If there is a reader who is either a student of the game and, or, an aspiring cricketer, looking to improve their game, I recommend a simple bit of advice to you. Talk with some of the past greats, heed their advice, and try some of their technical pointers.

Two St George’s greats provided me with very useful tips when I was just coming along.

Clarence Parfitt taught me about keeping my balance while batting. Lloyd James, meanwhile, showed me how to point my feet towards the covers, in the stance, to help open up the leg side.

To my surprise, one day at the Whitney Institute, while training, I believe for a Bermuda team, a Somerset player, one Robert Hinds, came over to me and gave me perhaps the most influential advice that I ever received regarding batting.

In fact, it changed my game forever and impacted my productivity immensely. He taught me that in order to be a more complete batsman, you have to be able to play off both the back and front foot with competence. At that time I only looked to score off the front foot.

To this week’s Cup Match legend, I wish to thank you for sharing your knowledge and making me a better batsman.

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Name: Robert Owen Hinds.

Born: June 28, 1950.

Start in cricket: I grew up in Barbados. I lived in two areas, St Lawrence and St James. Cricket was a religion in the Caribbean. We played it all the time. We would use the coconut tree bark for a bat and the small coconuts for a ball. We sometimes would use breadfruit, or a bicycle inner tube, and make our own balls with that, and some cloth.

Length of cricket career: In respect to Bermuda, I arrived in March of 1975, and played cricket here that same year, for my employer, the Police Recreation Club. The following year, I transferred to Somerset Cricket Club. I made my debut in 1977 and played under Campbell Simons, for the next two years. Of course, I was in that victorious 1979 team that won the Cup back from St George’s in Somerset, under Randy Horton. My last year happened to be the same year that Clay Smith made his debut in 1987.

I did return to the Police Recreation Club team and had the privilege of captaining that team with some very good players. Adrian King, Tyrone Smith and Ronald Greenidge were my three pressure points in the team. If Tyrone Smith failed, then the other two, along with me, took up a lot of the pressure.

Role on the team: I was a bowler who could bat a bit.

Childhood memories of the game: I played a lot of cricket in elementary school and also later in secondary school. The Ronald Tree Cup was a major tournament in the school system in Barbados in those days. I played in that tournament in 1964, but soon moved to England where I continued my cricket career at a few clubs. Cockfosters Cricket Club (in North London) was one of the first ones that I played for. I also had trials at Essex and Kent.

While in England, I rubbed shoulders with players such as Keith Fletcher and Asif Iqbal.

Teams played for: Police Recreation Club, Somerset Cricket Club, The West Indies Residents teams, Somers Isles Cricket League selects, and Bermuda.

Nickname(s): Jumping Jack. I was given that nickname by a police officer who saw my photograph in The Royal Gazette the day after a match at Southampton Rangers. I was bowling to Colin Blades and jumped about four feet in the air while appealing to the umpire, Mr Willie Davis. Joe L Brown took the photograph, and put it in the paper. The nickname has stuck ever since.

Favourite local match you played in: While captaining Police we use to like playing against Bailey’s Bay. They had some rude boys in that team, Rupert “Nick” Hollis and Noel Gibbons, and those guys. We use to love playing against them. It was always very competitive.

Best international feat: While playing in a four-day game for Bermuda, in Sabina Park, Jamaica, in 1983, we were 32 for seven when I came to the wicket. Tyrone Smith had 22 of those runs. I scored a half-century in that match, and took three for 42. One of my victims was Lawrence Rowe. I clean bowled him. The game lasted only two days.

Favourite venue: Police Field. The wicket was always well prepared and it was good to bat on.

Favourite international player(s): Viv Richards and Michael Holding, who had such a beautiful run-up. Of course there was Malcolm Marshall and Joe “Big Bird” Garner, as well. Whenever I went to Tests in Barbados, they would let me bowl to them in the nets. I was the unofficial fourteenth man.

Number one supporter: Tommy Aitchison. After he saw that I was batting at No 9 in Jamaica, and made a half-century, he asked why Bermuda were not letting me bat.

Pre-match routine(s): I would do my physical, however the most important thing that I would ensure to do, was to bowl about two overs against a wall. As a captain, I would insist that my bowlers bowl at least 12 to 15 deliveries before a match began, so that they were ready to go, once the game started.

Favourite dish while playing: It wasn’t that important to me what I ate. I just need something in my stomach.

Biggest regret in your career: I was disappointed not to be in the 1982 ICC team that eventually lost to Zimbabwe in the final. On that tour the Bermuda Cricket Board of Control took 14 players and six officials. Clarence Parfitt and I were the two best bowlers on the island at that time and we were not in the team.

Any superstitions: None.

Funniest thing you have seen in cricket: When I first came here, in 1975, they were still using “half” balls. They used to swing around a lot. I recall bowling to both Joe Bailey and Bernard Brangman and seeing both of them fall flat on their faces while avoiding my big inswingers.

Hobbies: Boxing and singing with the Police choir.

A key to your success: Application. One can have skills but you also need to be a thinker. There are players who might be quick for example, but they do not use guile and thought with their bowling.

Advice to today’s cricketer: In respect to batting, learn to build an innings rather than just hitting. Bowling wise, develop three balls from one position and then learn to use the crease.

Motto you believe in: Treat people the way you would like to be treated. I never felt I was better than anyone, but I also never felt anyone was better than me.