Khari Campbell: From WI net bowler to CPL contract with St. Lucia Kings

Jamaican left-arm fast bowler Khari Campbell was one of the few unfamiliar names that emerged following last Monday’s Caribbean Premier League draft for the upcoming season, which will run from August 28 to October 6.

The Melbourne CC seamer will represent the St. Lucia Kings after he was handpicked 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 got 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 that 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 at the school level, played for the Surrey Royals in the Dream 11 T10 competition and represents Content Gardens in the SDC T20 competition.

The left-arm seamer who also bats a bit, will join US batsman Aaron Jones, Johan Jeremiah, Mikkel Govia, and Akeem Auguste on the Kings roster, which also features South African World Cup player Heinrich Klaasen and West Indies’ Alzarri Joseph, Johnson Charles, and Roston Chase.

Campbell says this is the opportunity he has been wishing for and hopes he can deliver the goods if he gets the chance to go on the park.

“I feel this is the big break that I wanted, and 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 coaches, the likes of 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.” (Jamaica Gleaner)