LAHORE:Renowned fielding coach Julien Fountain and batting coach Toby Radford arrived in Lahore earlier this week to work for theEngro Cricket Coaching Project under the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) pathway programme.
The roaster also includes power-hitting coach Julian Wood, bowling coach Gordon Parsons and strength and conditioning coach Nick Webb, and focuses onsharpening the cricketing skills of the next generation of Pakistan stars at the National High-Performance Centre.
The programme entered its last week before the participants join their respective Pakistan Junior League sides end of September.
Fountain has rich experience in fielding professional sides including his stint with the Pakistan senior team, from 2012 to 2014. Besides Pakistan, he has also worked with Bangladesh, West Indies and various domestic and franchise sides around the world including Quetta Gladiators.
Fountain was with the Gladiators for the first six of the Pakistan Super Leagueeditions.
“Pakistan is just like home for me, I am thrilled to be here again, the pathway programme is a fantastic initiative and I am looking forward to an exciting time with these youngsters who are the future stars of Pakistan cricket," said Fountain.
The coach said that he has found the playersreceptive and keen on learning in his early stints, adding that he is dedicated toworking with them at the U19 level, so we can develop some great athletes and fielders.
“Coaching these youngsters will help Pakistan cricket build a foundation to give these young players, the skill, the technique, the tactics, the attitude and the life skills so that when they come into the Pakistan system for real, they will have the ability to deal with not only the foreign coaches but they will have the ability to fit in a professional system very quickly and that can only help Pakistan cricket," he added.
The coach said that he wants to instil wicket-taking in these players. "The fielders have to go on the field with the belief that they can take wickets [through runouts and catches].”
More than 60 players between 16 and 19 years of age are being trained by the coaches while PCB’s local coaches are also providing assistance in various disciplines, aiming to develop the future stars from an all-round perspective.
Moreover, the players will also get education and life skills training and will have the opportunity of showcasing their newly learned skills at the inaugural edition of the six-team PJL that commences in Lahore on October 6.