Ramkessoon: Red Force players working on technical aspects

MEMBERS of the TT Red Force cricket team are continuing their training sessions at the National Cricket Centre, Balmain, Couva.

Dudnath Ramkessoon, cricket operations manager of the TT Cricket Board (TTCB), said in an interview on Tuesday that the players will be putting a lot of focus on their technical aspects since local and regional cricket was put on hold in March due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“The boys have been training in smaller groups with both (coaches) David Williams and Kelvin Williams, trying to stay within the health protocols,” said Ramkessoon. “We have divided them into groups, but they have been training. Work is going on with the players and the two coaches.”

Ramkessoon, the former TT batsman, said, “The number of people will possibly increase (this) month because the CPL (Caribbean Premier League) players got a break after their tournament. They’ll be joining the team, so we’ll have to split up (the groups) again. But we’ll wait to see what happens when the Prime Minister makes his announcement in the middle of October if the groups could increase.”

The TTCB chief operations manager said that players (both contracted and those on the fringes) are training at Couva three days a week, as they prepare for the 2020-21 season.

Asked how the players are coping with the covid19 situation, since they have only been engaged in training sessions, Ramkessoon responded, “As human beings, it’ll always be difficult to be training, not knowing when this thing will end.

“I think, so far, they recognise that if they’re uncertain about when the next set of games will start, at least they’re trying to do the corrective work and all the other work necessary to keep in train so, at a moment’s notice, when the dates are known, they’ll be prepared,” he continued.

“It’s not easy but these (players) have been around a little while and they’re professionals. They need to recognise that they need to get themselves fit and work in the technical aspects of their game, so they’re preparing for whenever the bell tolls.”

The TTCB was involved in a search for a new men’s coach before operations halted due to covid19.

Ramkessoon said, “That is still on hold. We have our two coaches (David and Kelvin Williams) working with the players.”