KINGSTON-Gus Logie is committed to making Jamaica the top regional limited-overs side. The new Jamaica national coach indicated that the main goal of his four-month attachment with the team was "to impart knowledge and expertise" to make the side more competitive in the shorter versions of the game. "I've been speaking to some of the young individuals in the team and they've talked about the thought processes for the limited-overs game, and it's not where it's supposed to be," he said in a Jamaica Observer report.
"It has been observed that Jamaica has not done well at the shorter version of the game. The hustle and bustle of that format is not something they've grasped as yet. "There are some things that I can bring to the table and hopefully, they can reach the level to execute (properly)." Logie, theformer T&T captain and West Indiesbatsman, replaced Junior Bennett in the position at the start of the month. Bennett, who has been appointed to an assistant coach position with the side, has been conditioned the nationalteam, since taking over from currentWest Indiesselector Robert Haynes four years ago.
He has overseen a period in whichJamaicahas been crowned as WICB Regional first-class champions for the last three years. But theteamhas had limited success in the shorter forms of the game, with last July's Caribbean Twenty/20 Championship, and last month's WICB Regional One-day competition being the latest examples, which may have pushed Jamaica officials over the edge. "Once I can bring something so that the players can move forward and maybe have better awareness of what it takes to be a success at Twenty/20 and 50-overs cricket, I think I would have done my job," said Logie. "I think the aim is to try and get Jamaican cricket to another level. This is about helping the youngsters and passing on information and knowledge, and hopefully, players would respond and the coaches would learn something." Logie has had a chequered career, since he moved into coaching, following his retirement from the game 17 years ago.
He took charge of a number ofWest Indiesdevelopment sides, but Canadagave him his first major coaching job, when he took their nationalteamto the 2003 World Cup inSouth Africa. Logiewas appointedWest Indiescoach that same year, after the West Indies Cricket Board identified Bennett King, and then fell-out with the Australian over terms and conditions. It was a difficult period forWest Indiescricket, and his tenure was rarely without criticism. ButLogie still guidedWest Indiesto victory in the 2004 ICC Champions Trophy inEnglandbefore he quit "by mutual consent" shortly after returning home.
Logiethen took charge ofBermuda, but inherited a side with deep-rooted problems, not the least being the poor personal discipline of many senior players. After getting the side to the 2007 World Cup, they were several subsequent setbacks, and he stepped down after they failed to qualify for the 2011 tournament. (CMC)