CWI puts Region's Emerging Pace Talents to the Test in Antigua
Saint John's, June 2
Twelve of the region's fast-bowling talents will take part in a High-Performance Fast Bowling Assessment Camp from June 1 to June 11 at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua as part of Cricket West Indies' commitment to strengthening capacity and supporting player development across the Caribbean.
The primary objective of the programme is to identify and assess the region's pool of resources across both red-ball and white-ball disciplines through structured challenges and measurable evaluation of speed, technique, skill execution, physical robustness and problem-solving ability.
The camp will be led by former West Indies fast bowler and world-renowned bowling coach Ottis Gibson, who was recently appointed to the role of Fast Bowling Consultant. Supporting him will be former West Indies fast bowler Jerome Taylor, one of the region's emerging coaching talents who continues to contribute to player development initiatives within the CWI system.
Gibson spoke on what he is seeking to achieve over the 10 days: "I'm excited and honoured to be working with this developing generation of fast bowlers across the region. The main objective is to enhance and maximise the potential of the players we have, which will ultimately benefit West Indies cricket in the long run."
"I've been very impressed with the talent and resources I've seen so far during my time here. There are several promising players who stand out in terms of their physicality, height and strength. What they now need is the capacity, determination, and desire to consistently bowl fast," he added.
CWI High Performance Manager Dwain Gill said the camp represents an important step in strengthening the region's bowling depth and future succession planning.
"This camp is a strategic component of our wider High-Performance strategy to strengthen the regional fast bowling pipeline and ensure we continue building depth across all formats of the game," Gill said. "We want to identify bowlers who demonstrate the technical skill, physical capabilities, tactical awareness and mindset required to compete at the international level, while also providing targeted support to accelerate their development within the CWI system."
The High-Performance Fast Bowling Assessment Camp underscores CWI's ongoing investment in developing a sustainable pipeline of elite fast bowlers capable of succeeding across all formats at the international level.
High-Performance Fast Bowling Assessment Camp Participants - Khari Campbell - Jamaica Scorpions - Joshua Cepal - Saint Lucia High Performance Centre - McKenny Clarke - Windward Volcanoes - Joshua James - Trinidad & Tobago Red Force - Anderson Phillip - Trinidad & Tobago Red Force - Jakeem Pollard - West Indies Academy - Ojay Shields - Jamaica Scorpions - Ramon Simmons - Barbados Pride - Nial Smith - Guyana Harpy Eagles - Javier Spencer - Leeward Islands Hurricanes - Oshane Thomas - Leeward Islands Hurricanes - Gilon Tyson - Windward Volcanoes.
— ANI
Reader Comments
As a cricket fan from Australia, I always admired West Indies' pace attack. This structured camp with Ottis Gibson and Jerome Taylor is exactly what they need. The Caribbean has so much raw talent - now they need proper guidance. Looking forward to seeing these guys in international cricket soon!
Finally some real investment in fast bowling! The days of just relying on spinners in the Caribbean are over. But I hope they focus on fitness and injury prevention too - so many promising pacers break down early. Ottis Gibson knows his stuff, so this should be good. 🤞
Interesting to see Nial Smith from Guyana in there. He showed promise in the CPL last season. But I'm a bit skeptical about these camps - we've seen so many "high performance" initiatives over the years with little results. Hope this one is different and they actually follow up with these bowlers long-term.
As an Indian who grew up watching West Indies pace legends, this warms my heart! Anderson Phillip has real talent - saw him bowl quick in the CPL. But honestly, they need to play more four-day cricket to develop red-ball skills. T20 alone won't produce Test match bowlers. Hope CWI balances the formats properly. 🏏🇮🇳
Impressive list of participants. Oshane Thomas has international experience, but some of these names like Gilon Tyson and Javier Spencer are relatively unknown. That's exactly the point though - unearth new talent. The evaluation parameters they mentioned (speed, technique, physical robustness) sound comprehensive. Smart move by CWI.
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