January 30, 2013 at 5:54 p.m.
Straight off the bat / A player’s perspective

We can be proud of our performance in the Americas championship


By Lionel Cann- | Comments: 0 | Leave a comment

We lost our Americas title in Florida but we can still hold our heads high.

Apart from 15 overs against the U.S., we played some very good cricket, particularly when you consider the build-up.

America and Canada came in with a big advantage having played in the West Indies tournament in Guyana and that showed. Overall I thought it was one of the better team performances that we have had recently.

Perosonally, it was a good tour for me.

I think my best tour was probably the World Cricket League last year where I scored five 40s in a row against the top Associates, but this one was right up there.

I was playing a very different role here - opening the innings.

It was something we had planned from a few months out. We expected the pitches to be slow and coach told me well in advance that he wanted me to try and get us some runs up-front.

I did some intense training in the nets working with Clevie Wade and Clay Smith, going up against the bowling machine and practicing cutting and hooking and it paid off.

It feels good to be in the zone like that. There are times as a batsman when everything is going right for you - your feet are moving well, your body feels good, everything is coming off the middle of the bat.

Usually it lasts for an innings, this time it lasted all week. When you are in the zone like that you have to take advantage because it won't always be that easy.

Next tour we all start at zero runs and zero wickets.

We've got a Development Squad going off to Argentina next week but I won't be involved. As one of the senior players I'll be sitting it out and trying to let the body recover.

It was a struggle this tour after picking up a thigh injury in the first game and I really have to thank the physio Craig Brown for getting me through. I had acupuncture, ice baths, everything to get me through.

I'll be back for the tours in the New Year building up to the World Cup qualifiers.

After this tour I'm more confident about our chances than I have been for a while.

The front six is looking like a strong unit. We've had problems at the top of the order in the past but Chris Douglas and I got us off to a good start in every game on this tour, Glenn Blakeney has come back in and done really well - I never doubted what he was capable of, then we have Hemp, who was in good form, Stephen Outerbridge, who has really come of age, and Irving, who we know will come good soon.

We could still have a few additions. It wouldn't hurt to have someone like Janeiro Tucker in there but we'll have to see what happens in the new year.

In the bowling department I was really impressed with my St. David's teammate Delyone Borden. He's a real attacking bowler, he turns it big and he is becoming Bermuda's premier spinner.

Sluggo's still doing great, we could use a couple of extra fast bowlers, but I think the team is looking well balanced right now.

We still have work to do on the mental game.

In the new year we need to concentrate on making sure we don't let opponents off the hook, that we take teams out of the game when we are on top.

I'd love to see a few more players come back to the squad and increase the competition for places too, but what we can't lose is the strong team spirit we have right now.

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