English international cricketers have been experimenting with hurling in an effort to generate more power in their shots.
England one-day captain Eoin Morgan has always credited a childhood playing hurling with his unique style of batting, but some of the country’s top coaches now believe implementing drills using hurls can help the next generation of stars.
It makes a change from cricketers playing football at training, they love playing football at training.
News that the England Lions (B Team) have been using hurls in drills in preparation for their upcoming tour of the UAE comes months after former England bowler Steve Harmison hurled for Tipperary club Borris-Ileigh as part of ‘The Toughest Trade’.
Coach Julian Wood said the design of a hurl, with a sweet spot smaller than a cricket bat, meant a cricketer would need quick wrists to generate any power.
“You cannot get much power on a cricket ball from one of them unless your wrists are very quick and if you look at someone like Jos Buttler you see the value of being able to really whip your hands through the ball,” he told The Times.
“It is not a cure or an amazing innovation that will change batting,” said coach Andy Flower. “But it is something that brings a little bit of variety and interest to training and might just stimulate the odd person in the right direction.”
If they want to go in the right direction they should head for Cork, lots of wristy hurlers down there. Apparently.
