When André Russell and Shawn Findlay spoke out in Monday's Gleaner about the lack of team spirit in the Jamaican camp in the just-concluded regional 20/20 tournament, many were caught by surprise. I wasn't.
A few years ago, I said a Jamaica team that was leaving our shores for a similar tournament would struggle to do well because of palpable differences between some senior players. I wasn't guessing, I knew the intricacies of the situation. I knew who the main protagonists were. The team went away and underperformed.
The then president of the Jamaica Cricket Association, Paul Campbell, had said that based on his own intelligence, there appeared to be two different teams playing on the field. He had pledged to get to the bottom of the situation.
That issue was never dealt with as firmly and decisively as possible, not least because those who should have articulated the matter in various reports to the board never gave the matter the kind of prominence it deserved.
Because Jamaica has done very well in regional cricket in recent times, including copping the elusive 50-over title last year, much of what is ailing this team was swept under the carpet. Winning tends to do that. It has taken a loss, albeit in the final of a competition, for the issue to be put back on the front burner. The hard truth is that the matter never went away and was always simmering below the surface.
Russell and Findlay must be commended for being brave enough to speak out about it. Hopefully, the issue will be dealt with once and for all.
Much of what is causing the disarray in the team stems from the fact that two senior players are not seeing eye to eye. This, in itself, is not unusual in team sports, and under normal conditions I wouldn't be concerned. The history of sports is replete with well-known teammates who never got along particularly well.
What is a concern for me and other cricket fans is that the difference between these two has mushroomed to the point where others in the team have been drawn into the brouhaha. The two who are at the heart of it are fairly influential personalities in their own right within the dynamics of the team set-up, and it has got to the point where, consciously or not, other teammates have, or are perceived to have, taken sides.
Stamp out schism
When it gets to this stage, it has to be stamped out, and winning titles and doing well should never mask a genuine problem. When Chris Gayle captains this team, as he did in the last 50-over tournament, the problem is less noticeable. This is so because Chris' larger-than-life persona, and the genuine affection, and, indeed, awe in which he is held by teammates means that he has the wherewithal to pull everyone behind him.
Tamar Lambert gets success from this team for, perhaps, the very opposite reason. He is seen as a low-key, almost ego-free leader, and for the most part gets along well with everyone. Tamar has been accused of not reading the riot act to players who cross the line, and at times he could be a little more strict, but that's not his personality and not his leadership style. He gives everyone their head, and because he is seen as a jovial, good-natured skipper, the team tends to gel when he is at the helm.
When David Bernard Jr was given the job of leading the team, I said on radio that he would have big shoes to fill. 'Berny' is a good cricketer and is well respected, but whether he is equipped, or prepared, to handle the serious personality issues that would come up under his watch is something I had my doubts about.
The Jamaican management has to act now. My personal take is that it's all well and good to have people on the team who take wickets and score runs.
However, if their behaviour, deliberately or otherwise, is causing the morale of the team to be less than desirable, management has some serious decisions to make.
The rule to all concerned should be: CUT IT OUT, OR ELSE!
Orville Higgins is the 2011 winner of the Hugh Crosskill/Raymond Sharpe Award for Sports Reporting. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com.