Hendy?Springer?is back in charge of coaching the Barbados cricket teams in regional competitions.
Springer, the Barbados Cricket Association’s director of coaching, will direct strategy again for the most successful side in the regional game, replacing Emmerson Trotman and Vasbert Drakes.
And he says he will be looking to focus his energies on maintaining Barbados’ cricketing heritage during the Regional 4-Day and Super50 Tournaments.
Barbados, who were beaten by Jamaica in last year’s four-day final after taking first innings lead, will be trying to move on from a disappointing performance in the Caribbean Twenty20 last month.
Springer, a former national off-spinner, said the challenge of playing for Barbados can be a burden for players at times and a uniquely demanding public will not make it any easier in light of the disappointing CT20 performance.
“There is always pressure playing for Barbados, even when you are doing well,” he said. “I think ours will be greater because we are playing the majority of our matches at home and the crowds attending matches in Barbados mark you continuously.
“But I will ask the players to concentrate on the game – on their individual performance first and secondly teamwork.”
Barbados, minus their main bowlers, Fidel Edwards, Kemar Roach, Tino Best and Sulieman Benn, will have a tough opening round in both competitions against Jamaica, starting with a day-night Super50 encounter at Kensington Oval tomorrow. The four-day match follows from Saturday to Tuesday.
Springer said the season will require continuous preparation and the players will have to maximize their time in the nets.
“This season, we will have to schedule our preparation to suit both forms of the game and the approach of the players will be very important . . . how we rotate our players will depend on performance, but we hope to start strongly, so that we can give a number of players an opportunity while winning and improving.”
He said that from watching the Caribbean T20 on television, there were a number of experiences from which he hoped the players have learnt.
“If they do not, we will be left behind. I think we have to use those experiences to move into the 4-Day and the RS50.”
Springer said preparation for the tournaments had gone reasonably well, but there were a few setbacks.
“We were hoping that the players would have played more practice matches. Initially, we had the problem that a number of the players that would be considered for the 4-Day and RS50 teams were also playing the CT20.
“We tried to focus on the 4-Day and RS50 while those players were away, but it was a challenge, and we are making the most of the time we have now.”
Springer said he was excited about the season because there were a number of players of whom he had great expectations.
“Apart from winning the tournaments, success this season would be to see the players take their opportunities and take their game from one level to another,” he said. (EZS/WICB?Media)
