An interesting era beckons West Indies cricket
Across the Board
A historic period in West Indies cricket beckons as we not only look forward to the first ever triangular series to be held in the region but there is also renewed optimism as the structure has been put in place to afford the better management of the West Indies team. The new management team of Richard Skerritt – manager; Roger Harper – coach and Jeffrey Dujon – assistant coach, was carefully selected after a thorough assessment of the current needs of West Indies cricket and with their appointments being for three years they have ample opportunity to oversee the development of the team during this period of rebuilding. Richard `Ricky' Skerritt was born in St. Kitts in 1956 he has had an outstanding career in fields of academics, business and sport. A Rhodes Scholar for the British Caribbean in 1980, Skerritt was also secretary/treasurer of the Leeward Islands Cricket Association, manager and chairman of selectors of the West Indies Under-19 cricket team between 1985-1986 and manager of the Leeward Islands cricket team in 1990. Coach Roger Harper and his assistant Jeffrey Dujon need no introduction to cricket fans. Both gave outstanding service to the West Indies as players and have since gone on to become highly qualified cricket coaches. Harper currently holds the English Coaching Award Certificate, the English Senior Coaching Certificate and the English Advanced Coaching Certificate. He has been a player/coach at a number of English clubs and been coach of the West Indies `A' team, most recently on the successful tour of Bangladesh and India in 1998. Dujon, the most successful West Indies wicket-keeper ever, holds the WICB advanced coaching certificate and has a keen interest in sports psychology. For the past three years he has worked with the WICB and the Jamaica Cricket Board of Control in remedial camps for Test, First Class and Youth players. Complimenting these three for the upcoming series against Pakistan and Zimbabwe will be physiotherapist/trainer Ronald Roger and sports psychologist Dr. Rudi Webster. The selection of the members of this management team might not meet with the approval of every single cricket fan in the region – we expect this. There has probably never been any decision taken in terms of team or management selection that has met with the approval of every single West Indian. However, as we embark on what will undoubtedly be an exciting era in West Indies cricket we ask that you give both the players and management your support. It is easy to back a winning team but the test of a true supporter comes when the going gets rough and the results are not always in your team's favour. While constructive criticism is very useful, what the West Indies team needs now more that ever is the strong support of all West Indians. The road ahead may be difficult but the West Indies team has shown that when it plays to its full potential, it can hold its own with any team in the world. The basic framework has been put in place for the resurgence of the West Indies team with the setting up of numerous training programmes and a much greater emphasis on the youth. Let us now offer the players the support they need in their quest to make the West Indies the best team of this new millennium.
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