Tony Becca
THE FINAL of the regional limited-overs cricket tournament for the KFC Cup takes place on Sunday with Guyana, winners of the first semi-final, up against the winners of today's second semi-final between Barbados and the Windward Islands.
Although the unpredictable Windward Islands cannot and should not be written off, chances are it will be Guyana versus Barbados in what should be a close and exciting showdown.
The question around Jamaica, however, is not who will win. It is not even what happened to Trinidad and Tobago - the defending champions who failed to win a match and thus finished at the bottom of the standings and without a point in the preliminary round.
The question around Jamaica is what happened to Jamaica? The team that once played so well in the limited-overs tournament, the team that is always numbered among the favou-rites, the team that was numbered among the favourites, and the team that finished fifth out of six and failed to get into the final four.
Based on last year's performance when, with Chris Gayle in the line-up, they also failed to advance after starting as the favourites, Jamaica's performance was not surprising - and especially so as they were without their top batsman.
It was, however, disappointing, and there can be no excuse for it - certainly not from the batsmen.
Although Jamaica's bowling, but for offspinner Gareth Breese who operated at an economy rate of 2.64 runs an over, was nothing to shout about, Jamaica's batting should have taken them into the final four - and easily at that.
Instead of doing so, however, Jamaica's batting, but for the hit-or-miss 20 overs a side match against Trinidad and Tobago, was found wanting on all but one occasion - in the final match against Barbados when they chipped to 209 for four off 44.1 overs replying to 208 for eight off 50.
THE LINE-UP
In other words, Jamaica, with a line-up that included Wavell Hinds, Brenton Parchment, Marlon Samuels, Xavier Marshall, Tamar Lambert, Carlton Baugh Jnr., David Bernard Jnr., Breese and some times also Danza Hyatt, failed to fire and that was the reason why they failed to qualify for the semi-finals.
Remembering that that was the same reason for their failure last year, remembering their poor performance in the practice matches leading up to the tournament, something must be wrong with Jamaica's batsmen.
Is it that they cannot really bat? I do not believe so.
Is it that they cannot concentrate? I do not believe so.
Is it that they are irresponsible and careless - that they lack pride in performance? In many cases that may well be so - so much so that the time has come for the selectors to look at more than talent, or so-called talent, when next they sit to select the national team.
The selectors need to look at a batsman's attitude - at his approach to batting, the value he places on his wicket, and his appetite for runs.
A good batsman is one who scores runs, it is not one who looks good, it certainly is not one who gets out carelessly or recklessly.
It definitely is not one who does not cherish his wicket and who does not like to bat and to score runs, and it is up to the selectors to let the batsmen know that is how it is.
How can they do so? They can do so by dropping those who do not score runs - and especially so those who, innings after innings, get out carelessly or recklessly.
The late great George Headley once said that he always forgave a batsman who gets out to a careless or reckless stroke - but only once. He also once said that a batsman's job is to score runs, that no batsman can score runs in the pavilion and although the nature of limited-overs cricket is such that a batsman will always take a chance or two, that remains a fact.
