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Politicians and cricket
published: Sunday | December 18, 2005
Arnold Bertram
IN 2007, Jamaica will play a major role as the English-speaking Caribbean hosts for the World Cup Cricket Competition. Even as we focus national energies on the economic possibilities of the event, lovers of cricket are hoping that it will be a spring board for the revival of the game that is indeed at a critical stage in Jamaica and the Caribbean.
A HUMILIATING DECLINE
The dethronement of the West Indies as world champions in 1991 and our continuing decline since then is a source of deep humiliation. "The collapse of West Indies cricket performance standards from the pinnacle of the 1980s remains one of the most dramatic examples of nationalist dislocation in the face of a new global circumstance".
There are those who contend that the present dilemma in West Indies cricket is rooted in the approach of the new generation of players to the game. It is felt that they do not have the intellectual skills of their main competitors and show little or no understanding of the history of the game and the extent to which it mirrored the struggle for social equality and popular democracy. Can a rebuilding process, which takes all these factors into account, be put in place by 2007?
Once we understand that our political leaders will have a central role to play in rebuilding a framework of regional nationalism in which cricket can thrive, it may be useful to assess the extent to which the decline in cricket has impacted on the nurturing of political leadership.
The leaders of the national movement for political independence were educated in the high school system which emerged at the beginning of the 20th century. At Jamaica College, St. George's College, Wolmers and Munro, cricket, classical education and Christianity were inculcated as equal components of British culture. Following the example of the English public school, cricket became the means of imbuing a colonial élite with positive values of loyalty, self sacrifice, unselfishness, cooperation, a sense of honour and the capacity to be a good loser. 'A straight bat and it isn't cricket' became the watchdog of manners and virtue and the guardians of freedom and power.
It would be useful to remind ourselves of the politicians for whom cricket became a major influence, and this is perhaps best achieved by attempting to pick a 'Best Eleven'. The Sunlight Cup Competition for high schools began in 1906 and those who did well went on to play in the Senior Cup and parish competitions and even for Jamaica. The team will, therefore, comprise the best performers in these competitions.
Let me begin with the most obvious selections. There can be absolutely no controversy about Noel Newton Nethersole, former People's National Party (PNP) Minister of Finance, being named Captain of the team. He played for Jamaica between 1927-1938, and captained the Jamaica team which included Ivan Barrow, George Headley and O.C. Stephenson. It was the labour rebellion of 1938 which cut his cricket career short, as he opted for a career in politics with the formation of the PNP in September of that year.
NO CONTROVERSY
Equally, there is no challenge to Edward Seaga, former Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Minister of Finance, as wicketkeeper. Seaga was unfortunate to have been at Wolmers the same time as two West Indies wicketkeepers Franz Alexander and Jackie Hendricks. But for this accident of history we might have heard much more of his cricketing prowess.
The position of vice-captain presents some difficulty, since there are at least four contenders to be considered. One is Eric Bell, another former PNP Minister of Finance, who played for Happy Grove, Kingston Cricket Club and captained the St. Ann Nethersole Cup Team. Anthony Abrahams, present host of Breakfast Club and former JLP Minister of Tourism, captained the victorious Jamaica College Sunlight Cup Team of 1958.
In the final match against St. Jago, Abrahams showed what captaincy is all about. After Jamaica College was bowled out for 43, Abrahams rubbed the shine off the ball to allow his ace off-spinner to open the bowling attack.
ALL-ROUNDER MIKE HENRY
Operating from the other end was D.K. Duncan, former PNP Minister of National Mobilisation. St. Jago was bowled out for 27.
The claims of all-rounder Mike Henry, the first captain of a winning St. Jago Sunlight Cup team, must also be considered. Finally, there is Howard Cooke, former star player for Mico College and captain of the St. James Nethersole Cup Team. After long and careful deliberations, the vice-captaincy goes to Anthony Abrahams.
To open the innings, I would have D.K. Duncan and Eric Bell. At number three is Noel Silvera, former PNP Minister of National Security, who was one of Kensington's star batsmen of the 40s. He is followed by Francis Tulloch of St. George's fame who served the PNP administration as Minister of Tourism. Number five is Mike Henry with Howard Cooke at six and Seaga at seven.
To open the bowling, Nethersole would operate at one end with Norman Manley at the other. Manley attended Jamaica College and captained the winning Sunlight Cup in 1912. That year he also played in the minor cup and terrorized the batsmen with his pace, taking 9 for 12 and 6 for 29, against Kensington. In the match against Kingston, he had figures of 5 for 4. The third bowler is another pacer, Bob Lightbourne, former JLP Minister of Trade and Industry who played for his school Jamaica College and later for Kensington Club. The old timers still remember his run up from the boundary fence.
For the final place in the team, it is a toss up between another bowler and another batsman. With Duncan already on the team to help out with his medium pacers, I would opt for another batsman, in which case Sir Harold Allan, former JLP Minister of Finance, who captained the Portland Parish Team, gets in ahead of K.D. Knight, former PNP Minister of National Security, who opened the bowling for the victorious Wolmers team of 1958.
There are some exciting players who have not made the 'First Eleven'. These include William Isaacs, former PNP Minister of Industry and Commerce, who was an outstanding Sunlight Cup batsman for Jamaica College, J.P. Gyles former JLP Minister of Agriculture, who represented Munro College and Kingston Club, Robert Pickersgill Minister of Transport and Works who played on the victorious Clarendon College Headley Cup Team, Tony Spaulding former PNP Minister of Housing, who played for Wolmers and Seymour Mullings who opened the innings for Jamaica College and was a former PNP Cabinet Minister.
Every successful team needs a coach a manager and a negotiator and I can hear the nominations coming in for Michael Manley and P.J. Patterson, neither of whom played the game, but are among the most knowledgeable. Among the younger 'cognoscente', Peter Phillips, Omar Davies and Donald Buchanan are anxious for an opportunity in this department.
It is a most interesting observation that no politician educated after independence has made the team. One can only assume that cricketing prowess among politicians is no longer what it used to be. The question is, Have the political directorate lost the positive values attached to the game of cricket? That eminent sociologist, Carl Stone, observed in 1992 that "profound changes in values, norms and modes of behaviour?.have undermined the old authority systems without giving birth to a strong new and legitimate social order. The old order is still crumbling, but new and coherent authority systems have not emerged to replace it".
The imminent transfer of state power dominates the national agenda at the present time; the contest for leadership within the People's National Party like all political competitions brings its fair share of stress and tension. What better than a discussion on cricket to revive fond memories, exalt the heart and interpose a little ease?
published: Sunday | December 18, 2005
Arnold Bertram
IN 2007, Jamaica will play a major role as the English-speaking Caribbean hosts for the World Cup Cricket Competition. Even as we focus national energies on the economic possibilities of the event, lovers of cricket are hoping that it will be a spring board for the revival of the game that is indeed at a critical stage in Jamaica and the Caribbean.
A HUMILIATING DECLINE
The dethronement of the West Indies as world champions in 1991 and our continuing decline since then is a source of deep humiliation. "The collapse of West Indies cricket performance standards from the pinnacle of the 1980s remains one of the most dramatic examples of nationalist dislocation in the face of a new global circumstance".
There are those who contend that the present dilemma in West Indies cricket is rooted in the approach of the new generation of players to the game. It is felt that they do not have the intellectual skills of their main competitors and show little or no understanding of the history of the game and the extent to which it mirrored the struggle for social equality and popular democracy. Can a rebuilding process, which takes all these factors into account, be put in place by 2007?
Once we understand that our political leaders will have a central role to play in rebuilding a framework of regional nationalism in which cricket can thrive, it may be useful to assess the extent to which the decline in cricket has impacted on the nurturing of political leadership.
The leaders of the national movement for political independence were educated in the high school system which emerged at the beginning of the 20th century. At Jamaica College, St. George's College, Wolmers and Munro, cricket, classical education and Christianity were inculcated as equal components of British culture. Following the example of the English public school, cricket became the means of imbuing a colonial élite with positive values of loyalty, self sacrifice, unselfishness, cooperation, a sense of honour and the capacity to be a good loser. 'A straight bat and it isn't cricket' became the watchdog of manners and virtue and the guardians of freedom and power.
It would be useful to remind ourselves of the politicians for whom cricket became a major influence, and this is perhaps best achieved by attempting to pick a 'Best Eleven'. The Sunlight Cup Competition for high schools began in 1906 and those who did well went on to play in the Senior Cup and parish competitions and even for Jamaica. The team will, therefore, comprise the best performers in these competitions.
Let me begin with the most obvious selections. There can be absolutely no controversy about Noel Newton Nethersole, former People's National Party (PNP) Minister of Finance, being named Captain of the team. He played for Jamaica between 1927-1938, and captained the Jamaica team which included Ivan Barrow, George Headley and O.C. Stephenson. It was the labour rebellion of 1938 which cut his cricket career short, as he opted for a career in politics with the formation of the PNP in September of that year.
NO CONTROVERSY
Equally, there is no challenge to Edward Seaga, former Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Minister of Finance, as wicketkeeper. Seaga was unfortunate to have been at Wolmers the same time as two West Indies wicketkeepers Franz Alexander and Jackie Hendricks. But for this accident of history we might have heard much more of his cricketing prowess.
The position of vice-captain presents some difficulty, since there are at least four contenders to be considered. One is Eric Bell, another former PNP Minister of Finance, who played for Happy Grove, Kingston Cricket Club and captained the St. Ann Nethersole Cup Team. Anthony Abrahams, present host of Breakfast Club and former JLP Minister of Tourism, captained the victorious Jamaica College Sunlight Cup Team of 1958.
In the final match against St. Jago, Abrahams showed what captaincy is all about. After Jamaica College was bowled out for 43, Abrahams rubbed the shine off the ball to allow his ace off-spinner to open the bowling attack.
ALL-ROUNDER MIKE HENRY
Operating from the other end was D.K. Duncan, former PNP Minister of National Mobilisation. St. Jago was bowled out for 27.
The claims of all-rounder Mike Henry, the first captain of a winning St. Jago Sunlight Cup team, must also be considered. Finally, there is Howard Cooke, former star player for Mico College and captain of the St. James Nethersole Cup Team. After long and careful deliberations, the vice-captaincy goes to Anthony Abrahams.
To open the innings, I would have D.K. Duncan and Eric Bell. At number three is Noel Silvera, former PNP Minister of National Security, who was one of Kensington's star batsmen of the 40s. He is followed by Francis Tulloch of St. George's fame who served the PNP administration as Minister of Tourism. Number five is Mike Henry with Howard Cooke at six and Seaga at seven.
To open the bowling, Nethersole would operate at one end with Norman Manley at the other. Manley attended Jamaica College and captained the winning Sunlight Cup in 1912. That year he also played in the minor cup and terrorized the batsmen with his pace, taking 9 for 12 and 6 for 29, against Kensington. In the match against Kingston, he had figures of 5 for 4. The third bowler is another pacer, Bob Lightbourne, former JLP Minister of Trade and Industry who played for his school Jamaica College and later for Kensington Club. The old timers still remember his run up from the boundary fence.
For the final place in the team, it is a toss up between another bowler and another batsman. With Duncan already on the team to help out with his medium pacers, I would opt for another batsman, in which case Sir Harold Allan, former JLP Minister of Finance, who captained the Portland Parish Team, gets in ahead of K.D. Knight, former PNP Minister of National Security, who opened the bowling for the victorious Wolmers team of 1958.
There are some exciting players who have not made the 'First Eleven'. These include William Isaacs, former PNP Minister of Industry and Commerce, who was an outstanding Sunlight Cup batsman for Jamaica College, J.P. Gyles former JLP Minister of Agriculture, who represented Munro College and Kingston Club, Robert Pickersgill Minister of Transport and Works who played on the victorious Clarendon College Headley Cup Team, Tony Spaulding former PNP Minister of Housing, who played for Wolmers and Seymour Mullings who opened the innings for Jamaica College and was a former PNP Cabinet Minister.
Every successful team needs a coach a manager and a negotiator and I can hear the nominations coming in for Michael Manley and P.J. Patterson, neither of whom played the game, but are among the most knowledgeable. Among the younger 'cognoscente', Peter Phillips, Omar Davies and Donald Buchanan are anxious for an opportunity in this department.
It is a most interesting observation that no politician educated after independence has made the team. One can only assume that cricketing prowess among politicians is no longer what it used to be. The question is, Have the political directorate lost the positive values attached to the game of cricket? That eminent sociologist, Carl Stone, observed in 1992 that "profound changes in values, norms and modes of behaviour?.have undermined the old authority systems without giving birth to a strong new and legitimate social order. The old order is still crumbling, but new and coherent authority systems have not emerged to replace it".
The imminent transfer of state power dominates the national agenda at the present time; the contest for leadership within the People's National Party like all political competitions brings its fair share of stress and tension. What better than a discussion on cricket to revive fond memories, exalt the heart and interpose a little ease?