<Bt-4z26>Under-19 team off to Sobers tourney
TOP young cricketers Rodney Trott and Malachi Jones will lead Bermuda’s national Under-19 team to what will hopefully be a qualifying spot at the 2008 Under-19 World Cup.The team, coached by Arnold Manders, Andre Manders and Clevie Wade, head out in three weeks for the Sir Garfield Sobers International Schools Cricket Tournament in Barbados where they will take on quality sides from around the world.
Trott, the captain, said yesterday: “Our goal is to qualify for the Under-19 World Cup. There have been 20 players training consistently.”
Arnold Manders said that this will be the third time the team has competed in the Sobers tourney but the preparations have been better this time around.
He said: “We are better prepared this year. The players have been training hard since January. In fact they didn’t even touch a bat or a ball for the first month.”
Manders said the coaches have had the players working with weights and also at the track to improve their fitness.
And he also pointed out that by having the Under-19 team play in the Premier league has also helped them.
“Playing in the league this year also helped assist them. They have been playing together now for two months whereas before when we went down there they had not played a match together and it took two or three matches for them to gell and start understanding their roles. Now when we go they all know their roles and I expect us to gell from the very first match onwards.”
Trott said: “It is a good thing that we are in the Premier League. When I first heard we were going into the league I was iffy about it — but it has been good thing. I want the public to really support us.”
Jones, the vice captain of the team, said: “In recent years when we went down (to the Sobers tournament) we had a squad full of stars but the team had not really gelled. I feel that this team is not the strongest in recent years but we have a togetherness and we understand our roles. I feel we play as a unit. We will produce the goods down in Barbados. We have been putting in hard work. Each player knows their role in the team — they are ready to do what it takes and produce the goods for the team.”
