Tony Becca WHEN JAMAICA begin their campaign in the 2004 Carib Beer cricket series, they will do so under a new manager and a new captain.
The new manager is Maurice Clarke out of St. Mary, the new captain is Gareth Breese out of Lucas, and on behalf of the fans, good luck to both of them - particularly to Breese who, in his hunt for the Carib Beer Cup and the Carib Beer International Challenge Trophy, will be leading a team without a number of its stars.
In wishing Clarke and Breese all the best, however, the fans should also say a big thank you to their predecessors - to former manager Linden Wright and former captain Robert Samuels.
Based on the number of times Jamaica won regional titles while he was the manager, Wright, like George Sterling before him, was a successful manager and it is that same reason why Samuels, like Marlon Tucker before him, was also a successful captain.
Success should not only be measured by tournaments won, however.
Success should also be measured by one's impact in general, and looking at the discipline of the team, the appearance of the team on the field, Wright and Samuels certainly made an impact on Jamaica's cricket.
Although the discipline of some of the senior players, the West Indies players, left much to be desired, the general discipline of the team under Wright and Samuels was much better than it had been immediately before them, and while the move to change things was made by Ruddy Williams, chairman of the selection committee, and was supported by selector Courtney Daley, without the support, the full support of the manager and the captain, nothing would have changed.
To Wright and Samuels, therefore, many thanks for your contribution to Jamaica's cricket during your time as manager and as captain, not only for winning the Busta Cup in 2000 and 2002, not only for winning the Shield in 2001, not only for finishing second in all three regional tournaments on a few occasions, but also for making Jamaicans proud of the national team.
Unlike the years before when anything was accepted, it was good to see, for example, the Jamaica team in the field with all the players wearing the Jamaica cap.
Although neither man was perfect as a manager or as a captain, the Wright/Samuels combination will not be easy to follow - neither off the field nor on the field. Looking at their history and their personalities, however, Clarke seems a good choice as manager, Breese, who was the obvious choice, seems a good choice as captain, and only time will tell how good they will be in their respective positions.
So far, however, so good.
Although the new manager is still to be tested, the new captain has been, and while some fans may believe the test may have been no big thing, remembering how easy it is to promise and how difficult it is to deliver, remembering how some captains love to talk big and then have to find excuses, he certainly came out with flying colours.
Among the questions put to Breese in Monday's One on One column was this one: Can you lead Jamaica to victory in the Carib Beer Series?
The answer was simple and perfect. "I can lead Jamaica. I cannot guarantee championship success, but I am going to lead Jamaica to the best of my ability."
Win or lose, that is all one can ask of any captain, and although it is possible that he remembered that Jamaica were at full strength in the Red Stripe Bowl, that they were hot favourites to win and did not win, and that he remembered that Jamaica will not be at full strength for at least five matches in the Crib Beer Series, it is wonderful to know that Breese knows that and is confident enough to say so.
The new captain certainly has not put himself under any pressure to deliver cups and trophies and then to find excuses if he does not.
