Jamaica Cricket Association president, Paul Campbell. - file

Paul Campbell, president of the Jamaica Cricket Association, said cricket is big business and there needs to be a paradigm shift in how we administer the sport.

Speaking at the 71st annual awards banquet of the Business House Cricket Board at the Knutsford Court Hotel, New Kingston, last weekend, Campbell said it can't be business as usual.

"But how do we change course?" asked the former chairman of marketing of the Jamaica Cricket Association and director of the West Indies Cricket Board.

"It is important to adapt to the dynamics of the modern game," he argued. Pointing to recent events in the Caribbean regional, an obvious reference to the West Indies Players' Association (WIPA) strike, Campbell noted:

"We saw it crippling the game in the last 24 hours. Gone are the days of placards. Gone are the days of road blocks. We must appreciate the changing times. We have to find ways of resolving our differences and issues ... it can't be the same rickety bus," he emphasised.

Continuing, Campbell said: "We have turned the corner time and time again as if we are going in a circle ... . It takes leadership from WIPA and the West Indies Cricket Board ... . Too many things have happened and no action taken," he argued.

Campbell further stated that a strong West Indies cricket can only come by way of a strong Jamaica cricket, strong Barbados cricket, etc. He said it also requires strong leadership at the clubs and parish association levels.

"We must change course. We must put cricket on a path of regaining our rightful place on the world stage," he said.

Standard still low

Listing some critical areas of development in Jamaica last year, the president spoke of the establishment of the technical department, appointment of Jimmy Adams as technical director, improved standards of coaches and attention to the cricketing infrastructure.

"Many of us will say Jamaica's cricket is at a high. Yes! We have won many times, but the standard at which we play is very low. Our benchmark must be international standards. We have started in benchmarking those standards.... We must change the culture of this wonderful game," concluded Campbell.

In the presentation of trophies and prizes, Lime (formerly Cable & Wireless) walked away with most prizes. Lime emerged Reggae Jammin 50-over league champions, the trophy accepted by victorious captain Noel Clarke, as well as the Digicel 20/20 champions and most-disciplined team award and the best-attired team. Their top players, Yannick Elliott, André McCarthy, Damion Jacobs and Dave Johnson also won individual awards.

Jamaica Broilers, on the other hand, received the Best Dressed KO 30-over trophy and the Business House Cricket Board 30-over trophy, while their opening batsman, Dean Anderson, won the Gleaner Independence Trophy as Sportsman of the Year.

Former player Statham Graham capped the outstanding umpire award, Devon Reid (improved umpire award), NWC (Hermon Spoerri double wicket trophy), while the Cosmo Grant president's trophy for most runs went to Jowayne Robinson of Digicel, St Ann Bauxite's Orville Pennant (batting average) and Digicel's Xavier Scott (sterling bowling performance).

Robinson, André McCarthy, Dean Anderson, Digicel's Ian Dewar, Sagicor's Lerone Tyrell and Brian Wright, Carib Cement's Robert Henry and Windalco's Peter Pottinger (twice) received awards for scoring centuries, while Wayne Morgan, André Dwyer, André Russell and Shacoya Thomas picked up individual awards for batting and bowling.

The function also welcomed former players from the 1960s who were present - Pat Anderson, Gifford Anderson, Sellie Mitchell, Oscar Hamilton and Brandis Johnstone visiting from New York where he is deeply involved with the Wembley Cricket Club.