January 30, 2013 at 5:54 p.m.
Stop the Clay bashing
However, it was obvious that the team missed the prolific run scoring of its leading batsman skipper Clay Smith.
Although those filling in did an admirable job it will always be difficult to replace a player of Smith’s pedigree. With centuries in most domestic competitions, including three in Cup Match, the ICC Trophy, the Intercontinental Cup and the Red Stripe Bowl Clay has proved time and time again that he is the island’s preeminent batsman.
In fact when one considers his achievements in light of the tournaments he has competed in internationally for his country one would have to conclude that he is without doubt Bermuda's most accomplished batsman!
This leads me to wonder why he is so often the object of scorn by many people within and without the cricket fraternity. On Tuesday I was listening to the People’s Show hosted by Everest DeCosta when a number of callers to the programme suggested that Irving Romaine be retained as captain with Janeiro appointed vice-captain and Smith upon returning to the team simply remain as a player.
Such suggestions brought immediate agreement from the host who has made no secret of his dislike for Smith often claiming that the injured Bermuda skipper is too arrogant.
The question I would like to ask EDC and the other Clay Smith-haters is when did picking a captain become a popularity contest? In his book The Art of Captaincy former England Captain Mike Brearley states that charisma…is an inadequate basis for choice of leader. He goes on to identify three main attributes a captain must have:
n Ability as a player — he must be worth his place in the side if he is to gain the respect of the team;
n A very good understanding of the game;
n The ability to motivate his players.
He goes on to say, he cannot always be 'one of the boys' because from time to time he will have to criticize individuals or even the whole group, saying things or insisting on activities that they do not like.
The bottom line is simply this when one considers the contenders for Bermuda captain — Clay, Janeiro and Irving — Clay has the most experience, has been the most successful in terms of domestic competition and is the most knowledgeable.
Look at what he accomplished at St. David's cricket club. Before his arrival the east end club was considered primarily an Eastern Counties giant very few took them seriously when it came to other competitions, but he instilled in them that winning mentality and they are now a legitimate force in local cricket.
I would advise cricket followers to watch Cleveland closely the team he is now associated with.
The late Malcolm Marshall in his autobiography Marshall Arts points out that one tactic the West Indies always used when they dominated world cricket was targeting the opposing captain for special attention.
If they could defeat the head the idea was that the body would crumble. Let's not undermine our own team's success by doing the same thing![[In-content Ad]]
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