It was early in my childhood, at the age of 6 to be exact, that my acquaintance was made with one Cleveland Wade.

We were classmates at that esteemed institute of elementary learning known as “The Prep”. By the age of 10, we had spent countless lunch hours either attempting to head in crosses provided by Stevie Dickinson, or trying to bowl each other out.

All this practising was not in vain, as, at the tender age of 17, Clevie made his presence known on the biggest of local stages, the annual Cup Match classic. In respect to this great game, his rise was meteoric. By the age of 22, he was appointed our captain.

The next year, in 1983, he led St George’s to a most famous victory, in Somerset, thereby reclaiming “the Cup” that had been lost to Randy Horton and Co in 1979.

This was a bittersweet moment for Clevie, as his father, Cal Wade, had witnessed Clevie boldly gamble, declare and fall short in that initial year of his captaincy, in 1982. His father consoled him after the match and informed him: “There is always next year, son.”

His father passed just months before that historic victory in 1983. Clevie shed tears of joy after the match, no doubt wishing his dad had lived to witness this special moment.

***

Name: Cleveland Patrick E. Wade.

Date of birth: April 29, 1960.

Start in cricket: I played my first match for the St George’s league team when I was 12. This first match was against Somerset Bridge. I can remember being struck on my thigh by David “Lights” James. I honestly don’t recall how many I scored, but it wasn’t much.

Length of career: I was reserve for both the 1975 and 1976 classics, and eventually made my debut in 1977. I concluded my playing career with Southampton Rangers, as the player-coach, around 2002.

Role on the team: I was a right-hand middle-order bat, a cover fielder and a right-arm medium pacer.

Childhood memories with the game: At St George’s Prep, we won the island championship in cricket. Besides Wendell Smith, we had Dana and Delbert Minors, Kern Reid, Larry Furbert and Michael Smith in that line-up.

I also fondly recall the Uphills v Downhills matches played at the Mullet Bay Park and at Wellington Oval. There were also tennis ball games on the outskirts of the Oval.

Teams played for: St George’s, Bailey’s Bay, Western Stars, Southampton Rangers, Bermuda Wanderers, Bermuda Residents X1, SICL Select and Bermuda.

Nickname(s): Lips (this moniker was assigned to Clevie in primary school, however, I do believe it was before Mr Moorhead, our standard seven teacher, allowed us to participate in the Christmas activity of “Spin the Bottle”) and Palmer.

Favourite local match you played in: That would be a match against Western Stars at Wellington Oval. It was a very close game, however in the end, we won, after Andre Manders was spectacularly caught at square leg by Stan Smith, I believe.

Best international feat: In 1984, Antigua visited our shores, and I scored 128 and 20 against them in a two-day game. What made that feat special was that their line-up consisted of Viv Richards, Andy Roberts, Tony Merrick, Winston and Kenny Benjamin (both trying to break into the West indies squad) and Eldine Baptiste.

As I was batting and made a few strokes, Viv was encouraging me by saying, “Well played, youngster. Great shot.” Viv blasted 150 in quick time on day two, overshadowing my performance. Another memorable game transpired in 1978, while I was playing for the under-25s against Australia. Their line-up included Jeff Thomson, Bruce Yardley and Graham Yallop.

When I came in to bat, we were 20 for five. I made 78 in that match.

(Clevie also featured prominently in a memorable match against the Aussies in 1992, at Wellington Oval.

That Australian team, consisting of Allan Border, Geoff Marsh and brothers Steve and Mark Waugh, arrived in Bermuda fresh off a 4-1 drubbing of West Indies.

Along with Kenny Phillip, Anthony Braithwaite and Noel Gibbons, St George’s shocked that line-up and dismissed them for a measly 147. Unfortunately, St George’s fell 19 runs short of their victory target.)

Number one supporter: My father, while he was living, and later, my wife, Leola. She would always make sure my gear was washed and clean, and although she is a Somerset supporter, she would always wish me good luck.

Pre-match routine(s): I would pack my gear box the night before, or even two nights before, my games. In respect to Cup Match, I always took a swim about 6am in Mullet Bay. Ross Dowling, who was a huge St George’s supporter, would often be there waiting.

After a breakfast of bacon and eggs or steak and eggs, I would make my way across the park to the Oval. Ross would often ask me if he could carry my gear box across, and through the gate, for me.

I would pack six shirts and five pairs of pants. If I were to dive for a ball and get dirty, or get really sweaty, I liked to change and look the part. Dennis Wainwright instilled this in me.

Favourite dish while playing: A salad and some fish, perhaps. I was never a big eater at lunch.

Biggest regret in your career: It came about after I won the Junior Heineken Cricketer of the Year award.

The prize was a six-week stint at the Lord’s academy. I was there with youngsters from India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan, plus a group of young county professionals.

Whenever we had a break in training and the guys would be allowed to watch a Middlesex game or something of the sort, coach Bob Jones would always call on me to come and bat or have a bowl.

At the time, I felt as though he was “picking on me”. It was always me that he would call upon. In hindsight, I realise now that he saw something in me and was pushing me that much harder, to help me to develop my skills.

I guess my body language let him know that I was not particularly impressed to be the one always called upon for the extras. I was fortunate to have a second opportunity, the next year, along with Arnold Manders, to attend the Lord’s training programme.

However, I sometimes wonder, where I might have ended up had I grabbed this opportunity with a more professional approach.

Any superstitions: I would always put my left sock on first and I always sat in the same spot in the St George’s changing room in the right corner, by the window. If I was playing for Bermuda, I always wore the same hat.

Funniest thing you have seen on a cricket field: One day, at Somerset, during a Camel Cup final, our skipper, Wendell Smith, decided that he would rather play short than tolerate this particular player’s antics.

He told the individual, who was on the square leg boundary, to go back a couple of times. The player shouted out: “How much farther do you want me to go back, I’m off the field.” Wendell informed him: “That’s enough. You can stay there — I’ve just told the umpires that we’re playing short.”

Most difficult opponent: None in particular. (After a pause). The hardest to get out, in my early years, would have to be Colin Blades. He would often stick that front pad down the crease. In the later years, Albert Steede. He always looked to bat through the innings.

Hobbies: In my earlier years, I enjoyed a bit of tennis. This developed through a friendship with Sam Maybury.

A key to your success: I always had a lot of determination and a desire to be the best that I could. I had self-belief, set myself goals and did my extras.

Advice to today’s cricketers: Listen, pay attention to advice from senior players, have self-belief, train hard and do your extras.

Motto(s) you believe in: You don’t have to be a professional to train like one. The five Ps: Prior preparation prevents poor performance.

***

I was blessed to have Clevie Wade as a team-mate in Cup Match for many years. In that era, of the mid to late 1980s and early 1990s, St George’s had a consistent and formidable line-up.

The batting department, after the openers of, yours truly and Allen Richardson or Dexter Smith, it included some combination of Clay Smith, Arnold Manders and Charlie Marshall — all multiple Cup Match century-makers — Noel Gibbons, Clevie Wade, Graham Fox, Ricky Hodsoll, Dean Minors and Allan Douglas.

My most abiding memory of that group was not only their love for the game, but their dedication to training.

Never once did I have to wonder if a Clevie Wade, or any of the aforementioned, for that matter, would be at training or whether he, or they, would balk at the intensity of the expected workload. Today’s players should heed this example.

Just as Clevie avidly played cricket during those school lunch hours, so, too, did he similarly demonstrate a passion for the game in his later cricketing career.

It must be noted that something good came out of those extras with Bob Jones. For, as early as 1985, Clevie would attain his maiden Cup Match century, 112.

Yes, at the same Wellington Oval, where he grew up playing tennis ball games on the outskirts as a youngster.

Next week: Dexter Basden