AFTER establishing a programme that has made Combermere School the envy of school cricket teams in Barbados, former national fast bowler Roddy Estwick is preparing himself for a new challenge.Combermere won their fifth Barbados Cricket Association’s Under-19 title under Estwick last Friday with a comprehensive seven-wicket win over Queen’s College at the Brewery. It’s a triumph that will be especially treasured by Estwick.“This year for me is the best because this may be the last. There comes a time in one’s life when one has to look for a new challenge. A different challenge may be on the horizon. I will savour this one and enjoy it because there may be no more,” Estwick told MIDWEEK SPORT shortly after the completion of the match.“I think I have achieved everything that I need to achieve in schools’ cricket. I have lost count of the trophies won over the years. I personally think the time is right to move on to see if I can take Barbados cricket to a different level.”ProgressEstwick said that he gained much satisfaction from seeing several youngsters from the Combermere school move on from representing the school to representing Barbados.“The highlight for me was seeing three Combermerians on the West Indies youth team this year. It showed the other students that if they work hard they can achieve,” Estwick said.The development of West Indies “A” team opener Kraigg Brathwaite has also been a high point for Estwick.“I have seen Kraigg from a youngster coming over from Erdiston very much a leg-side player and I have seen the hard work he has put in to turn himself into an all-round player,” Estwick said.“In terms of discipline I have never met a more disciplined and dedicated cricketer. He is an example to all youngsters at the school and I hope by extension he will be an example to all youngsters in Barbados cricket,” Estwick said. He is keen to see Brathwaite build his career in stages rather than being fast tracked prematurely.“I expect him to make runs for Barbados. For every team he has played he has been selected on performance and I hope that trend continues,” Estwick said.“I would not like to see Kraigg selected because he is young but because he is performing.”Estwick believes the cricket coaches at the National Sports Council are doing a good job but they need to have access to every primary school on the island.Limited resources“I think the National Sports Council does a good job with limited resources but I don’t think they cover all the schools. Once all the primary schools are covered the same should be done at the secondary level,” he said.Estwick admitted he enjoyed the benefits of working as a cricket teacher at the Combermere school and is a big fan of the ‘cricket teacher’ concept pioneered by Combermere.“It helps me to teach cricket during class time. It allows me to see students who do not come out to practice and it allows me to invite them out. I get to see all the good cricketers,” Estwick explained.Estwick, an assistant coach to Dexter Toppin last year for the regional Under-19 tournament, explained that his absence from the management team this year was due to his involvement with the High Performance Centre based at the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus.“I thought it would be wrong to break that contract to go away with the team,” Estwick explained, while wishing the boys selected all the best for the tournament.“I hope they will be good ambassadors for this country.”
