WI U19 coach Nurse: Trinidad training camp vital ahead of World Cup

The West Indies Rising Stars Under-19 squad will use the next two weeks in Trinidad to build on their collaborative, competitive and personal strengths as they ramp up preparations ahead of the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup in Sri Lanka from January 13-February 4.

The 15-member team arrived in Trinidad on Sunday for a special training camp led by head coach Rohan Nurse, assistant coach Rohan Clarke and manager Brendon Ramlal.

They will play three 50-over matches against TT’s Under-23 team and two against USA’s U19 squad, who will also feature at the World Cup. All matches will be played at the National Cricket Centre in Balmain, Couva.

Nurse hailed the importance of the camp and said his team plans to maximise this opportunity to work closely with the players since they are rarely together as a unit.

The last time the squad met up was for a tour of Sri Lanka in August. There, they played three Youth One-Day Internationals, with the hosts winning the series 2-1. The U19 maroon also played two Youth Tests, drawing the first and losing the second. This tour was their first time playing together.

Looking ahead at the U19 World Cup, the next two weeks are crucial, said Nurse.

“This series (in Trinidad) provides an opportunity for them to build on the experience gained in Sri Lanka in terms of the roles they have within the squad, as well as the way we would like to play.

“The next two weeks also provides opportunity for us to build on the team culture which we started to create. It’s vital and important that we maximise whatever time we have together.”

West Indies U19s are in Group B, alongside England, South Africa and Scotland. Group A comprises defending champions India, Bangladesh and USA. Group C is made up of Australia, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe and Namibia. Group D has Pakistan, New Zealand, Afghanistan and Nepal.

Unlike the other competing nations, West Indies’ U19s hail from various Caribbean countries and must capitalise on every moment they have together to bond as a team. This, Nurse said, remains a critical element for the squad’s overall growth.

“One of the main goals would be for us to be able to execute our plans with greater consistency as well as to build on the culture we’ve established. It’s difficult when players come from different territories, different ethnic and religious backgrounds, and one of the biggest objectives from inception was to ensure we create a unified unit, and that has been going very well.”

“It is key for us to continue that because there are times where it’s going to get difficult and you need to know the person next to you is pulling in the same direction and towards the same goals.”

After this camp, the team regroups once more, in Antigua, from December 10-20, for another round of training sessions. They part ways for the Christmas season and then reunite for their trip to Sri Lanka.

During the holiday break, Nurse and his coaching staff have outlined specific training routines for each territory/set of players to work on.

“For the two weeks before the World Cup, we’ll have constant communication among the staff and players to carry out within their individual gatherings, and that would be implemented.

“I am certain that, given what is in store at the beginning of the year, that every effort will be made to ensure these boys continue to work as hard as they are, with discipline as well, in order to be fully prepared.”

West Indies U19s last won the World Cup in 2016 but have never made it back to the final since. But over the years, they’ve been able to transition players from this division to the U23 level, and even List A.

Nurse believes the U19 camps remain ideal sources of future West Indies talents and are integral in helping players gradually merge into higher competitive categories, with the ultimate goal of breaking into the senior team.

He said the camp “is a key element of their development. Although winning is one of the ultimate goals, quite a few players have graduated from the U19 programme into the senior set-up. That is a big plus and something you want to continue.

“We’ve been able to, out of this group thus far, seen some players elevate to List A cricket. Jordan Johnson, Isai Thorne and Jewel Andrews, and now Johnson and Thorne are representing the academy in the upcoming series against Ireland.

“It’s a good sign that we’re able to continue to produce players that are ready to make the step up. This tournament is a big transition period for a lot of the players.”

West Indies U19s begin their World Cup quest against Scotland at the R Premadasa International Cricket Stadium, Colombo, on January 17.