Gajnabi, Grimmond among Guyanese selected for training camp

TWO FOUR West Indies leading cricketers will gather in Antigua this weekend, for a training camp that is bowling tomorrow at The Coolidge Cricket Ground (CCG).
The camp will be the first face-to-face assignment with the players for new head coach Courtney Walsh and his technical support team, who will run a three-week high-performance program for a mix of senior players and new faces.
West Indies Cricket (CWI) has been working closely with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Sport in Antigua and Barbuda to organize logistics and agree the safety protocols for the start and duration of the camp.

All players and support staff were tested twice with negative COVID-19 results prior to their arrival in Antigua. Players and support staff will train and live in a biosafety bubble throughout the camp, during which time four more tests will be conducted.
The preparation camp, which runs from January 9 to February 1, boosts the year’s activities for the women’s team, with the International Cricket Council (ICC) World Cup Qualifiers taking place in Sri Lanka this month July. .

Walsh said: “It’s really nice that the camp can be held during this challenging period of COVID-19, as the players are excited about getting down to work. We have a good mix of youth and experience coming into the camp and I am particularly looking forward to working with some of the younger talents we have come through. ”
Coach Walsh will be joined by an experienced team of qualified coaches including former West Indies players Robert Samuels and Corey Collymore. The camp will also be overseen by High Performance Manager, Graeme West.
Walsh added, “Also on the coaching side, we have Samantha Lynch joining us and her coaching certification was Level 3 coaching at the same time as I did, so I know her very well.

“This camp will be a good experience for her, and I expect her to quickly become an asset to the team. We also have Steve Liburd who went to England with the team last September, to help with the field and Ryan Austin to focus on our spinners. I think we have a good combination of players and coaches and I’m looking forward to a great camp. “
Among the 24 players who have called for the camp are some world-class performers: Stafanie Taylor, Deandra Dottin, Hayley Matthews, Anisa Mohammed and Shakera Selman.
Japhina Joseph, a right-handed batsman from St. Vincent and The Grenadines, is the newest member to be invited to training camp. He impressed the selectors during the CWI Under-19 tournament in 2019.

Qiana Joseph from the Windward Islands returns to the training squad along with teenager Steffi Soogrim from Trinidad and Tobago.
Full Squad: Aaliyah Alleyne, Reniece Boyce, Shemaine Campbelle, Shamilia Connell, Britney Cooper, Deandra Dottin Afy Fletcher, Cherry-Ann Fraser, Shabika Gajnabi, Sheneta Grimmond, Shawnisha Hector, Chinelle Henry, Qiana Joseph, Japhina Joseph, Kyshona Knight, Hayley Matthews, Natasha McLean, Anisa Mohammed, Chedean Nation, Karishma Ramharack, Kaysia Schultz, Shakera Selman, Steffi Soogrim and Stafanie Taylor.
Team Management Unit: Courtney Walsh (Head Coach), Robert Samuels (Assistant Coach), Corey Collymore (Assistant Coach), Ryan Austin (Assistant Coach), Steve Liburd (Assistant Coach), Samantha Lynch (Assistant Coach), Neil Barry (Physiotherapist) ), Shayne Cooper (S&C Trainer), Amanda Johnson (Thinking Skills Trainer), Gary Belle (Team Analyst), Sheena Gooding (Team Manager), Naasira Mohammed (Media and Content Officer)

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