Tony Becca

The year 2007 is now in its second day and within another few days Jamaica will begin its bid for the regional four-day and one-day cricket trophies.

Some six weeks after the battles for those internal honours are over, the West Indies, the champions of 1975 and 1979, go hunting in the World Cup.

As a Jamaican, the first question is this: Can Jamaica win one or both regional competitions?

As a West Indian, the second question is this: Can the West Indies win the World Cup?

As a Jamaican and a West Indian, the answer to both questions is yes - and it has nothing to do with the fact that I am a born and bred Jamaican and a true West Indian.

It is simply because man for man, Jamaica are as good as any team in the region. And although the West Indies, according to the ratings, are not as good as six of the 16 teams, although, man for man, they may not be as good as Australia, they are good enough, if they fire on all cylinders, to conquer each one. If they can conquer each one, it stands to reason that they can conquer all of them.

Last year, Jamaica, boasting 12 players who have represented the West Indies in Test cricket, finished last in the four-day Carib Beer Cup.

Not really as good

( L - R ) Sarwan and Lara

In 2005, the last time the one-day KFC Cup was on the line, Jamaica finished one from the bottom and that suggests that Jamaica are not really as good as the other teams, but instead are weak and overrated by Jamaicans looking on through rose-tinted glasses.

The fact of the matter, however, is that when one looks at a batting line-up that includes batsmen like the powerful Chris Gayle and the classic Marlon Samuels, plus others like Wavell Hinds, Brenton Parchment, David Bernard Jnr., Tamar Lambert and Carlton Baugh Jnr, at a bowling attack that includes pacers Jerome Taylor, Daren Powell and Jermaine Lawson, plus three different spin bowlers in left-arm wrist spinner Andre Dwyer, left-arm spinner Nikita Miller and right leg-spinner Odean Brown, it is difficult not to keep hoping that one day, for a few days, they will play well and bring home the booty.

There is another fact, however, something that destroys the team, and it is this. Jamaica's cricketers, those of recent times, do not seem to be passionate, or patriotic, enough, they do not appear to possess the backbone to stand up and fight and so often they, and especially their batsmen, surrender like lambs.

Pathetic

On top of that, and most likely because of their lack of commitment to the cause, their fielding, including their catching, so often is pathetic.

Once they can recapture the team spirit that engulfed the team in the late 1980s and early 1990s, once they fight like tigers, they can come out on top, or at least near the top.

The same is almost true with the West Indies.

With batsmen like Gayle and Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Ram-naresh Sarwan, Marlon Samuels and Brian Lara, Dwayne Bravo and possibly Dwayne Smith or Runako Morton, with pacers like Taylor, Ian Bradshaw, Corey Collymore and Fidel Edwards, plus left-arm wrist spinner Dave Mohammed, the West Indies have a line-up of players that on their day, and especially so in a 50-over contest, can match any team in the world - and particularly so if they bat second.

On top of that, their problem, like Jamaica, also involves their fielding and their catching - something which, it appears, stems from the lack of commitment and dedication and the absence of the passion and the patriotism that makes one ready to die for the cause.

Can dominate

( L - R )Samuels, Gayle and Taylor

Jamaica can dominate the regional season and the West Indies can win the World Cup and thus become the first home team to accomplish that feat.

To do so, however, they have to do more than talk, they will have to be at their best, and they will only be at their best if they are committed and dedicated, if they can find the passion and the patriotism to go with that.

My new year wish for Jamaica and for the West Indies therefore is that, like the Three Musketeers and their friend, like Athos, Porthos, Aramis and D'Artgnan, it is, in both sides, from now until February 26, from now until April 28, one-for-all and all-for one.