By RON FANFAIR
With the 2007 World Cup cricket qualifier for non-Test playing teams just five months away, the Canadian Cricket Association (CCA) has bolstered its technical staff with the addition of former national player Derek Perera and Irishman Colin Siller.
Siller, who arrived here last Thursday, will spend two weeks assisting national coach Rupert Gomes and Perera prepare the Ontario-based members of the national squad for the International Cricket Council (ICC) Trophy tournament for Associates in Ireland in July.
Canada's High Performance Cricket Manager Ron Aldridge said Siller and Perera will provide technical support to Gomes who has been with the national squad for the past year.
A coach with the Instonians Cricket Club, Siller is expected to work mainly with the local bowlers during his brief stay that ends on March 28.
"He comes highly recommended to us and we intend to use his expertise to the fullest," said Aldridge. "If we like what we see and Rupert and the players can work with him, we will bring him back as part of our support staff at the ICC Trophy tournament.
"Colin has a vast amount of experience and he's volunteering his service. I think it was important that we jump at the opportunity when it presented itself."
Perera, who recently launched the Ontario Cricket Academy, represented Canada at the youth level and twice as a senior. He has been the player/coach of the CCA Under-23 team in the Toronto & District Cricket Association (TDCA) side for the past two seasons.
Aldridge said the CCA intends to give Perera, who has a degree in Kinesiology and Health Science from York University, every opportunity to become the first home-grown coach.
"Derek did extremely well at his Level One exams in Mexico last December," added Aldridge. "He has extensive computer and videography skills which can help in analyzing our competition in Ireland. "That's an area that we have been lacking in since we have basically gone into games knowing nothing about the strengths or weaknesses of our opponents.
"The Scottish team that won the Intercontinental Cup title in the Emirates last December had personnel using the technology to scout us. We were not in a position to do the same and as a result we were at a disadvantage."
Canada will play its first match in the ICC Trophy tournament against Namibia on July 1.
ICC Chief Executive Officer Malcolm Speed officially launched the tournament last week, unveiling the fixtures schedule and highlighting that the event would offer a pathway to the 2007 World Cup for five countries.
"It is 25 years since Sri Lanka beat Canada in the final of the first ICC Trophy tournament in England and on the occasion of this event's Silver Jubilee, there is more at stake for the 12 participating teams than ever," said Speed.
"As well as competing for the prestigious ICC Trophy, this event is about the five remaining places at the next ICC Cricket World Cup in the West Indies. This event provides a unique insight into the relative merits of the top teams outside the established Test-playing nations."
Canada opposes Scotland on July 2 at Bangor before clashing with Oman two days later at Instonians. The national side will close out its group contests against The Netherlands on July 5 and Papua New Guinea on July 7.
The group stage will be played at venues around Belfast before the knockout stages climax in the Dublin area with the final on July 13.
For the first time in the tournament's 25-year history, the players will wear coloured clothing.