Jamaican gov’t, rain turn CPL spoilers

IN JAMAICAN parlance, the word ‘tallawah’ means strong and fearless despite being small in stature. For the 2023 edition of the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL), defending champions Jamaica Tallawahs will need to display that same strength and fearlessness if they are to clinch back-to-back titles.

West Indies’ recent T20 series win over India has created a wave of optimism that has seamlessly flowed into the CPL. The Caribbean’s blockbuster T20 tournament is now in full swing, and so is the rainy season!

In the completed matches so far, the Jamaica Tallawahs have been under the watchful eyes of many viewers.

Before the start of the tournament, talismanic all-rounder Rovman Powell, who captained the Tallawahs to CPL glory in last year’s edition of the tournament, was traded to the Barbados Royals. In return, the Jamaica Tallawahs acquired the services of Hayden Walsh Jr.

Powell’s departure is still a significant loss for the Jamaica Tallawahs, and their vulnerabilities may be exposed as the tournament progresses.

He is a patriot and, while the wheels of franchise cricket do not turn over on the grounds of loyalty and patriotism, Tallawahs’ management should have done more to retain him. Have they killed the goose that lays the golden egg? Time will tell.

On a more positive note, Tallawahs’ newly appointed captain Brandon King has looked comfortable with the added responsibility of captaincy in the early exchanges. He has remained calm during the clutch moments and he has been decisive so far.

Additionally, his purple patch with the bat continues in the CPL, scoring a blistering 81 off 53 balls against the St Lucia Kings in the season opener, followed by 67 against St Kitts & Nevis Patriots on their home ground.

Sadly, the St Lucian leg of the tournament was marred by bad weather. There were only two completed matches, with the other four games being washed out. The fans soaked up the electric atmosphere in the stands while the outfield soaked up a lot of rainfall. The tournament has now moved to St Kitts, and we are hoping for better weather.

No home games

The organisers may need to have discussions around the scheduling of matches at this time of the year and the actual countries that will host these matches. Fittingly, what about the elephant in the room? No home games for the defending champions?

This does not send a good message to fans about equality and access to the public good called cricket. While the other stadiums in the Caribbean are hosting cricket matches, Sabina Park is slowly becoming an amusement park.

The government of Jamaica and the private sector groups need to forge a meaningful partnership with the CPL organisers to ensure that the cricket-loving people in Jamaica can enjoy matches at home. Furthermore, the economic and social benefits that are derived by the host countries in the CPL are well-documented.

I have heard talks of cricket dying in Jamaica. Put it this way, if cricket is dying in Jamaica, it is dying from starvation for the game. It is noteworthy that the parish of St Elizabeth came to life in January of this year when it hosted the Resi Legends T20 festival at the Treasure Beach Sports Complex. A massive crowd turned out to support some of our contemporary legends, headlined by Brian Lara and Chris Gayle.

Notwithstanding that, St Elizabeth represents an enclave of the cricketing public in Jamaica, and this was a charity match. The overwhelming support is demonstrative of a deep love for the Gentleman’s Game.

The onus is on the government, clubs and private sector groups to galvanise that spirit of togetherness while continuing to find projects that will unearth and inspire our next generation of cricketers. This will have to be done incrementally, but fixity of purpose is the key.

The CPL has excelled in that regard and has greater significance this season, given that the T20 World Cup is now months away.

So, who are the early front-runners in the completed matches so far?

Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) are perennial title contenders. Their roster looks like a T20 World X1 with world-renowned local talents and quality foreign imports. Their first match ended in a no-result because of rain, but there was an interesting observation. TKR’s starting XI featured Martin Guptill as their sole overseas player. Given the quality in their dressing room, was this just a horses for courses strategy?

What about the Guyana Amazon Warriors? Their first encounter also ended in a stalemate because of rain. The selection of 44-year-old Imran Tahir as their captain is quite puzzling, given that his leadership credentials are unknown at this level. Collectively, they will need to overcome their proclivity for falling at the final hurdle.

Barbados Tridents, who were the beaten finalist in 2022, made an inauspicious start to their campaign. However, with Powell in their ranks as captain, they will be confident of a resurgence. Interestingly, St Kitts & Nevis Patriots and St Lucia Kings cannot be underestimated, since both teams boast players of match-winning pedigree.

Jamaica Tallawahs have started well but they will need to find a way to include retired England opener Alex Hales in their starting XI. There might be an over-reliance on King to produce the runs, so Hales will be a fantastic addition, given his quality and vast experience.

The big question is, which of the overseas signings will make way for him?

The teams are evenly matched on paper, barring TKR.

However, we are fully aware that cricket is not played on paper. The Jamaica Tallawahs will need to flex their muscles to win consecutive CPL titles. They will need to be resourceful and show their trademark intestinal fortitude yet again. I have a gut feeling that they might surprise us again. We will get all the answers in the weeks ahead, weather permitting.

Sport Pulse and Sport Matters are fortnightly columns from The UWI Faculty of Sport. We look forward to your continued readership. Andy A. Spence is a cricket enthusiast who has been following the sport from a very tender age. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Language, Communication & Society and an MA in Linguistics, both at The University of the West Indies, Mona Campus. He can be contacted atandy.spence16@yahoo.com