Hunt for the dream (19 March 1999)

19 March 1999

Hunt for the dream

Iresh Zaker

It was late afternoon at the BKSP. The Bangladeshi team cricketers had just concluded a practice match between teams formed from the national squad. The side captained by Aminul Islam had beaten Khaled Mahmud's side by 41 runs. Players were rather wilted by the searing heat of the day.

I approached Bangladeshi coach Jahangir Ratan and asked him if I could interview the newly arrived Australian physio Alan Hunt. Ratan replied in the affirmative. The 31-year-old physiotherapist from Melbourne and I got introduced and we sat down on the ground as the weary players dispersed and headed for their living quarters. The details of our conversation are given in the interview below.

Hunt and I talked on March 10. He had been in Bangladesh for about a week then. During my subsequent visits to BKSP, I found that players were responding very positively to the physio's treatment. Apparently, Hunt had instituted quite a few changes in the training schedule. He had introduced new exercises such as playing touch football. Players viewed the new training system as no less strenuous but more versatile and enjoyable than before.

Moreover, the physio met with each player individually after daily practice. They discussed injury issues. Hunt helped with immediate recuperation and provided stress relief operations like messages. And players really appreciated the exercise. Overall, the Bangladeshi cricketers were highly pleased with the Aussie Doc.

Daily Star Sport (DSS): What do you see as your main role as a physio of the team?

Alan Hunt (AH): The major role for a physio is to provide education for the players. Tell the players about injury management and how to look after themselves. From what I have heard, in the past, there were a lot of injuries that Bangladeshi players did not know how to deal with. I am trying to rectify that for now.

I also have to look into the fitness side of things as well. I well conduct some fitness tests. Look at fitness levels and try to improve upon them. The main aim that I have is to try and set up a programme on injury prevention. I think that is the key in the long term. A lot of such work is going on in Australia. I would like to set up a system of keeping records for when I am not here. However, continuity will be a problem. Things need to be followed up and implemented and the players have a huge part to play in that.

DSS: There seems to be an apparent sensibility about being in good physical shape among our cricketers. How have you found the real level of awareness to be in that respect?

AH: I think they are quite aware of it. I just don't think they have the correct sort of training or structure set up for training properly in regards to proper weight training and fitness programmes. I don't think they have that system in place. They are a little bit behind the eighth ball in that respect. As compared to Australia where they have the facilities and everything in proper regimentation complimented by a implementation programme.

I think there is awareness among players just not the correct framework to convert that awareness into suitable action.

DSS: Conditions are very different in Bangladesh as compared to Australia. Do you see yourself changing the way you conduct physical training in view of the aberrant environment?

AH: I agree that conditions are different but the physical training programmes are very similar. The main difference is the heat and humidity here. I have to be careful that the players maintain their fluids as much as possible which is a really big part of the game. If a player gets dehydrated it can dramatically affect performance. At this moment I am stressing upon the players' fluid intake. I am trying to keep that up as much as I can. That is the initial thing that I have set up.

DSS: Happy with your sponsors Pepsi? Yeah. So far!

DSS: You have coached the Australia "A" team and the Under-19 team. Tell us something about that.

AH: I have been on a couple of tours out of Australia. I went to Pakistan with the Under-19 team for the Youth World Cup and I went with the "A" team to Scotland and Ireland. I was also with the latter squad when they played a few games against Sri Lanka as preparation for the World Series this year.

DSS: What do you think is the main difference between Australian cricketers and Bangladeshi players?

AH: I have not been here for long and therefore do not know too much about the cricketers here. But I think that the main thing that separates the players from those in Australia is the level of professionalism. Because Australian players have more experience and greater exposure, they are more adept in dealing with different situations on and off the cricket field. This applies to playing situations and things such as injury management.

However, I was very impressed by their game. The fielding and athleticism was especially good. I think Greenidge has a lot to do with that.

DSS: Australian players come through a very rigorous and methodical system, whereas our players have sprung up from allover. Still we observe a lot of injuries among those in the Australian side. Why is that?

AH: Yes I think the infrastructure is very good. In terms of injury, I think that it is just a matter of playing too much cricket overall. Due to the design of the Australian system, the players are often over worked. Consequently, they sustain many over use injuries. However, the injury scenario I improving a lot. They now have a fitness adviser in the Australian team and complimentary structure set up for him. Hopefully, in the long term, we will be able to avoid injuries someone like Jason Gillespie sustained.

DSS: We have seen some physios stay with the team for lengthy periods. The most striking example of that is the West Indian physio Dennis Waite, who has been with the team since 1976-77. What do you think is the long-term role of a physio in the Bangladesh team? Would you be required in the long term?

AH: I definitely think that Bangladesh team needs some physical training structure, if not a physio, for the long term. The problem for me, personally, is that in my short stay here I cannot ensure that the structures are well set up and implemented. I think in the long term, the physios have to work with the coaches, monitor the players, and design fitness programmes according to player training and practice programmes. The long term need or a physio in Bangladesh also depends on where Bangladesh wants to be in the long term. If they want to play better teams like Australia then they need to step up the physical training process for the players and need to have an effective physical conditioning programme in place. The players need to be more professional in their physical upkeep if the national team wants to succeed in the elevated arena.

DSS: Your appointment as physio is till the World Cup in May. Conditions in England are very different that in Bangladesh. The weather is chillier, wetter and windier. Do you have anything different planned to get the players adapted to the different conditions out there?

AH: No, not really. I just need to take care that the players are warmed up well. I cannot change the fitness level in such a short period. I just want to ensure that players maintain their fitness level. Try to prevent any unwarranted and avoidable injuries. It really is too short a time to actually improve their physical fitness. This is because of the itinerary as well. Bangladesh will play a lot of cricket before the World Cup. It is very difficult at this stage to implement all the training programmes because we will be travelling so much. I just want to record the fitness strategies in regards to individual players and in general and pass it onto local coaches as much as possible, so that they can implement them in the longer term.

DSS: So you are pretty much ER (Emergency room) for now?

AH: Yes, I really want the players to use me as much as possible. I want them to treat me as an information centre. I liken my stay to an education programme. I am trying to teach players how to maintain their fitness by themselves. I can suggest the kind of exercises they need to perform, the food they need to eat and things like that. I think in the past, proper information regarding physical upkeep, was difficult to for the players to obtain. I want to provide them with such knowledge as much as I can.

DSS: How do you view your job as Bangladesh physio? Do you find it exciting?

AH: Yeah, one of the reasons that I accepted the job was because I expected it to be a challenge. The players are also really good. They are fantastic. They are very attentive and eager to receive any knowledge that is passed onto them. They also give me a lot of feedback about themselves. It is good to be able to come to an undeveloped nation and be able to contribute something, especially when there is so much zeal about cricket here.

DSS: What do you think of the Bangladeshi people in general?

AH: Oh they are wonderful! It has been great. They are very courteous and kind. So far, it has been a marvelous experience.

DSS: Your contract with the BCB expires after the World Cup. What are your plans after that?

I will be on holiday for a week or two and then back to Australia.

DSS: Continue working a physio?

Yes. I work back in Australia as a physio and fitness adviser for an Australian Rules football club. I plan to continue doing that.

DSS: Are there any similarities between fitness training for Australian Rules football and cricket? Does anything carry on from one sport to another?

AH: No, there isn't too much similarity. Australian football involves more continuous running as opposed to cricket that requires running in short bursts. I tried to introduce touch football to the players to work on their sprinting ability. Teaching them to play touch football has been one of the bigger challenges since I got here.

DSS: Do you miss Australia now that you are so far away from home? Do you miss friends and family?

The harder thing about coming here is that I am blocked off from the world a little bit. I miss the little things like watching Australian TV and getting a snack whenever I want and of course my friends. But that really does not worry me too much.

DSS: What about the food here? Are you having any trouble adjusting?

No, not really. There is a lot of rice and curry, which I am not very used to. We sporadically eat rice in Australia. I guess I have to be careful about what I eat and water sources but so far it has been pretty good, touchwood.

DSS: Mr Hunt, thank you very much for your time and effort in giving the interview.

AH: My pleasure.

Source :: The Bangladesh Daily Star (https://www.dailystarnews.com)