Cricket is best understood by the not-so-young but played by the young. The cricketer’s ultimate aim is to marry the mental maturity with the physical powers. In every sense, becoming a top-class cricketer is a work in progress and playing at the highest level depends largely on the character of the individual.
Perhaps of all the major sports in the world, cricket and its first-cousin baseball are the most interesting from the perspective of the role of the individual in a team sport. The two major facets of these games – batting and bowling/pitching – are very much about the performances of the individual, yet they are team sports.
In contrast, while individual performance in soccer is critical, it is less likely that an individual performance can be responsible for eventual failure or success. In some sense, there is more team in most of the other major sports, especially since batting is essentially half of the team’s work. The point is that in the two major batting sports, the team does not defend and attack as one as in soccer, basketball and netball.
In spite of the subtle differences in the major sports, it is recognized that the building of a team is at the heart of determining the ultimate success or failure. This brings me to the recent success of the Barbados cricket team.
Sometime last year, I made the bold statement that I was very optimistic about Barbados’ cricket. This was made on the back of the abundance of all-rounders that have come to the fore in recent years. In addition, there are a number of batsmen who all bat differently. This is a major plus!
And since cricket is not a game of instant success, it will take time to mould a team. However, a team requires leadership with a clear vision. This is where strength of character takes over. Such strength starts in the board room. Ultimately, the right character has to take it within the boundary line.
There is a sense in which every individual on a cricket team wants to play at the highest level, which is a laudable objective. Not every individual, however, may have an equal chance of doing so. To the extent that each individual’s goal can be accomplished, the team would surely benefit. The match between desire and reality is never that easy.
In reality, there is always the question of sacrifice that is the choice between putting the team’s interest ahead on the individual’s. During the course of any season, the choice will come.
The ideal mix of any team in a rebuilding phase is to marry experience with youth. As a result, some sacrifices are inevitable. This is the single largest test of character with respect to decision-making. The criteria used to make the decisions may not always be based on performance, as other factors such as team building may take priority.
The one who is prepared to articulate a clear vision and more importantly make the decisions in pursuit of the vision is likely to be targeted. In time, the success or failure rests with the one who executes.
What is the mission? The answer is to bring Barbados’ cricket and, by extension, West Indies’ cricket back to its rightful place at the top. What is the vision? The answer is to make the best use of the young talent in combination with the more mature and accomplished players to build a path for success.
In short, while accomplishment in cricket is measured predominantly by runs and wickets, there is a maturity that comes with bringing the best out of the rest that is equally vital. In this regard, Barbados’ cricket captain Kirk Edwards deserves the praise that he is unlikely to receive in some quarters.
In similar vein, the role of an accomplished player like Sulieman Benn is also worthy of praise. The faith that the captain has in Ashley Nurse has been justified. In addition, the early performance of the frontline pace attack was allowed to continue in the face of the return of some of the accomplished players. It was a show of character!
Once the emphasis remains on building a team with the right mix of youth and maturity in an environment of equal access, the recipe for success within the boundary is laid. The only requirement is that the support beyond the boundary continue to grow.
• Clyde Mascoll is an economist and Opposition Barbados Labour Party spokesman on the economy.
