The rewards of playing cricket

By Carl Greaux

Carl Greaux

In the 1980s, I was formally introduced to the game of cricket while in attendance at the Basseterre Boys’ School. When the bell rang for recess, we would jump or climb over the wall on Victoria Road which led us into Warner Park where we would play this exciting game until our break period is over. We would then return to school for the resumption of classes.

After my introduction, I fell in love with the game and had made the Basseterre Boys’ School cricket team.

I got great satisfaction and enjoyment from playing the game through constant interaction with my teammates (on and off the field) and also by seeing my progress during the cricket season. My teammates included such stalwarts as Junie Mitcham and Jason Saddlers. The games we played were merely opportunities for my teammates and I to exhibit the skills we were trying to acquire over a long period of time through the expert advice of our coach Mr. Hicks, and also to achieve some self-gratification for our labour.

Training for the actual game takes up most of the time players spend on the discipline. There are many drills and techniques, all aimed at learning the basic skills. While in training, we were taught that all players must be competent at batting, bowling, catching and passing the cricket ball. And when those qualities would have been acquired, players would then concentrate on their respective specialty.

Other aspects of training involved time spent on some little tricks that we may never acquire. For example, we had to be able to safely play down the ball before attempting to hit one to or over the boundary line. To become an asset to the team, one had to be able to run for long periods because endurance is a very important factor in the game. Therefore, running on all parts of the field, especially between the wickets, is an essential component of training.

Much of the enjoyment of the game comes from working with teammates. It is important to know and understand your teammates! Know their strengths and weaknesses, for only through this knowledge players would be able to coordinate strategies as a well-knitted unit. Additionally, after a few practices, teammates can see certain patterns in each others’ style of play which makes it possible to intelligently anticipate their intention and act accordingly.

Familiarity among players is essential! This is so because when a team is under pressure reactions become automatic. The rewards of understanding teamwork and being a team-player have been beneficial to me as a Police Officer in the execution of my very demanding duties.

The game also provides an opportunity to demonstrate newly-learned skills. There is nothing more satisfying than trying to learn and improve as well as being able to show other people your progress. There is no substitute for a cheering crowd to create confidence for a player having hit a six or two more consecutively or, most importantly, making a century and steering your team to victory.

Furthermore, realising that after all the practice your team is better than the opposing team is very rewarding. And if your personal performance is commendable, this too creates a great feeling of satisfaction.

Knowing your teammates and practicing and performing cooperatively with them are essential and enjoyable aspects of the game of cricket. As a Corporal in the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force, my love for cricket and the tenets of the game have rewarded me with the ability, knowledge and attitude to know and understand the men under my command as well as my superiors. Working cooperatively with them, as it was with my teammates on the cricket field, has brought success in a number of police operations. I must admit, however, that quite a bit of hard work is involved but the satisfaction and reward is well worth the effort.

Finally, the opportunity of watching the West Indies playing at the Warner Park Stadium is very rewarding and satisfying, knowing that I had played the game as a boy in the same venue. Oh, how rewarding the game of cricket has been for me!