Owen and Waters Target Season Start

10 Feb 2014 | Cricket
Glamorgan have received a bowling boost ahead of the season after seamers Huw Waters and Will Owen confirmed their return to fitness.
Waters missed the whole of 2013 with a mystery leg problem which he admitted he thought might have ended his career, but after a diagnosis was finally discovered at the end of last year, Waters is now back in training.

I am delighted to be back bowling in the nets, said Waters it has been quite a long road to get there but I am thrilled to be back training.

The plan is to be back fully fit bowling for the start of the season. I will still have the monitor the leg daily but fingers crossed now we have a diagnosis.

I was worried I was getting these symptoms but nobody could work out what it was. All the way through last summer I was thinking maybe that was the end of my career.

I would just go for a walk and I would get the same symptoms. If I was struggling to walk, how would I get back to bowling?

The diagnosis is quite a rare medical condition, it is not quite as bad as Parkinson's or epilepsy but it comes under the same medical bracket.

I am taking some tablets to help it before training to control the symptoms that are getting into my leg.

When I step it up that's the bit I will have to manage and get to know my body again.

It was a big relief when I had the diagnosis in late September because I went for so long not knowing what it was.

Waters is aiming to return to the form he showed in 2012 and link up with Australian star Michael Hogan. It was frustrating because after the 2012 season, I thought I had found my place in the team and performing well in the game, said Waters.

It was disappointing not to do that last year. I felt even worse watching because looking at the way Michael Hogan bowled, I thought I would be a good foil at the other end. Hopefully I can do that this season with Hoges.

Toby Radford (head coach) has come in and made a few changes and the boys have responded well to it. He and the rest of the lads are looking to getting some games in.

Owen, who was brought up in Prestatyn, also had his appearances limited in 2013 due to a recurring back injury.

There is a positive vibe around the club since I have been back in training with the boys, said Owen. We've drawn a lot of confidence from last year's one-day campaign and having a smaller squad is a positive for me as well, we've a good blend of youth and experience, so we're looking forward to the new season.

I've suffered from a recurring stress fracture in my back, which first affected me at the back end of 2012, but I'm pleased to have come through last year and return to fitness.

It's been a long road back. Initially it was a lot of rest, then my rehab started and I spent a lot of time working with Glamorgan physio Mark Rausa and our strength and conditioning coach Rob Ahmun, who I am grateful to.

Since the New Year my rehab has been intense with a target of getting me fit and ready for the start of the new season, so if selected I can play a full and active part in the friendlies coming up.

The lads are all working really hard and have been back in pre-season since November, so hopefully all the hard work will pay off once the cricket starts.

Unfortunately for Mike Reed, he has had to undergo surgery that has ruled him out of the England training squad to Potchesfroom in South Africa, where Glamorgan spent pre-season last year.

A Glamorgan Cricket spokesman said, Mike Reed has recently had surgery and will be undertaking a rehab programme following some rest. We will continue to monitor his progress.