da 888casino： South African batting legend, Barry Richards, started his specialist battingsessions with the Sri Lankan cricket team on Wednesday
Rex Clementine26-Sep-2001South African batting legend, Barry Richards, started his specialist battingsessions with the Sri Lankan cricket team on Wednesday.Richards, who arrived on Monday was involved in a workshop with thecricketers on Tuesday evening, but his ten-day programme with the Sri Lankannational players and A team cricketers started today.Though the national cricketers were scheduled to practice on the centerwickets at NCC Grounds today, they were confined to the indoor nets due tothe overnight rain. The untimely weather (for the cricket not the country)scuppered plans for a multi-camera analysis of the players techniques.The national squad was spilt into two groups: the left-handers who practicedin the morning and the right-handers in the afternoon.A three-day session will also be conducted for the Sri Lankan A cricketersnext week.Sri Lankan captain, Sanath Jayasuriya, speaking to CricInfo after themorning session said: "We are trying to get a few things right in thebatting department. We want to sharpen in the areas where we have beenvulnerable. In the long run there are a few things that you tend to neglectand forget. Barry (Richards) can help us put them right."This is not the first time the Sri Lankans have had him as the battingexpert. In 1998, just before they embarked on the tour of South Africa,Richards visited Colombo for a two-week programme with the touring squad."We have hired him before. It was a very useful stint three years ago and hegave us lot of confidence," said the Sri Lankan captain.Meanwhile, Richards, who is supposed to make two more visits to Sri Lankabefore the 2003 World Cup, told CricInfo: "I will be working on thetechnical side of the game; the weaknesses of the batsmen and how toovercome them. We also want to do a little bit of planning for the futuretoo."