Gibbs urges younsters to grasp opportunities

Keith Arthurton conducts a fielding session © Digicel Enlarge

Lance Gibbs, the former West Indies offspinner, has urged the next generation of Jamaica's cricketers to take advantage of the latest Digicel coaching clinic which took place on Monday.

"I never had the chance to interact and learn from current and former players in an environment like this when I was a youngster," Gibbs said at the opening of the three-day clinic. "Listen carefully to what the coaches have to say to you, take in the tips, put your best foot forward and I am looking forward to you playing for Jamaica and West Indies in the future."

The youngsters, selected as the most outstanding players who participated in a recent national Under-15s tournament, will have three days of intense allround training under Gibbs, Kenny Benjamin and Keith Arthurton with further assistance from current players Chris Gayle and Denesh Ramdin.

"It's a further synthesis of our under 15 talent," Brian Breese, cricket operations officer of the Jamaica Cricket Association said. "Normally we would have moved straight from the competition to selecting a national Under-15 squad but this is a chance for the youngsters to get further coaching and the more emphasis we can put on the development of this age group the better.

"For the kids to work with top coaches such as Benjamin and Arthurton and meet the likes of Gayle and Ramdin is very good for them as well."

This is the third in a series of region-wide clinics. The first two were held over the past two weekends in Barbados and Trinidad & Tobago and the fourth will be held in Guyana.