Bailey's Bay rewarded for unity and right approach

WEDNESDAY, SEP. 19: Once again congratulations to Bailey’s Bay and Somerset for winning the Premier and First Divisions. Bay have put in a lot of hard work and it’s paid off for them. They have shown the rest of the clubs the right way to do things.

They have a trainer and they have shown real team unity by doing things together.

They’re not the most talented team in Bermuda, that’s St David’s, but Bay have done things the right way. And with Irving (Romaine), Stephen (Outerbridge) and Noel (Gibbons) bringing in their international experience, the club have formed a good programme right from their youth teams upwards.

It has really paid off for them after 20 years of not winning anything. Other clubs have failed to enhance their programmes so Bay deserves to win on merit – they are setting the right example of how a programme should be run.

Meanwhile, Somerset have  been coming along for a while so it’s also nice to see them win the First Division. They have a lot of 16, 17-year-olds who are very good.

I see them as a team that will be competing for honours and titles if they can get themselves a good coach. That would help them build upon the success that they already have.

They have a lot of good young players who are going to be the future of Bermuda cricket. Guys like Greg Maybury, Joshua Gilbert, Shaquille Jones and Marques Johnson.

With the right coach and the right structure in place, their future looks very bright. They should last in the Premier Division for quite a while rather than be up and down like they have been.

Moore is better for Bermuda

Coach David Moore has named 45 players to the national team, which signifies he has an open-door policy of trying to include everybody and giving them an opportunity to come out and show their worth and prove they want to be part of the programme.

Before, if there were 20 or 23 guys picked, some of them didn’t want to be a part of the programme and then we ended up scrambling for a team.

This is the right direction  opening it up – we’ll see who’s committed and wants to be a part of it. Those that don’t will cut themselves from the team.

With the guys who are left, not all will make the grade, but they will have the opportunity to force the selectors to make some tough decisions. I know not all the guys are going to show up for the information meeting. I can guarantee next week that the guys who don’t want to make the sacrifice or dedicate themselves to the national team, will cut the numbers down to 25 or 30 players.

Some of the guys won’t want to meet the Code of Conduct, but that’s a choice they make.

After that, we’ll be up and running for the World Division 3 Tournament with the guys who want to be there.

Jacobi must pick up the phone

Jacobi Robinson had a great season in being selected as the First Division Player of the Year but wasn’t included in the 45-man squad. There may also be a couple of other guys who felt they should have been included.

And just like in life, not just in cricket, they need to pick up the telephone and make a call right to the top.

I know I am vocal and outspoken, but if I have a problem, I call Neil Speight, executive director of Bermuda Cricket Board, or the coach and tell them what I like or don’t like. They are always very forthcoming with information.

This isn’t just for Jacobi, but for anyone who feels left out, if they picked the phone up they will be told why they haven’t been included or that maybe it was an oversight. They need to say “I want to be a part of this. What do I need to do to be  a part of this?”

That applies across life. If you go for a job and weren’t hired, you should pick up the phone and find out why. That way there’s no guessing and you’ll know for  next time and be stronger for it.

Twenty20 bonanza

The World Twenty20 Cricket Tournament is being played and I’d highly recommend tuning in to your TVs and watching some entertaining cricket.

The world’s best players are here and this is something even non-cricket fans can enjoy.

Lionel Cann is a Bermuda international and coach of Warwick Workmen’s Club.