Tony Becca

Jamaica's campaign in the regional Carib Beer cricket series got off to a disappointing start when, despite a century innings by captain Wavell Hinds, they dropped first innings points in a drawn match against the Leeward Islands in St. Kitts on Sunday.

Chasing 397 in their first innings, Jamaica were dismissed for 353. Set 269 for victory, Jamaica were struggling on 185 for seven at the close with Hinds on 50 not out, and with three points for saving the game, Jamaica, after one match, are at the bottom of the standings.

With four matches to go, and three of them scheduled to be played in Jamaica, it is too early to push the panic button.

One concern

Remembering, however, that Jamaica finished at the bottom last year after leading the Leeward Islands on first innings in the first round of the tournament, there is reason for concern and at least one question to ask.

Way back in the 19th century, Archie McLaren, captain of England in the 1890s, said that winning the toss is a part of one's luck and that unless the pitch is really bad, unless it is affected by rain, when you win the toss, you should think once, think twice and then decide to bat.

The question, therefore, is this: Why did Jamaica, in their first match of the tournament and playing away at that, decide to bowl first on a good pitch after winning the toss in bright sunshine?

Is it that, despite the presence of a line-up that included the likes of Chris Gayle, Marlon Samuels and Wavell Hinds, plus Brenton Parchment, Tamar Lambert, David Bernard Jr. and Carlton Baugh Jr., Jamaica were afraid that their batsmen would not be able to cope with an attack of pacers Adam Sanford, Gavin Tonge and Carl Simon, plus off-spinner Omari Banks?

Or is it because they possessed four pace bowlers in Jerome Taylor, Daren Powell, Jermaine Lawson and Bernard and wanted to give them first use of the pitch?

Whatever it is, it just did not make sense and it did not make sense because a pitch, most times, deteriorates after each passing day and is not as good to bat on the last day as it was on the first day.

In deciding to bowl first, Jamaica sentenced themselves to batting last and because a wearing pitch, a worn pitch, is not only helpful to spin bowlers, a wearing pitch, a worn pitch, is also helpful to pace bowlers - and particularly so the good ones.

On top of that, a wearing pitch, a worn pitch, is difficult for batting - most times more so than it is at the start of a match when it is well rolled, nice and smooth, and particularly so in the West Indies where the pitches, once lively at the start of a match, are now easy-paced from start to finish.

Lacking confidence

Remembering last year against the Leeward Islands in the opening round when Jamaica, playing at home and needing a mere four runs to win the match after squeezing through for first innings points thanks to a last-wicket stand of 30 between Andrew Richardson and Taylor, ran for cover by accepting the light.

It could be that the real reason for what happened in St. Kitts was that Jamaica, headed by captain Hinds, lacked confidence in themselves and their batsmen, and were afraid to send Gayle and Parchment, Samuels and Hinds himself, Lambert, Bernard and Baugh to bat.

As it was at Kensington Park last year when, with Odean Brown and Taylor batting during a 10th-wicket partnership of 25, instead of standing up and going for it after winning the toss and sending the Leeward Islands to bat, they surrendered and ran like cowards.

Maybe, instead of exuding confidence, instead of feeling that Gayle and Parchment could put on 100 runs for the first wicket and that Samuels and Hinds could score a century each, instead of believing Jamaica could end the day on 300 for two or three, or four, it was a case of Hinds and his advisers having visions of Gayle and Parchment falling to the new ball, of Samuels and Hinds failing, and of Jamaica being bowled out long before the close of the day's play for around 130.

Although Jamaica frowned on the gods in St. Kitts and nearly paid the full price, hopefully they will the win the toss on Friday in St. Lucia and that, all things being normal, they will go to bat without even thinking once about it.

Fortune favours the brave. Seldom, if ever, does it favour anyone else.