RICHARD CLARKE and Alfred Campbell are two of the unsung heroes of the West Indies Women’s historic T20 victory.
They laboured long and hard in the vineyard in helping to hone the skills of the Bajans in the team.
My assertion isn’t meant to take anything away from current head coach Vasbert Drakes nor his assistant Ezra Moseley, but credit should be given where it is due.
Those of us who had an association with the Passage Road ground can speak of the many hours the selfless pair committed to seeing the girls develop their skills to the point where they went on to represent the national team and the West Indies.
And it was never only about cricket either.They placed tremendous emphasis on discipline and personal development, so the players were given the tools to get the job done at the higher levels.
It was up to them to execute when they got the opportunity. Based on results, you can conclude that their grounding in the basics has paid big dividends.
Groomed her
Just consider the contribution of all-rounder Hayley Matthews in the final, and that gives you a great idea of what I’m talking about. Clarke, in particular, groomed her from the time she attended the People’s Cathedral and later integrated her with the boys in the triumphant Passage United Under-13 team in the local Inspire competition.
Her exploits since then have been well documented as she has gone on to make her mark at the regional and international stage in a manner that should make all of her connections proud.
Lest we forget, just recently she played for the Hobart Hurricanes in the inaugural Australia Big Bash for women.
However, the knock she played in Sunday’s final would have to be evaluated as her greatest moment so far in a career that can only continue to blossom. She saved the best for last with the international lens zooming in.
We see the work of Clarke and Campbell in Deandra Dottin, who has apparently settled down and has become the mature cricketer that will showcase the very best of her ability. With some justification, I think it will be in order to say that she hasn’t always played with the consistency needed to demonstrate her true potential and class.
Answered every call
It appears that she has turned the corner and it has been reflected with bat, ball and in the field. Her all-round contribution was massive in the T20 tournament. She answered every call. The real Deandra Dottin turned up as if she was intent on proving a point. Assignment completed in flying colours.
The dynamic duo also played inspirational roles in the quality we have seen in others like Shakera Selman, Kycia and Kyshonna Knight, Shaquona Quintyne and others who have progressed to the national ranks or the West Indies.
Very often the euphoria of success causes us to see only the end result, obliterating the time spent sowing the seeds that would be instrumental in helping the tree to blossom and having the chance to taste the sweetness of the fruit at the appointed time.
Invaluable input
This possibility could very well arise in the case of Clarke and Campbell now that we are in a celebratory mood, but I am happy that I could draw attention to their invaluable input in shaping the careers of many of the current successful team.
And while on that note, I hope we will also record the magnificent contribution of former head coach Sherwin Campbell, whose methods would have been a blueprint for the person that succeeded him.
When he took over, we had a bunch of individuals with loads of talent, but he helped develop them into a competitive unit that could stand up to the rest of the world. This should never be forgotten. Rome wasn’t built in a day by any means in this regard.
It was that collective effort that brought the title home for the women. It would be useful to duplicate this example in all aspects as we strive to find ways to unite the region.