Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation – Barbados
October 22, 2007
The Stanford 20-20 Nevis Pro-Team will be a reality by December 01,2007 Chief Operations Officer of Stanford Twenty20, Barbadian Adrian Griffith has said.
Griffith, who now resides in Antigua after being appointed in June, spent the last three days here, coordinating a two-day camp at Grove Park for 30 invited Nevisian cricketers.
He said St Lucia and Anguilla should be on board by November 1, making Nevis the fourth pro-team to be established in the region. Antigua and Barbuda, established in July, was the first.“We have selected 16 players and six reserves”, Griffith said, minutes after Stanford legend Curtly Ambrose, former Test players Derrick Parry and Stuart Williams and the Nevis Cricket Association (NCA) selectors joined him in completing the selection process on Sunday.
Former West Indies captain Richie Richardson, the legend assigned to Nevis, was unavailable for the week-end camp.
The 30 invited players underwent daily physical training sessions with Antiguan trainer/consultant Evans Jones, net sessions with Parry and Williams under the watchful eyes of Ambrose and Griffith.
They also had group discussions to share the vision and expectations of the programme. Two 20/20 matches were played on Sunday between teams skippered by Akito Willett and Daynason Browne.
Asked about the process moving forward, Griffith said specific circumstances — which he could not reveal at this time — had to be taken back to his board, the team and support staff confirmed and communicated to the NCA, and contracts offered.
“The process should be complete by December 1”, Griffith said.
He said the cricketers will be paid a monthly salary and will be fully engaged 9-5 Mondays to Fridays.
They will be engaged in physical training, net sessions, as well as personal development sessions on such topics as Anger Management, Conflict Resolution, Media Techniques and Financial Management. The players will also be involved in community projects.
“Our aim is to develop a total individual, while providing the WICB and its selectors with a broader base of professionally trained players from which to select”, Griffith said.
“It’s all about West Indian pride”.
Griffith, Ambrose and Jones left the island Monday morning.