Fast bowler Campbell looking to cash in on CPL opportunity

Jamaica's left-arm fast bowler Khari Campbell was one of the few unfamiliar names that emerged following Monday's Caribbean Premier League (CPL) draft for the upcoming season, which is set to run from August 29 to October 4.

The Melbourne CC seamer will represent the St Lucia Kings after he was hand-picked in round 12 of the draft by coach Daren Sammy, who discovered Campbell in the nets during the recent South Africa versus West Indies series at Sabina Park.

This is not the first time that a bowler has gotten an opportunity via a net session, as Barbadian Fidel Edwards got his Test call-up by Brian Lara after bowling to him in the nets at Sabina Park.

For Campbell, this is a dream opportunity which he still can't believe has come true.

"When I was asked to be a net bowler for the West Indies practice session, coach Daren Sammy gave me some specific instructions, which I carried out, and he said he was very impressed," said Campbell.

Campbell, who represented Norman Manley High as a schoolboy, also played for the Surrey Royals in the Dream 11 T10 competition and represented Content Gardens in the Social Development Commission's T20 competition.

The left-arm seamer and budding allrounder will join United States batsman Aaron Jones, Johan Jeremiah, Mikkel Govia and Akeem Auguste on the Kings roster, which features South African World Cup players Heinrich Klaasen and West Indies players Alzarri Joseph, Johnson Charles and Roston Chase.

Campbell says he hopes he can deliver the goods if he gets the chance.

"I feel this is the big break that I wanted. I want to play my game and bowl with accuracy and to the plans of the team and hope this takes me as far as it can as my aim is to represent the West Indies one day."

Campbell says local coaches Robert Samuels and Andrew Richardson have helped him to where he is today, and he hopes that he can continue to put in the hard work and get better with time.

"This is my first franchise team, and for me this is just the start. I have been around the Jamaica Scorpions set-up, but I have not gotten my opportunity just yet; hopefully, after this CPL my time will come."