Guyana Amazon Warriors’ one-week pre-season camp commenced on Wednesday at the National Stadium, Providence with the management using it as an opportunity to test their fitness. The intense training is ahead of their first match of the Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) on August 5 against St Kitts and Nevis Patriots in Florida.
Several of the players arrived late Tuesday to assemble for the camp, which is headed by Coach Roger Harper and Assistant Coach Esuan Crandon.
The other members of the support staff are Jason Pilgrim (Physio); Clinton Jeremiah (Fitness Coach) and Kurlyn Smith-Nicholas (Masseuse).
Crandon, in addressing the media on Wednesday, contended that an early start to preparation would be critical since it would give those in charge a chance to assess each player.
“Preparation is always important; we have a week together, so we are trying to put in everything we can to get them gelling together.”
The team will continue to have sessions throughout the week to judge their fitness. Responding to questions regarding their quest for a maiden championship, the Coach underscored the importance of taking it one day at a time, and cementing the basic skills needed for success which essentially means being consistent.
Given the team’s first match is at 11:00hrs in Florida, in conditions that are expected to be humid, Fitness Coach Jeremiah stated that they would be having practice sessions at the aforementioned time to build fitness and he was confident that the players would adapt due to the experiences of playing before at the Central Broward Regional Park.
After playing in Florida, the team head to Trinidad and Tobago, then St Lucia before returning home for four matches.
On the 17th of August, they play the Jamaica Tallawahs; after which they play arch-rivals Trinbago Knight Riders two days later. The Warriors then clash with the Barbados Tridents on the 20th, and will have their final home match against the St Lucia Zouks on the 22nd.
The Amazon Warriors squad comprises Martin Guptill, Rayad Emrit, Sohail Tanveer, Babar Azam, Jason Mohammed, Chadwick Walton, Rashid Khan, Steven Taylor, Keon Joseph, Gajanand Singh, Roshon Primus, Veerasammy Permaul, Assad Fudadin, Steven Jacobs, Steven Katwaroo, Keemo Paul and Muhammad Ali Khan. (Akeem Greene)
