OJ Pitcher admits it was a difficult decision to step down as St George’s Cup Match captain but has vowed to fully support his successor Macai Simmons.
Pitcher, 34, resigned as captain last week after two years in the role, telling The Royal Gazette that the decision was based on issues outside of cricket.
“There’s a lot going on in my life right now, not just cricket but personally and career-wise, and I had to make a decision,” said Pitcher, who is also the captain of league champions St David’s and Bermuda. He works as a full-time golf professional at Ocean View.
“I thought about it, made a decision and will stand by it. There are some other things going on in my life that are very important to me and I just needed to make a decision. That’s what I’ve done.
“I want to thank St George’s for their support and the respect they have shown me, not just as captain in the last two years and in this more recent situation with me resigning, but in the previous years I’ve played. I want to thank them for the opportunity and will continue to push for a spot and represent them in Cup Match.”
Pitcher, who captained St George’s for the first time in 2015 when Simmons made his debut at Wellington Oval, has no doubt Simmons will get the support of the St George’s players as he faces a tough baptism against a confident Somerset side.
“We’re good friends and I have a lot of respect for Macai,” Pitcher said. “We do talk and he knows I’ve got his back 100 per cent. He’s a very competitive, enthusiastic young man with a lot to offer.
“A lot of people might say that the captaincy of Cup Match has so much riding on it, but this young man is a tough character and will have support all around him. He will have advice coming from the coaches and the senior players who will be involved and I’m sure he’ll do a great job.
“He’s St George’s out and out and is very passionate and I’m looking forward to playing alongside him. Any advice he needs I’m there for him.”
Pitcher had a loss and a draw in his two years as captain after taking over from Oronde Bascome, but remains confident that St George’s can pull off victory at home. “I’m confident every year that we can pull off a victory,” he said. “This year we’re at home and that has its advantages, and I’m confident we can get the job done.”
St David’s will provide the nucleus of the St George’s team, with about four or five players likely to be selected. The success of St David’s in the Premier Division where they are still unbeaten, could be a boost to the Cup Match team.
“Speaking on behalf of the St David’s players, right now we’re on a high, winning matches and the momentum is with us,” said Pitcher, whose St David’s side take on challengers Bailey Bay in the first round of the Eastern Counties at Lord’s this weekend.
“Those who are selected, we want to take that same winning mentality and drive into the two days [of Cup Match], and hopefully it rubs off on the other players and we gel as one over those two days.
“I’ve said for the last few years that on paper there is nothing between the teams, two fairly balanced teams. I’m definitely confident of our chances of regaining the trophy.”
Pitcher also has two other St David’s team-mates pushing for places in the Somerset team. Chris Douglas struck 114 not after sharing in a 259-run partnership with cousin Allan Douglas, a St George’s Cup Match player, who hit a career-high 160 not out against Cleveland County at Wellington Oval last weekend.
Dion Stovell has ended his self-imposed exile from Cup Match and is in contention, possibly for the spot in the Somerset team vacated by Janeiro Tucker who has retired from Cup Match.
“Dion and I, we talk a lot on the side as we play together at St David’s,” Pitcher said. “He has a lot to offer and thinks the game a lot. We talk on WhatsApp and nine out of ten times we talk about cricket.
“If he does get selected it will be a friendly rivalry. Dion is one of the best players on the island and in my opinion there’s no way he shouldn’t be playing Cup Match where people want to see the best players. We’re the best of friends, but it is still war.
St David’s, under Pitcher, are set to wrap up back-to-back league titles after six wins on the trot. “In the league we’re in an excellent position, but we have to be level-headed and grounded and take each game as it comes,” he said.
