Clubs need to adopt schools

WEDNESDAY, SEP. 26: We need to get back to clubs adopting primary schools in their area to help set up a grassroots programme.

Qualified coaches would be allowed into the schools to talk the students. This will help connect students to the clubs and make them more likely to be a part of the programme.

This way we are getting more young people involved and we are also teaching them about club life. The club can help teach them about the value of community as they will be able to see past presidents and other high ranking members of the executive.

We need to get back to where the club was an active part of the community and not just some place to go and drink.

This will help give the clubs a bigger pool of talent to draw from. Right now, many clubs are just getting the kids who like a sport or their parents used to be or are still involved.

This way we are taking the programme to the kids. We could double the amount of participants if we do this.

This is taking a proactive approach by going to them rather than waiting for them to come to us.

The Bermuda Cricket Board has a good programme but the kids come to them and that’s not enough. We have to go out and get these kids.

I am going to take this to the committee at Warwick and hopefully we can adopt a few schools to increase our base.

T20

Everything is going well with the full members are outdoing the associates and affiliates.

We’re seeing a definite level of difference between the best squads and those at the lower levels.

Of course, I was not surprised to see my team, India, beat England this week.

India is doing well. They beat Afghanistan and have built on that.

They are playing some really good cricket.

Some of India’s best players did not make the team as others like Rohit Sharma and Piyush Chawla made the squad.

We’re going to see the spinners take over as the tournament goes on and the teams from the sub-continent go from strength to strength.

Just because India beat the defending champs England, it does not mean they are favourites to win it now. Any team could win this, including England.

England has a good team but they are having to deal with a lot of controversy in leaving out their best player, Kevin Pietersen. That’s a player you can never replace.

This kind of infighting transfers onto the field and the players end up not giving their best performances because of distractions.

England has trouble with spin and they are being exposed by it here. They have had trouble with it this past year.

At this point, the best team is South Africa. Australia can’t be counted out but South Africa have the best team.

Lionel Cann is player coach of Warwick.