By Neto Baptiste
Successful West Indies fast bowler, Sir Curtly Ambrose, said he has enjoyed his recent sting as specialist bowling consultant during the Cricket West Indies Rising Stars Under-19 High Performance Camp in Antigua during the months of August.
According to the Antiguan, he prefers to work with cricketers at that age as it presents the opportunity to ensure they develop the proper techniques at an early age.
“I really enjoy coaching, especially at the youth level because I think this is where it starts, at the youth level. Once we get to the international level I am seeing too many deficiencies in international cricketers from the Caribbean which simply means that something didn’t go right in their development. I believe that as long as I am involved with the youth that I can get these guys to be better cricketers so that when they get to the First Class level and ultimately the international level, they are not too far off,” he said.
The Antiguan, one of the greatest fast bowlers of all-time with 405 Test wickets and another 225 in ODIs, said the young players made his job extremely easy giving their inquisitive nature.
“These guys are a bunch of good guys to work with and they question me about cricket every single day in terms of the past and how I did it what it takes and so it makes my job a lot easier because they are willing to learn and they are seeking knowledge so that is very important. They are coachable and that is key,” Sir Curtly said.
The Under-19s recently returned from a tour of England where they were beaten 4-2 in a six-match series against the England Under-19s.
England Under-19s won the opening match by 166 runs before taking the second match by just one run. West Indies rebounded in the third contest to win my two wickets before England won the fourth contest by nine wickets. West Indies again rebounded to win the fifth match by two wickets before England secured the series win with a nine-wicket victory in the sixth and final contest.