The DP World ILT20 is shifting into top gear as, after Monday’s final group game in Sharjah between the Gulf Giants and the Sharjah Warriors, February 8thwill see the first Qualifier being played between the Desert Vipers and the Gulf Giants, with the winner assured a place in Sunday’s final. The losing side has a second shot at making it to the final, through a second qualifier on Friday, where they will play the winner of Thursday’s eliminator (played between the third and fourth-placed team).
The Desert Vipers completed their group games on Saturday and, after a day of rest, it was back to training for the players and coaching staff. Training sessions were scheduled on Monday and Tuesday at the ICC Academy ahead of Wednesday’s Gulf Giants clash at the Dubai International Stadium.The Vipers Voices podcast spoke to Fielding Coach Simon Helmot, a key member of the coaching staff, about his process with the Desert Vipers squad and he did a quick review of how the tournament has gone from his perspective: “It has been terrific for us to have made the play-offs, and to know pretty early in the tournament that we were going to play in the play-offs was rewarding for the coaching staff and the players.“Now this is the business end and we have got ourselves a double chance. We would love not to have to use that double chance and win our qualifier on the eighth and get straight through to the final on the twelfth.”Looking ahead to that all-important qualifier on Wednesday, Helmot spoke about his plans to help the team get it right on the field. He said: “This is the time that the team, and the coaches including myself will look to try and perfect all three aspects of the game – batting, fielding and bowling. We just know with fielding, it is the one collective time that, as soon as the ball has left the bowlers hand, everyone is involved. So, it is about how we make sure that at that particular moment we are all absolutely engaged and wanting the ball to come to us and we are ready to execute.”Helmot was recently named the Cricket ACT’s (Australia Capital Territory) Coach of the Century, an award he says he was very honoured to have received. “I was absolutely thrilled and taken aback. That was my first coaching stint in 2005 where I took my one year-old son and wife up to Canberra and decided to have a go at coaching full-time. I only spent two years at the ACT, and to be rewarded with Coach of the Century was amazing. I am thrilled.”Vipers Voices also spoke to Indian wicketkeeper-batter Naman Ojha who has joined the squad to replace Dinesh Chandimal. Chandimal has been recalled by Sri Lanka Cricket, and Ojha will step in as the back-up wicketkeeper for Sam Billings in the Desert Vipers squad.Ojha’s wallet has some serious franchise cricket currency, having played in the Indian Premier League for the Rajasthan Royals with Shane Warne, the Delhi Daredevils (now the Delhi Capitals) and the Sunrisers Hyderabad with Desert Vipers Director of Cricket Tom Moody.Speaking about Tom Moody, Ojha said: “When I was picked for the Sunrisers Hyderabad, Tom Moody was coach of the team. I had a very good experience with him, and we went on to win the IPL in 2016. After that we had a very good run in the next two to three years with Tom. Tom knows me and I know him, so I look forward to another (successful) collaboration.”While Ojha is aware he is in as a backup for Billings, he says he has been training hard and is confident of performing at the top level should the Desert Vipers need his services on the field. Ojha said: “I first want to congratulate Sam Billings for his beautiful performance. I have been watching the tournament on TV and his batting and keeping have both been tremendous. Hopefully he will do well in upcoming matches as well. My role is as a backup, but you never know, as I am also an opener. So, if I get an opportunity, I will make sure I do well for the team.”Here are some quotes from Fielding Coach Simon Helmot:On his role as a fielding coach: “There are different players at different stage of their cricketing life (in the Desert Vipers squad). To some you do get a chance to teach some skills, and skill development, but a majority of the players are very experienced, and it is all about getting their workloads done.“The Vipers players have been terrific. We have not had many what you would call whole group full skill sessions, it is very much individual based.”On lapses in the field and how to get it right:“For us we have probably had a couple of lapses in concentration and we have not been quite in tune. Also it is about being in precisely the right position to make sure when the ball does fall we are right under it. So for myself it is continual conversations with the players, not just actually hitting catches and ground balls.“On the other side we have seen some brilliant bits of play from Hasaranga at point. We saw Jake Lintott knock the stumps out in our last game. Our big fast bowlers like Sheldon Cottrell, and the velocity of his diving around the boundary and keeping the ball in play (have been brilliant too). I think at times we highlight the mistakes, but I think we have also had some special bits of play.”On preparing to face the Gulf Giants on February 8th, having lost to them twice in the tournament: “Our minds have been fixated on how we win this first final (first qualifier) on the eighth. We had to make some changes in the last game to rest some players and to freshen people up. In both matches against them there were some fine moments in the game that had a greater impact when it came to the win-loss. We feel very confident against them, it is a new game, and we have a new side in (with changes to come from the previous line-up) and we are looking forward to taking them on.“It is totally about how can we best perform on the eighth (February 8 in Qualifier 1) against the Gulf Giants. The pressure and all the bits and pieces are outside noises. The players will be very calm, they will know their roles and they will have clear backing from James Foster and all the other coaches and captain Colin Munro. So, I think the players will be in a really good place to best perform. And quite clearly the opposition will do the same. So, it is about us against them at this venue, the Dubai International Stadium, in a qualifying final.”Here are some quotes from wicketkeeper-batsman Naman Ojha:On how the opportunity to play at Desert Vipers came up:“Firstly I would like to thank the Desert Vipers for believing in me and having faith in me at the backend of the tournament. This is a very important stage of the tournament, and the team has done well. The team is going into the playoffs, and I am really excited to be a part of this team.I have been preparing for the last two months in the hope of playing for various leagues and tournaments. When I heard about the tournament, I was keen to play, but I did not get a chance to play in the first part of this tournament as the franchises had already picked their teams. But I continued my preparations in case I was called up as a replacement.”On experience in the IPL including with the Rajasthan Royals, Delhi Daredevils and Hyderabad Sunrisers:“I think my experience in the IPL with various teams will help me in this tournament as well. I know how situations can turn in one or two overs (in T20 franchise cricket) and I also know how to help move the table towards us (in our favour).“I had a wonderful time playing in the IPL. The Rajasthan Royals first picked me, alongside the legendary Shane Warne, and I had a really good run in two years (with the Rajasthan Royals). Those two years really taught me how to be a professional on the ground and also how to improve (my game). After a couple of good seasons with the Royals, I was picked by the Delhi Daredevils (now the Delhi Capitals) and had a good time with them. I was then picked by the Hyderabad Sunrisers where we won the IPL trophy which is what I had been waiting for six or seven years. I had a very good time with Tom Moody. We won in 2016 and then went to the semi-finals the next year, which was another good year for us.”On following the DP World ILT20:“I have been following this tournament very closely as I was keen to play in it. The wickets (at the DP World ILT20) are pretty similar to those in India. I have been watching how the players are performing. I also gave thought to how I would perform, should I get the chance, and how I would play on certain kind of wickets, and also against certain bowlers.”
