Rampaul Pleads for Bowling Coach

Having experienced the value of a specialist bowling coach during his debut tour to Zimbabwe and South Africa, teenage West Indies fast bowler Ravi Rampaul believes the position should be filled on a fulltime basis.

"I would like to see a fulltime bowling coach indeed because, in Zimbabwe and South Africa, Kenny Benjamin was there and he helped me a whole lot. With the young fast bowlers coming up I am sure it would be a good investment to have with the team for him to assist the young fast bowlers," Rampaul said.

The 19-year-old, who has played in 14 ODIs for the regional side, is the most senior fast bowler in squad (in terms of ODIs played) and he is very aware of the importance of having a bowling coach.

During an online chat with international journalists, Rampaul praised the work on Benjamin on tour. "Kenny worked with the bowlers on our line and length, he shared his experience with us and he gave us information about injuries related to fast bowling."

According to Rampaul, it is near impossible for head coach Gus Logie to give full attention to the batsmen and bowlers in the West Indies squad. "The bowling coach would basically work with the bowlers only and the head coach would work with the batsmen and on fielding so that the bowlers would have the special attention of someone who knows more about bowling."

Rampaul, one of the brightest fast bowling prospects in the Caribbean, said it was "somewhat hard" for the bowlers to be without a bowling coach. "It is hard because when you want to go to the nets to work on a specific thing you cannot because you only have one coach and it will be hard for him with the 12 other guys also needing attention."

There are times, Rampaul said, when Logie has been unavailable, forcing the bowlers to make the most out of the situation. "I wait until the coach has some time or basically I would just go and work with a batsman in the nets?I think we should have a specialist bowling coach but right now we do not and we have to work with what we have."

Asked if he expected a bowling coach to make the trip to England, Rampaul sounded a call for the authorities to consider such a move. "Maybe there will be one but I do not know. I think it will be a good idea to have one for that tour because it is a long one."

It has been several months since the WICB advertised for an assistant coach but the position is yet to be filled. In recent months, Kenny Benjamin served as bowling coach for the Zimbabwe/South Africa tours while Courtney Walsh was recruited to assist during the camp that preceded the recent home series against England.

According to well-placed sources, the WICB has been toying with the idea of hiring former opener Adrian Griffith to fill the dual role of assistant coach/analyst. Griffith, a computer technician, would replace Garfield Smith when Smith's contract expires but such a move would still leave the team without a specialist bowling coach.

The issue is expected to be discussed at the WICB's annual general meeting scheduled for Guyana in mid-June.