Robert Haynes, head coach of the Jamaica Scorpians.
Jamaica Scorpions’ new head coach Robert Haynes has said the players’ fitness levels need to improve to change the fortunes of the regional team.
The Scorpions have struggled to make an impact over the past two years, finishing in the bottom two of the Super 50 Cup and Four-Day Championship. This saw Haynes return to the national team last week, replacing Andrew Richardson.
Fitness issues plague many teams in the Caribbean, but given Jamaica’s recent lack of success, Haynes said extra efforts are being made to ensure players meet the required standards. He said it would be done.
“In the early days, we used to just get together and play cricket for the love of cricket, but now with climate change, it’s so hot for example, fitness is so important. Stamina and endurance. Because in terms of (the match), it’s necessary whether it’s a 50-over match or a four-day match,” he said.
“Athletes need to understand that in terms of world sport, everyone has to do what it takes to get to the top, and fitness has to be part of that. You have to work hard and you have to be prepared.”
However, Jamaica Cricket Association president Dr Donovan Bennett said players would not necessarily be excluded from selection due to physical conditioning criteria.
“There’s such a thing as talent and fitness. In the old days at CWI level, fitness was very important and you had to maintain a certain level of fitness to be picked for the team. But all that was thrown away.” Mr. Bennett said.
“In my estimation, it’s better to have a player who is very talented but not very healthy than to have a very healthy player who has no talent at all. That’s what was happening. We’re currently getting two players a year. We have a system in which the inning test is not a rule-of-thumb test. It’s a diagnostic test that shows you the areas where the player is lacking. Then you give it to the coach and say, ‘This player is good here. You can say, “This is where we are lacking, so please try to improve this deficiency.””
Haynes also said he doesn’t want to overwork his players in a way that hinders the team’s progress.
“As coaches, we have to find a way to strike a balance in how we treat these players, because if you have seven first-class games, Jamaica has seven Because we know we have enough quality fast bowlers to play every match without one or two.” We need to win, but we also have to learn how to manage them to get the best out of them. ”
Mr Bennett also revealed that the partnership with the Faculty of Sport at the UWI Mona Campus will facilitate the recovery of athletes.
“We have a memorandum of understanding with the sports department at UWI and they look after all our fitness and medical matters, so if something happens they can call someone in and do something. It’s not reckless to have to do it. It’s important because it’s in place so if something happens, the players can go to the clinic right away and the rehabilitation process begins. .”
Haynes, his staff and selectors are currently monitoring the players as they prepare for the 2024/25 edition of the Super 50 Cup and the four-day competition over the coming months.
