WI fielding can improve says Aussie

Australian cricket coach Tim Coyle believes there is an urgent need to improve the art of fielding in the Caribbean.

Coyle, State Manager of Game Development at the Tasmanian Cricket Association in Australia, recently facilitated a four-day fielding course, organised by the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) for regional coaches at the Sir Frank Worrell Development Centre in Couva. Speaking to CMC Sports, Coyle said there are many fieldsmen with natural talent in the region, but there is still the need to improve fielding in the West Indies.

Fifteen of the region’s coaches are taking part in the seminar including five ex-West Indies Test cricketers, among them Keith Arthurton, Ezra Moseley, David Williams, Ian Allen and Winston Benjamin. Coyle, who is being assisted by Debideen Mannick, a WICB certified coach, said that the feedback he has gotten from the coaches here, is that the players have lost interest in fielding and do not put enough time and effort into it. “Hopefully, we can get the coaches to understand there is a lot to be gained from being a good fielding team and then we will be making some progress,” Coyle stated. Coyle said the West Indies has tremendous natural talent and ability and should be among the best fielders in the world.