Windies to conduct PCL franchise coaches conference

Bridgetown (Barbados), Sep 4 - Newly-appointed West Indies head coach Phil Simmons, chairman of selectors Clive Lloyd and director of cricket Richard Pybus will sit down with coaches OF the six regional franchises here on Friday, to discuss crucial matters ahead of the Professional Cricket League (PCL), beginning on November.

Pybus, who will chair the meeting, said the conference of the coaches would allow every coach to be on the same page, convey their challenges while also networking to share tips and advice with each other, a news agency reported..

"It's the first sitting of the franchise coaches with us and to get them all aware of what are our common goals as we approach the second season of operation of the PCL," Pybus said on Thursday.

"It is very important that they also have the opportunity to share the challenges which they face at the franchise level, as we work together to build a world-class cricket performance system.

At the end of the day, the goal is for us to be producing international quality players for the West Indies and we need to be able to identify what challenges we face and streamline the system, so that it works efficiently."

He added: "It’s also an opportunity for the coaches to network with fellow coaches and take practical examples back to their franchises, so that we are able to advance West Indies cricket."

Simmons, a former West Indies player, said the conference would be an important one as issues of training methodologies, fitness standards and player evaluations would be discussed.

"This is one of the first things for which I asked when I was appointed the West Indies head coach, so that we can outline to everybody where we want them to be and where we want the players to be," said Simmons.

The conference will be attended by Hendy Springer and Dexter Toppin of Barbados Pride; Esuan Crandon and Rayon Griffith of Guyana Jaguars, Junior Bennett of Jamaica Scorpions, Reginald Benjamin of Leeward Islands Hurricanes, Gus Logie of Trinidad & Tobago Red Force and Ian Allen of Windward Islands Volcanoes.

The PCL, the West Indies Cricket Board's first class season, was staged for the first time last year with Guyana Jaguars lifting the title.

(IANS)