ICC Cricket World Cup qualifiers undergo video analysis training

Representatives from four of the ICC Associate Member countries taking part in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 are in Chennai today for the first day of a match analysis training workshop.

The course will equip the coaching staff from Bermuda, Canada, Ireland and Scotland with the ability to analyse video action from all of their matches in the build-up to the ICC Cricket World Cup.

In addition the countries will be provided with comprehensive vision and data of the Full Member opponents they will face in group matches in the West Indies next year.

ICC High Performance Manager Richard Done said the week-long workshop would leave the countries with similar analytical resources to the 10 Full Member countries.

"The introduction of this match analysis software through the ICC High Performance Program represents a great leap forward for the Associate Member qualifiers for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007," said Mr Done.

"For the first time they will be able to properly plan, review and analyse their performances in every match that they play. They will also be better placed to plan their tactics for their ICC CWC matches as they will have specific information about the teams and players they are likely to face."

Three of the workshop attendees will travel directly from Chennai to their first analytical assignments. Ireland Head Coach Adrian Birrell and Steve Seligmann from Scotland will join up with their junior squads at the ICC U/19 Cricket World Cup in Colombo while Lorenzo Tucker will meet up with the Bermuda team on their tour of United Arab Emirates. The other attendee is Derek Perrera from Canada.

The workshop will be conducted by Meru Sports who will also provide software and hardware to the teams to enable them to conduct their own analysis.

As well as Scoremare match analysis software, Meru Sports will also provide the countries with siliconCoach (a video analysis tool for assisting with assessing and refining player technique) and timeWarp (a program that allows replayed video to be delayed so that players can have immediate feedback during practice or matches).

This initiative has been co-funded by the countries and the ICC High Performance Program. The Netherlands and Kenya were unable to send representatives to the workshop but will receive similar training ahead of their participation in the ICC CWC 2007.