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BERMUDA | RSS PODCAST

Season finale lacking excitement

As the cricket season dwindles out slowly there is very little to get excited about. With the final weekend coming up in the 50-over league — unless a miracle takes place — St David’s will be the champions for the 2013 cricket season.The Belco Cup spots are already confirmed and the lack of promotion or demotion from one division to another leaves the fans with very little to get excited about, whereas last year this time fans, players, and clubs were on edge.St David’s’ dominance has caused many cricket fans, especially St David’s fans, to question whether it is time for OJ Pitcher to take over the captaincy of Bermuda.First of all let me congratulate St David’s on winning back the Eastern Counties trophy. I know it is something they have been longing for and wanting for a very long time.Having coached St David’s in the past I can tell you this trophy means more to them than Cup Match.While I am excited for them and my brother Wendell (coach) for winning, a part of me feels distraught. I received and e-mail this week and the following questions were put to me.Does the win provide a smoke screen for the Lionel Cann situation? With the selectors leaving Lionel out of the team does it make the players feel that they have won the battle?Will the players now accept Lionel back or have we seen the last of him in the Eastern Counties?Personally, I cannot answer any of those questions as only time will tell. Many would have liked to have seen Lionel play as clearly he is still one of the top five players in the country and one of, if not the most, exciting players on the Island.This weekend sees St David’s with a very tricky game against one of the most dangerous opponents in the league, Willow Cuts. According to the Bermuda Cricket Board website St David’s hold a 12 point advantage over Southampton Rangers, but a St David’s loss and a Southampton Rangers win over Bailey’s Bay would make it interesting, thus bringing bonus points into the equation.With 10 points awarded for a win, Rangers will need three more bonus points than St David’s out of a possible 10 to win the league.If both teams are tied St David’s would win the league as they have more wins than Rangers, and they beat Rangers head to head.Unfortunately, the Belco Cup spots are already sealed with St. David’s, Southampton Rangers, Willow Cuts and Cleveland locking down the top four spots no matter what happens this weekend.Sadly, there will not be the excitement of promotion or demotion as a team like Somerset or even Bailey’s Bay could have been threatened with relegation.With St David’s dominating cricket in the manner in which they have this year many cricket lovers have been asking my opinion about whether it is time for OJ Pitcher to be captain of the national team.OJ and St. David’s have had an exceptional year, but I still think it is sometime before he steps into that post. OJ first of all needs to look to reclaim his spot and once again become a regular in the national team under Steven Outerbridge.OJ is an exceptionally good player with a great personality and he knows the game, but even after Steven I think Rodney Trott should be next in line. I have watched Rodney closely and he reads the game really well.Don’t get me wrong either one of the two could be the next leader of Bermuda once Steven decides to step down.One thing we must also remember is that club cricket and national cricket is a massive jump.Just look at Simon Kerrigan of Lancashire playing for England in the Ashes against Australia.He has bowled himself into the Test team for the final Test by having an exceptional season for Lancashire, but when the time came he was overwhelmed by the occasion of Test cricket and had his worse bowling spell of the year, eight overs for 53 runs, which is unheard of in Test cricket.The jump from club cricket to national cricket is massive and one must be mentally ready for the unexpected. If you are not prepared properly it can have a negative effect on your game for some time.Therefore, just like life, everything has its time and place. There is no doubt OJ is a future leader of the country. However, for now I encourage him to become a student of the game and keep learning and studying to improve himself so that he can also improve those around him, that’s what good captains do.Quote of the week: A leader is one who sees more than others see, who sees farther than others see, and who sees before others see- Leroy Eimes