Dav Whatmore: We want the Sri Lankan players to get fitter, leaner, and stronger

Dav Whatmore National Coach

It may seem strange but five months of non-stop international cricket has had a slightly detrimental effect on the fitness levels of the Sri Lankan players. Alex Kontouri, the team physio, has detected a few extra kilos, the result of too much lounging in the dressing rooms, too many rich hotel meals, and not enough time spent doing general fitness training.

This is common for all teams and is why periods of rest are so important in the crowded international calendar. During the next nine-weeks Kontouri may not endear himself to the players much, but they will thank him when their international duties start again. He will be pushing them hard - reducing their weight, increasing the strength of their muscles and joints, and improving their flexibility.

These efforts will be essential in the ongoing struggle to prevent injury. The Indian Test series will be especially grueling with three-Tests in the space of 20 days. If the players are not extremely fit then there is a good chance that someone could miss a game and that could have important implications in a closely fought series. As it is a number of the players came back from Sharjah carrying little niggles. Nothing serious, the odd sore back or knee, so in addition to the fitness training, Alex has given them all individual rehabilitation programs and is making sure that they get back to 100 per cent.

During the first phase of preparation we will be concentrating on general aerobic fitness, which will include group sessions in the gym, swimming pool, and some road running. This week there were seven sessions and next week there will be eight. Gradually we raise the tempo until, sometime in mid-June, a base level of fitness and stamina has been achieved.

Then we change tact, introducing specific anaerobic exercises, which are shorter in duration and higher in intensity. Cricket is a "stop-start" sport (ie. a sprint to the bowling crease followed by the walk back to your mark) and anaerobic exercises are designed to reduce the recovery time between these "stop-start" actions, ensuring the bowler or batsman reduces his heart rate before the next delivery or run.

Interspersed between these group fitness sessions we will be having individual net sessions, aimed at improving techniques and honing skills. During competitions it is very difficult to find the time to address these issues because of a lack of time. Thus, for example, during the next two weeks I am having a series of batting sessions with Chaminda Vaas, Nuwan Zoysa, and Dilhara Fernando.

Soon we will start team net and fielding sessions, an area that needs plenty of attention, as I feel that our normally high standards in the field have sagged slightly in recent months. In late June and July we will begin to play some internal practice matches and will probably have an intensive training camp just before the triangular starts in mid-July.

All the while the players will be playing Mercantile cricket on the weekends. Though there is some concern that this tournament ensures that the players are effectively playing non-stop cricket throughout the year, it is a tough one-day competition and therefore helps to keep the players at the top of their game.

When India and New Zealand arrive in Sri Lanka I expect our 22-man squad to have extremely high fitness levels and be fully prepared for the ensuing competition. Furthermore, the players will be mentally refreshed and ready to do battle.