Team Herald
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MARGAO: Former New Zealand Cricketer Mattew Sinclair trained the U-14 and U-16 cricket boys and girls teams in a specialised cricket coaching session, better known as the man who made his debut with a double hundred against West Indies and followed that up with another double hundred against Pakistan in the year 1999 has now taken to cricket coaching full time with students.
On his maiden visit to Goa the 33 test matches, 54 ODIS and 2 T20 internationals star recalled that a lot of New Zealander’s are playing the IPL in India while former New Zealand captains Daniel Vettori with RCB and Stephen Fleming with CSK as head coaches prove the large presence and association of New Zealanders with Indian cricket.
Mattew who had a traditional Goan welcome into the school while the class 10 students surprised him with a Maori Haka dance to make the New Zealand player felt at home, the player and appreciated The King’s School for its sport infrastructure, cricket practice pitches and nets, bowling machines and coaches and the school’s dedication to cricket coaching for over eight years.
Speaking on the sidelines of the coaching clinic, The King’s School Chairman, Melvin Pereira asserted that the focus of the school is to develop the minds and bodies of the students and hence the school has sports department of 18 coaches in futsal, hockey, basketball, skating, cricket, football, swimming, table tennis, badminton, archery, volleyball and rugby.
Mattew Sinclair’s manager, Navin Kaipu appreciated The King’s School effort and enthusiasm to host Mattew Sinclair which allows students to benefit by listening and playing under the watchful eyes of a former international cricketer.
“I played only one sport all my life and today as I retire, I’m excited to give back to the sport as a coach. And it’s more a pleasure to coach girls than boys, because they’re quick learners and they listen to what’s told,” asserted Mattew Sinclair appreciating the girls in the squad while working with them in the nets.
Mattew ascertained that the Australian Big Bash League has a women’s edition now and cricket is growing among women’s teams which is very good for the sports.
He discussed issues of money, sponsorship, T20 cricket, the shorter format, endurance while staying out in Test matches and the real skill to play cricket over five days.
Taking queries on how T20 cricket is growing and lesser people opt for test match cricket, he asserted that the test is surviving test matches and test match cricket. He also gave examples of himself how he couldn’t sustain his career because of the pressure of expectations he put on himself by scoring two double hundreds and that was the expectation from himself and the media which couldn’t be sustained. He believes players should approach their careers slowly.
“Grab every opportunity, I tell these children. I made it into the Kiwi squad by mistake when a senior player was injured and Sir Richard Hadlee selected me for a test match and I every child or professional cricketer’s opportunities will come that way,” exclaimed Mattew to the young girls and boys.
Also former Goa cricketer Aditya Angle present at the coaching clinic stated that often local and domestic coaches know the background of a player and hence there may be some bias but a foreign coach is completely new to a player and speaks on the basis of the talent he sees and hence cricket often benefits from the presence of foreign coaches like Mattew Sinclair.
The King’s School cricket coach Murli Talekar was also present at the coaching clinic to assist Mattew Sinclair while The King’s School Director Ligia Pereira welcomed the NZ cricketer earlier in the morning at the school premises.
