NEIL MACRAE has said that Jersey’s morale is very high, despite a difficult few days endured in Namibia.
It was always going to be tough to transfer their 50 over form seamlessly across to T20 – which proved the case with four warm-up defeats from four.
However, MacRae was keen to highlight that conditioning was the main reason for the side’s stint in the The Land of Many Faces.
‘We were playing at 300 metres higher than in Uganda.
‘The ball travels faster and there are far more sixes and boundaries hit as the air is so thin.
‘For us, it was about getting our eye in back to the short format of the game, but also it was an extreme cricketing test of the players conditioning.
‘Straining the guys at elevation should stand us in good stead when we return to lower altitudes – the players will certainly feel more at home there.
‘They have some hard-earned days off now, before Thursday where we begin our preparations in Zimbabwe.’
Jersey have also lost a couple stand-out performers from their clean sweep in Uganda.
Both Josh Lawrenson and Anthony Hawkins-Kay have had to return due to work commitments, but Jersey have stout reinforcements in the shape of spinner Rhys Palmer and teenage sensation Asa Tribe.
MacRae said: ‘Both Josh and Anthony were brilliant for us out in Uganda and will definitely be missed, but we are so lucky to bring in players like Asa and Rhys.
Both of them have already impressed in the warm-up games and have settled into the group.
‘Morale and team spirit is very high. They are an incredibly close group of players.
‘We are all extremely proud to represent Jersey in any international tournament.’
What is clear is that Jersey’s time in Namibia posed a very different test to that of the conditions faced in Uganda and the ones that lay ahead in Zimbabwe.
The experience however, did give the Islanders an opportunity to scout the United States team, which they will face first up in their ICC T20 World Cup qualifier on Monday, as well as provide players with a chance to step up and put some runs on the board.
‘Some of the signs from batters, particularly in the last two games against the USA, have been brilliant,’ said the coach.
‘Ben Stevens and Ben Ward both put in huge individual performances respectively in separate games, which shows the strength in depth we have in the batting line-up.
‘We know along with that we have some great spinners, coupled with pace options and a young, athletic fielding unit.
‘All the elements are starting to come together and we will fine-tune them over the two warm-up games later this week.’
Following the Islanders’ brief respite, they will face the Mid-West Rhinos, on Friday and Saturday.
The Zimbabwean outfit are a first-class cricket team and will provide Jersey with much needed competition as they adapt back to the lower altitude conditions.
Jersey squad: Charles Perchard (c), Harrison Carlyon, Nick Greenwood, Rhys Palmer, Jonty Jenner, Julius Sumerauer, Asa Tribe, Dom Blampied, Jake Dunford (wk), Dan Birrell, Elliot Miles, Ben Stevens, Ben Ward, Zak Tribe.
Jersey’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Qualifier schedule
Monday 11 July Jersey vs USATuesday 12 July Jersey vs ZimbabweThursday 14 July Jersey vs SingaporeFriday 15 July PlayoffsSunday 17 July Finals
