Cummins takes Under-19 coach role

Pubudu Dassanayake, Canada's coach, has announced a new coaching team who will take charge across the various levels of the game.

Shaun Miller who played minor counties cricket in England will be the deputy national coach and he will be responsible for Western Canada which includes the areas of British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan. He holds an ECB Level 3 qualification.

Anderson Cummins, the former West Indies and Canada opening bowler, will look after the Under-19s, who have not qualified for the World Cup in Malaysia this month but will definitely take part in the 2012 event as hosts. Farooq Kirmani who represented Canada in the '80s, will be undertaking the future of the juniors, in looking after the Under-15s. George Codrington, who represented Canada at last year's World Cup in the West Indies, will undertake the women's program.

The trio do not, as yet, have formal coaching qualifications, but do have extensive experience of developing players' skills over many years. "All three have played a considerable amount of international cricket - in Anderson's case, at Test level," a Canada spokesperson told Cricinfo. "It is important for Canadian cricket that we maximize this type of expertise which exists within the country."

Geoffrey Crosse will resume his role as technical analyst, team with specific skills in video analysis. "He has formal, college-level qualifications in that area," said the spokesman, "which is becoming increasingly important for us."

There has been a change in the selectors' panel too, as Errol Townshend has tendered his resignation as national selector. Richard Hawes, Chris James, Bhan Deonarine and Arvind Patel will soon be joined on the panel by a replacement Ontario representative. The Ontario Cricket Association will recommend a replacement to the CCA. The CCA will then appoint a replacement who will be formally elected to the position at the next AGM.

Their big job this year will be to select the side they believe will help Canada win the Twenty20 World Cup Qualifiers in Ireland in August. This will be Canada's singular focus for the foreseeable future, with two teams from six going through to the World Cup. Project Stingray, as it has been called, will be led by Dassananayake and moves into high gear immediately.

The efforts will include the following: an expansion of indoor winter training, with indoor nets and indoor games being played three times a week; specific Twenty20 training; much usage of DVD footage; input from qualified sports psychologists; and the inclusion of promising Canadian Under-19s in the process.