Alec Burns, Bachan Boochoon
North-East: Tuesday, Brooklyn Recreation Ground, 3.30 pm, Mitra Ragoonanan (789-9929), Kumar Rampat, David Williams, Bachan Boochoon
Central: May 1, National Cricket Centre, 3.30 pm, Narsingh Rambaran (777-8508), Kelvin Williams, Alec Burns, Bachan Boochoon
East: May 6, 3.30 pm, Hardial Park, Tarandath Sammy (684-9403), Kumar Rampat, David Williams, Bachan Boochoon
South-West: May 8, 3.30 pm, Brendon Ramlal (719-3851), Kelvin Williams, David Williams, Bachan Boochoon
South-East: May 13, Sancho/St Julien, 3.30 pm, Rydell Ramsaran (355-24950), Kumar Rampat, David Williams, Bachan Boochoon
North: May 15, 3.30 pm, Winston Sobers (355.0304), Kumar Rampat, David Williams, Bachan Boochoon
Tobago (1): May 16, Shaw Park, 3.30 pm, John Pollard (721-5839), Kelvin Williams, David Williams, Kumar Rampat
Tobago (2): May 17, Louis D'Or, 10.30 am, John Pollard (721-5839), Kelvin Williams, David Williams, Kumar Rampat
Second Screening
May 23–National Cricket Centre, Balmain, Couva, 3.30 pm.