Letter: It's time for Outerbridge to captain Bermuda

WEDNESDAY, SEPT 5:

Dear Sir,

Please allow me space in your newspaper to congratulate Bailey’s Bay Cricket Club on a very successful season.  

Not only did they win the coveted Premier League championship but the Lindo’s T20 competition as well, a tournament that continues to grow in popularity.

They also managed to retain their Eastern Counties crown against determined challengers St David’s, Cleveland County and of course those ‘saucy dogs’ the mighty Flatts Victoria Recreation Club.

To be frank I haven’t watched much cricket this season but I did make it a point to travel to Somerset to watch Bay play Willow Cuts, the match which would determine who would be league champs. 

In my opinion Bay showed a lot of character defending what most would consider a rather modest total of 229. 

Despite a blazing 57 and I do mean blazing from Chris Douglas which carried Cuts to 71 from only eight overs Bailey’s Bay kept their cool, didn’t panic as local teams often do and begin arguing amongst themselves but remained composed — a testament to their discipline as a unit. 

Once Douglas was out, Bay slowed down Cuts run rate considerably and gradually chipped away at their batting until the game was won.

I have no doubt that a large part of Bay’s success must be attributed to the leadership of their skipper Stephen Outerbridge. 

Stephen’s leadership qualities were obviously recognized early in his career as he captained Bermuda at youth level. 

As a cricket captain he commands the respect of his players, is tactically sound and leads by example. 

While watching Bay’s match against Cuts I had the privilege of conversing with master coach and a man who formed one part of Bermuda’s greatest ICC opening pair  — Mr Winston Reid. 

Reid has one of the most knowledgeable cricket brains in Bermuda and as we watched Willow Cuts bat he would invite me to look critically at what was taking place on the field of play at that moment and then would comment on changes he would make if he were skippering Bay. 

I had to smile because within an over of his suggestion, Stephen would do exactly what he said he would have done, in fact, one would have thought they were communicating telepathically.

I must therefore join the swelling numbers in the local cricket fraternity who feel that the time has come for Stephen to captain Bermuda, no disrespect to David Hemp but I believe he has taken Bermuda as far as he can. 

The senior cricket team, the island’s flagship for the sport needs a new man at the helm, one who can inspire our best cricketers to represent their country but more importantly rejuvenate the senior national programme. 

I believe the Bermda Cricket Board should sit down with Stephen explain to him what the job entails and likewise he should in return be able to relate to them what he requires. 

If they can come to an agreement then Stephen Outerbridge should be appointed captain of Bermuda first and then together with the selectors pick a twenty-five man squad to begin preparations for the ICC Division Three tournament to be held here next April. The sooner this is done the better!

George ‘Recman’ Holdipp