Terron To Spin His Way To Cricketing Success
[Written by Patrick Bean]
Once a near lost art, there are so many right-arm, leg break bowlers around today that it’s hard to believe that this type of delivery had almost disappeared from the game of cricket, with the modern resurgence largely keyed by the late, great Australian wrist spinner and his Pakistani and Indian contemporaries Abdul Qadir and Anil Kumble.
However, while there exist far more leg spinners in today’s game and they are considered most precious commodities in the popular T20 format, wrist spinning stands as a very difficult delivery to master and one that has few local practitioners, with none included in the most recent edition of the senior national squad.
St Kitts based Bermudian teenager and Bermuda Under-19 team member Terron Webb is hopeful of filling the void that exists in the local game and understands that practice is essential in the nets and that it can take a long time to perfect this art, which can be the most effective weapon for any bowler, with the spin much more pronounced than with conventional off spin, making it harder for batters to deal with.
“I have to be more consistent in locating my lines and lengths, but other than that things are pretty good,” said Webb, when happened upon during the recent Bermuda Premier League [BPL] tournament, where Webb was a volunteer, posted with the Grassroots Cricket Academy from Antigua and Barbuda. “I want to become a professional cricket player.
“I want to continue to represent my country and better my game all around.”
The 18-year-old ‘leggy’ had the honour this summer of touring Canada with the Island’s young cricket ambassadors, where he showed well with the ball.
Last year he was a part of Somerset’s Colts Cup Match team that dethroned then champions St George’s, but was not a part of this year’s match.
“I play for Bailey’s Bay, but I did go away with the Bermuda Under-19 to tour Canada for the ICC qualifiers [ICC Under-19 World Cup 2024],” said Webb, who is also renowned as a stage performer, having been lauded by lawmakers in the St Kitts and Nevis House of Assembly after receiving the 25 Most Remarkable Teens Award for his calypsonian musical talents when just 15. “That was a very good experience, because a lot of guys, while we did not qualify, we did put our best foot forward at the tournament.
Outside of Bermuda Webb has been receiving cricketing advice from the likes of former West Indies players Stuart Williams, a once hard-hitting opening batsman, and Carl Tuckett, who played a solitary one day international for the region, but performed extensively for Nevis as a right-arm, medium fast bowler of great repute.
He credits his mother, Angela Williams, for encouraging him to play cricket, which he has a firm affinity for.
“I like everything about cricket, the batting, the bowling, the big hitting, wicket taking, all of that,” added Webb. “My mother was the one who got me into cricket and I really feel driven to play the sport.
I haven’t played much for Bay this season, because I live in St Kitts and I’m just here on vacation, but I have a passion for the sport and to play for Bermuda at the highest level.”
