Tony Becca

Jamaica go hunting for honours in the 2007 regional competitions, and after coming last in the 2005 KFC one-day tournament - the last one to be held - and last in the 2006 Carib Beer four-day series, Jamaicans are looking forward to a change in the country's fortunes this time around.

Although it is possible, it is now highly unlikely - and it has nothing to do with the fact that Jamaica will be without their West Indies players for the first two of five rounds in each competition. In fact, based on the country's performances recently when their West Indies players are home compared to when they are away, their absence this time around, and for more than half of the competition at that, may be a blessing in disguise.

The reason for the dip in Jamaica's chances of winning any one of the trophies is the absence of Gareth Breese. And it is not because he is ill, it is not, as is so often the case in the West Indies, because one of his relatives is ill, it is not because of pressing business reasons, and although it was apparently just a matter of time - of a few days or so until the final 11 was named - it is not because he was dropped.

In a letter to the Jamaica Cricket Association last Thursday, Breese said he was unavailable for selection to the national team this season, he gave no reason or reasons why he was unavailable, he did not even use his father's illness as an excuse, and like myself, people in the cricket world are wondering why he did it - and especially so after coming home from his professional duties with Durham County Cricket Club ready to go, after participating in every practice or trial match every day except for a few when his father was hospitalised, and also after participating in the last one on Wednesday.

Was it that he got up and Thursday morning and out of the blue suddenly felt that he could not bother with representing his beloved Jamaica anymore?

Refused to comment

No, that could not be it, and although he has refused to comment, I believe that it had something to do with the whispers doing the rounds that he would have been dropped. I believe so because I heard that some selectors were thinking of not even including him in the squad for practice or trial or whatever it is called. I also believe so because I have heard the whispers doing the rounds during the practice or trial sessions that he should not be selected in the final squad, and I just believe that it got to Breese and he decided to call it a day.

No one has a God-given right to selection to any national team, and I do not believe that Breese, one of the nicest persons ever to have represented Jamaica, a perfect example of what a national representative should be, and a wonderful role model to every young Jamaican who wishes to represent Jamaica, ever considered that he had such a right.

To me, however, Breese deserved his place on the national team over the years. To me, as one of the country's most experienced players, and as a bowler with 172 wickets under his belt for Jamaica - including match figures of six for 47 off 31.2 overs and three for 46 off 28, three for 36 off 25 and seven for 60 off 26.5 versus Barbados in the Busta Cup and the Busta International Shield in 2001, including Jamaica's best haul of 20 wickets last season - he still, at least for the time being, deserves his place on the Jamaica team.

And there are a few other reasons why Breese still deserves his place on the Jamaica team.

He has done quite well

But for 2005, he has been either first or second on the list of Jamaica's wicket-takers every season since 2001, since that season when he bagged 36 wickets and followed up with 47 the next year, he has taken the most wickets for Jamaica - including five wickets in an innings eight times and 10 in a match on two occasions, and on top of that he has done well, quite well, as bowler and as batsman, for Durham in the English County Championship.

No, it is a pity that Breese tendered his resignation, but he is a quiet, easy-going man, he does not like problems or confrontations. That is what affected his short stint as captain of Jamaica, and he obviously heard the whispers, not only about his not being available for selection to the West Indies team because of his contract with Durham, not only that he cannot bowl, but also that at age 30 he is too old.

All of that is nonsense. Breese is a Jamaican - born and bred at that. As a Jamaican he has a right to represent his country, even if he can no longer represent the West Indies; as a bowler, his figures show that over the past six years, including this year when he took by far the most wickets in the regional four-day tournament by any Jamaican, he has been Jamaica's best. He has definitely been their best spin bowler, and as far as age is concerned, Australia, and especially so through the brilliant Michael Hussey who made his debut at age 31 at last year, have demonstrated that it is only a number.

One man does not make a cricket team, and Jamaica can win without Breese. Win, lose or draw, however, a cricket team should consist of the best players available. Jamaica should be represented by their best players - and whether the selectors, or some of them, like it or not, whether the board members, or some of them, like it or not, Gareth Breese remains one of the best players in Jamaica.

Breese, in fact, is so good, especially after playing as a professional with Durham and rubbing shoulders on a daily basis with the likes of Hussey and Steve Harmison, that after ticking off the names of Christopher Gayle, Marlon Samuels, Wavell Hinds, Carlton Baugh Jr., Jerome Taylor and Daren Powell, the selectors, if they are thinking Jamaica and nothing else, if reward is for performance, on and off the field, should then tick off the name Gareth Breese.