<Bt-5>Logie waits for the top order to get in a groove
ALL facets of Bermuda’s game must be working by the time the team take on former champions Sri Lanka in their first game of the World Cup in Trinidad on March 15.So said national coach Gus Logie this week after Bermuda had lost to Canada and Bangladesh in two warm-up matches in Antigua.
And now Bermuda face their toughest task to date when they meet England on Monday at the Arnos Vale Sporting Complex in St. Vincent in another warm-up match with the last coming against Zimbabwe on March 8 also in St. Vincent.
Bermuda travelled to St. Vincent yesterday and Logie said he wanted to see Bermuda’s top order batsmen playing to their potential.
“I think that the results against Bangladesh and Canada have not been what we would have liked. But (the result) was to be expected against a team like Bangladesh and Canada have been strengthened by the inclusion of a few of their established players,” said Logie.
“But I think that there are some basic things that we need to get right — in particular partnerships up the order. We have not been getting that right. The middle and lower order have been taking us out of a bit of a hole. But having said that we posted scores of 206 and 205 after having been 50-odd for four or five — that shows a bit of courage and commitment by the players as well as character. But I do want to see the top order doing better. We know they are capable of it but it is a matter of them digging a little deeper to come good.
“You can see that some of the established players didn’t get runs and we know they are capable. We know David Hemp is a lot better than 20 runs and 15 runs — Irving (Romaine) better than 0 and 25. We just hope they peak at the right time and are also able to follow the game plan.”
Lionel Cann has been one of Bermuda’s better players hitting 42 against Canada on Monday in Antigua and 33 against Bangladesh on Sunday.
“Lionel has been consistent — he has been scoring in the 30s and 40s and the odd 50. We hope he continues in that vein and keeps pushing forward because he is a crucial member of the team. He can be quite versatile and we hope he continues and make a bit more when he gets in,” said Logie who also praised bowler Delyone Borden who took a wicket against Bangladesh and four against Canada.
“Delyone has bowled very well — he picked up four wickets in that last game and (Kevin) Hurdle is coming along nicely — he is quite fit as well. We have come through these last two games without too many injuries and that is a plus as well and hopefully the confidence will grow.”
Logie said the team have been working on two aspects crucial to the one day game.
“We have been working hard at limiting the extras and we have done well in the last two games. We got those extras down to 10 in that last game (against Canada) and that is what we want.
“We just need the established batsmen to be a bit better at the wicket and also to be running the singles better — be a little more urgent out there. We still have some fine tuning to do. Running those singles are so important for us. Even though we are not the quickest we have to back up a bit more and make sure that we take every possible run.
“(In the game against Canada) we saw the batsmen refuse a few singles and the next ball the batsman got out so we can’t afford to make those mistakes. But the feeling among the players has been good and we have been able to cut off runs and been able to take good catches.”
England will provide the toughest test so far although a question remains whether England captain Michael Vaughan will play any part in the match against Bermuda.
Vaughan said this week that although he is confident of playing a full part in England’s World Cup campaign he may rest a bit during the warm-up matches against Bermuda and Australia in St. Vincent.
The skipper’s recent comeback from knee surgery was curtailed when he suffered a torn hamstring in the Commonwealth Bank Series in Australia.
As a result he has played in just three of England’s last 35 ODIs and admits he will not play in all of their 13-a-side warm-up match against Bermuda.
“There is no way I’ll be playing a full part in the game against Bermuda, I have just got to try and build it up and I am hoping to get some time in the middle. These warm-up games are very much about trying to get everyone right.”
Nevertheless he is relishing the opportunity to captain the side and believes England have a genuine chance of success.
Vaughan said: “Hamstrings are very vulnerable but everything has gone very well in training indoors, the next stage is getting out on to the grass in the warm-up game.
“I have spoken too much about injuries, I just want to play. I don’t enjoy being on the physio’s bed constantly being asked questions about my knee and my hamstring — I am feeling all right.”
The wicket in St. Vincent also remains questionable.
Following the recent completion of the domestic one-day season held at the Arnos Vale Complex the wicket was described as “horribly sluggish and unreliable”. The complex is also behind schedule in the refurbishment which is expected to cost $12 million.
Logie said: “I understand that it is not quite completed and the finals of the local one day competition was held there recently and they complained that the pitch was not up to standard — and that is a concern.
“But that is something we have to deal with — I think whatever is in front of us we have to be able to overcome it. It is out of our control and we have to make sure we are mentally tough enough to handle it.
“All we are focussing on at this time is making sure we are mentally ready.”
With the World Cup around the corner and Bermuda, England, Australia and Zimbabwe landing in St. Vincent for next week’s warm-up matches one local contracting company has been relieved of its duties on construction work at the Arnos Vale Complex.
Michael Gibson, of Gibson Construction Company Ltd., confirmed that his company’s services to put up the double-decker stand had been terminated. The decision comes after an earlier announcement by the Local Organising Committee (LOC) that it was prepared to get tough on contractors. Gibson said the reason given for the termination by the LOC was non-performance. Construction work began on the project in February 2006 and was scheduled to be completed in December last year.
When completed, Arnos Vale promises to be a world-class facility, but in its current condition, it’s in a race against the clock. The double decker stand to hold 5,000 fans is not finished, along with a four-tier media centre, and the playing surface is questionable.
When it is finished the Arnos Vale Playing Field will be widely regarded as one of the most attractive in the world. Its picturesque setting, next to the Caribbean Sea with the Grenadines as a backdrop, has won the praise of leading commentators.
The ground also boasts of adjoining netball and tennis courts which will serve as hospitality areas for the World Cup.
