Local cricketers have resumed training at the Saint Lucia Cricket High Performance Centre (HPC) after a break for the home leg of the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL). The third group of players returned to practice earlier this week, utilizing facilities at Mindoo Phillip Park.
During the CPL break, some members of the HPC assisted the Saint Lucia Kings and other visiting teams as net bowlers. This experience provided valuable exposure to the players, allowing them to interact with and learn from experienced international cricketers and coaches.
HPC assistant bowling coach Larry Edward, a former Windward Islands spinner, led the young spinners in their training sessions. Edward emphasized the importance of working on their line and length after the break. He stated, “We just needed to get them back into trying to hit those areas.” The training sessions included the use of pitch maps and cones, with the objective of achieving accuracy in 40 out of 45 deliveries.
Edward highlighted the significance of mastering core mechanics, especially on modern, flatter wickets. With a record of 124 regional wickets, including 77 in a nine-year First-Class career, he stressed the need for players to focus on fundamentals. He explained, “With spin, you have to actually get on your pivot, coming up and over… guys need to get the ball up and down.”
He cautioned against relying on variations that are primarily effective in limited-overs cricket, urging players to develop consistency over longer spells. Edward noted, “If you’re not hitting those areas consistently enough, batsmen might get opportunities to score. When you go up to Windwards level, you’re going to get batters who are going to challenge you at your weaker areas more often than not.”
To prepare for higher levels of competition, Edward encouraged players to focus on their accuracy and consistency. He stated, “So we’re trying to get them … to stick long enough on it. They need to do that as much as possible so they can get onto the next level.”
Edward also pointed out the value of the CPL experience for players who have not yet made the senior regional or national teams. He remarked, “This is like exposure, going against CPL guys. It’s going to give them a lot of tactics and trying to know how to bowl to the senior world-class players.”
He expressed that the opportunity to participate in CPL net sessions was beneficial for local players, who were able to hold their own and receive constructive feedback from senior CPL players. Edward concluded by emphasizing the importance of these experiences in helping players advance their skills and understanding of the game.
Source: stluciatimes.com
