Over the last year, Ramesh Subasinghe, head coach of the West Indies Academy, has become a familiar presence on the Caribbean island of Saint Lucia. His repeated visits have centered on a clear mission: lifting the capabilities of local cricket coaches and nurturing emerging talent through the Saint Lucia Cricket High Performance Centre (SLCHPC). Last week, that ongoing partnership culminated in an intensive five-day training camp dedicated to refining the skills of some of the island’s most promising young fast bowlers at the SLCHPC facility.
A former professional medium-pace bowler himself hailing from Sri Lanka, Subasinghe centered the camp’s curriculum on targeted technical skill-building. The camp gathered a standout cohort of young fast-bowling prospects, including McKenny Clarke and Selena Ross, both members of the West Indies Under-19 squad, Keon Gaston who represents the Windward Islands, and up-and-coming speedsters Shawnil Edward and Kethan Charlemagne, alongside other emerging local talents.
In his assessment of Caribbean fast-bowling prospects, Subasinghe highlighted the inherent advantages that young athletes in the region bring to the pitch. “Caribbean cricketers are blessed with outstanding natural attributes,” he explained. “They are first-rate athletes, and Damique Walters, the local strength and conditioning coach, has already done exceptional work building their physical foundation. Now that that base is in place, our focus has shifted to honing their core bowling skill. I’ve seen extraordinary natural athleticism across this group, and our work this week was centered on unlocking each bowler’s full individual potential through tailored technical adjustments.”
Throughout the five-day camp, Subasinghe collaborated closely with SLCHPC leadership, including head coach John Eugene and assistant bowling coach Larry Edward. The coaching team held detailed discussions around training load management, mapping out appropriate weekly bowling volumes to protect players while supporting steady development. For Subasinghe, intentional technical work remains non-negotiable for long-term success at the highest level of the sport.
“Consistency, which every fast bowler strives for, only comes when you can replicate a well-honed bowling action nearly every single delivery,” he emphasized. “That makes refining and entrenching proper bowling technique one of the most critical parts of a young bowler’s development. It is essential that we carve out dedicated time in the entire 12-month training calendar for specific technical work, because that is what unlocks a bowler’s full potential. For some prospects, improved technique translates to more repeatable, consistent actions. For others, small technical adjustments can unlock significant gains in ball speed. No matter the prospect, ongoing attention to technique is always a priority.”
Subasinghe added that he left the camp encouraged by the engagement of the young players he worked with, noting that he received thoughtful, probing feedback and no shortage of questions from the group. He says this level of curiosity and proactivity is a very positive sign, because self-awareness is a critical trait for any bowler looking to advance to elite levels of the sport.