KUCHING: Sarawak’s young cricketers have been described as “magnificent to work with” by Richard Clifton, who noted their attitude and coachability stood out compared to players he has worked with elsewhere.
The praise came during a high-performance cricket coaching programme at the Borneo Cricket Ground today (April 18), where Clifton, a high-performance batting coach, worked closely with around 20 boys and girls as part of efforts to raise the standard of the sport in the state.
Clifton said the young players showed strong enthusiasm and were quick to respond to instructions during training sessions focused on batting and bowling techniques.
“They’re just really good. They’re so enthusiastic. You ask them to do something, they do it without question,” he told Sarawak Tribune when met today.
He added that sessions were split between himself and strength and conditioning coach Jason Cox, with both focusing on improving key technical areas of the game.
“We worked a bit on technique. I did a bit of batting technique, and Jason did a bit of bowling technique. We just changed it around, and they listened and worked hard,” he said.
Clifton said noticeable improvements were seen during the sessions, particularly in batting, where players showed better control and intent in striking the ball.
“You saw the results of working on their technique and just hitting through the ball,” he said.
Clifton described the group as highly enjoyable to coach, saying their willingness to learn made the sessions more productive compared to experiences elsewhere.
“They are just magnificent to work with. I look at kids at home, and these are so much more agreeable to work with,” he added.
He noted that the group consisted of a mix of ages and backgrounds, which added variety to the training environment.
On communication, Clifton acknowledged some initial challenges but said adjustments had been made on both sides to improve understanding.
“It is a bit hard sometimes. We don’t know if they understand, and they said we talk a bit too fast.
“We’ve made it clear that if they don’t understand, they’ve got to ask us. Now they are listening more, and we are conscious to talk slower so they can understand what we are trying to convey,”he said.
Clifton, who is the personal batting coach of Australian international cricketer, Glenn Maxwell, and head batting coach at Saxon High Performance in Australia.
Photos: Gabriel Lihan
