Trinidad and Tobago Legions head coach Rayad Emrit believes strapping Tobago allrounder Joshua James will make speedy and necessary adjustments after the latter was suspended from bowling with immediate effect by Cricket West Indies (CWI) earlier this week.
Currently campaigning in the inaugural West Indies T20 Breakout League with the host team Legions, James was suspended from bowling after he was reported for a suspect action in TT's first two games against Barbados Pelicans and Guyana Rainforest Rangers on April 25 and 26 respectively.
James had figures of two for 21 from three overs versus the Pelicans as TT recorded a comfortable 64-run win, before grabbing impressive figures of three for 35 from four overs in a 23-run win against the Rainforest Rangers the next day.
On April 30, CWI issued a release which confirmed James' suspension. The CWI release said a report from the independent assessor at Loughborough University found James' bowling action to be illegal, resulting in a bowling suspension from all West Indies international matches and regional matches.
"Joshua has been doing a lot of rehabilitation work and he seems fine. We are here to support him and he needs that support," Emrit told Newsday, at Republic Bank's "Five For Fun" youth cricket programme launch at the National Cricket Centre in Balmain, Couva on May 1.
"He's a very good talent and he's someone who's going to be recognised for the West Indies in the future."
James played in the Legions' third game versus the Jamaica Titans at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba on April 30. Playing solely as a batsman, James' big hitting wasn't required as TT got a six-wicket victory and chased a 128-run target with nine balls to spare.
"We have started work with (Joshua) already. We started work on April 28 and the work is ongoing. It's definitely going to impact our team and the team selection," Emrit said.
"He's a very integral member of the team. We're a seam bowler short in that aspect and that's why we had to bring in (left-arm pacer) Shaaron Lewis against Jamaica."
Playing his first game of the tourney, Lewis had figures of one for 28.
Emrit doesn't think James will have an issue remedying his action, which is being done under the supervision of the TT Cricket Board. The 24-year-old James will be eligible to apply for a reassessment once his action has been modified.
"Moving forward, I don't think it's a big problem. It's going to be sorted out and he's going to be okay within the coming weeks. He's already been processed," the TT coach said.
Emrit said James' attempted yorker deliveries is what has raised suspicion.
"The suspension is because of a particular ball. When he's trying to execute his yorkers...when he seems to put that extra effort into that delivery. It's nothing major at this point in time. He played a whole four-day season and bowled well, so I don't think it's anything major at this point in time."
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