It is internationally agreed that there is too much cricket being played, leading to players dropping like flies with injuries.

But one of the game’s greatest names believes the volume of cricket is not the only cause of burn-out. Sir Garfield Sobers is also concerned that players train too much.

Speaking at the gala dinner of the Caribbean Sixes Tournament at the Plantation Garden Theatre, Sir Garry suggested that teams can do away with the many “warm-down” exercises at the end of the day’s play.

“I strongly believe players train too much,” the legend who made 8 032 runs, took 235 wickets and held 109 catches in 93 Tests said. “You have to prepare before a series and go into the team fit. You should be match-fit before the series starts.”

In recent times all international teams have been hampered with injuries to key players, especially bowlers. Australia went to the recent series in

Sri Lanka without the fiery Brett Lee, while ace pacer Glenn McGrath was sidelined with career-threatening injuries.

Zealand’s Shane Bond, one of the world’s fastest bowlers, has been out of the game for the last six months and his return date is unknown.

West Indies are struggling against England and two sharp, highly-touted young pacers, Jerome Taylor and Jermaine Lawson, have not featured because they are not up to full fitness. They lost the dynamic Fidel Edwards for the second Test due to a back strain.

Other players, left-hander Wavell Hinds, allrounder Omari Banks and stylish middle-order batsman Marlon Samuels are still on the “disabled list”.

“If you work all the time your muscles tend to stretch to the extreme,” Sir Garry told the audience. “Then, when you really have to extend yourself there is little or nothing left.

“After play nowadays you see the players running around playing football. If you play cricket ten months a year and still do all these things after play, you are exposed (to injury).

“I always got fit before the series. I never waited until the series started to try to get fit. Once the series started I just went right through.”

Sir Garry’s sentiments were shared by former West Indies pacer Ian Bishop, and Angus Fraser, the former England seamer, who were both part of the panel.

Bishop, cut down in his prime by a severe back injury, said the International Cricket Council needed

to urgently look at a reduction in the number of matches. He said teams should also look at rotating players.

Fraser made mention of the fact that more and more, the game’s best players were being forced to choose between Test and One-Day Internationals, because they feared that if they played both versions, with the heavy workload, their playing days would be cut short.

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