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Sports Reporter
Zimbabwe senior men’s cricket team coach Justin Sammons is excited about the talent and hunger shown by upcoming cricketers.
Sammons believes that the experienced players in the national team set-up have a key role in helping with a soft landing at national level.
He is overseeing the new cycle of the national team as the country prepares for the 2027 World Cup, which it will co-hosts with Namibia and South Africa.
The South African born coach is excited about the talent and hunger of the new generation of players and believes the old guard has a key role to play in helping the upcoming players to settle in the national team.
“The fact that there are so many young talented and hungry young players is absolutely exciting and you can see the hunger when you are playing.
“They really want to do well for the country and break up into the set-up and it is very exciting.
“As for the senior players, the more experienced players having them around is very important because at the end of the day you are always going to learn more in the middle than in the nets.
“So having those types of players with that type of experience is very important for the building process,” said Sammons.
Summons was appointed in June and brought his backroom staff which includes Dion Ebrahim (batting coach), Charl Langeveldt (bowling coach) with Ravish Gobind and Curtly Diesel coming in as Strategic Performance coach and Strength and Conditioning coach respectively.
The technical team has already overseen two series since their appointment and Sammons believes that the technical has since settled in their new roles for the national team.
“We have settled now and all the coaches have now settled in and there is good understanding of the players now and the system,” he said.
He outlined his short term and long term plan that he has for the Chevrons.
Summons revealed that part of his long term plans are to build a competitive side for the upcoming T20 World Cup and the ODI World Cup to be played on home soil while his short term plans are to improve the team as they build onto the long term plans.
“Our long term plans are based on the upcoming World Cups and bringing standard performances at those world cups achieving knockout stages short term plans is making small improvements,” said Summons.
With ZC ensuring that upcoming players are given international exposure to help.
“The various tours that the teams have undertaken are so important for the young players.
“We had a group that was in the UK. They gained so much experience having spent two months playing under different conditions and top opposition.
“The programme is a massive and exceptionally good, emerging side that played SA. It gives exposure and sort of level up in the sense.
“The tours are about bridging the gap between domestic cricket and international cricket.
“They bridge the gap and give players the experience and exposure at a slightly higher level,” said Sammons.
Online Reporter