Adrian Frater, News Editor

Western Bureau:

Having been around the Jamaican set-up for more than two decades, winning a regional cricket title is really nothing new to David Bernard Sr, who conditioned this year's Jamaica team, which won the 2009 WICB four-day cricket title.

However, for the veteran trainer, who happens to be a former long-serving national footballer, this year has a special touch to it because it was the first time a 12-game format, which required greater endurance, was being played and the team stood up to the test.

"This season was a test of our endurance and we stood up well as we had no injury concerns of note," said Bernard. "It shows the importance of proper preparation and it importance of being able to maintain one's conditioning."

While he was not prepared to say that Jamaica was the best prepared team physically, in the absence of information on the other teams, Bernard said the local lads went through a solid preseason and were kept in peak condition through special drills, inclusive of personalised drills for some players.

"Our preparation was quite good and we were able to maintain that physical readiness right through the season," said Bernard, who is considered a fitness fanatic by those around him. "At times we individualise the training to meet the specific physical needs of some players."

Physically sharp

To ward off complacency or fatigue, Bernard said that creative ways have to be constantly found to maintain interest while keeping the intensity required to keep the players physically sharp.

"We keep the interest by using cross sports or supplemental sports in our training," said Bernard. "For example, we use football to maintain cardiorespiratory condition, emotional control, discipline and strength building."

Outside of the general ability of the players and their physical readiness, Bernard said team unity also played a great part in the success of the team as according to him, instead of doing their own thing, the players work for each other.

"We played nine games on the trot without any problems because the players play for each other," said Bernard. "This was a total team effort all the way through."

Bernard said he likes to win, so in addition to preparing the players physically, a lot of time also goes into motivating and inspiring the players.

"I like to win so I am always encouraging my players to develop the same attitude," said Bernard.

Jamaica's coach Junior Bennett

Coach Junior Bennett says preseason preparation coupled with all-round effort on the part of the players, coach and management staff, and the Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA), led Jamaica to back-to-back holds on the WICB regional four-day competition.

"After the limited overs competition last October, where we made it to the semi-finals without our main players, we did not take a break. We went straight into preparing for the four-day competition and kept the momentum going," said Bennett, who was winning his second four-day title in as many years.

"The players realised from the beginning that we would not have eight players at the start of the tour and they doubled their efforts. This laid the foundation and when the players returned from New Zealand they worked themselves in.

"Another reason is we had players who have been in and out of the senior team and, with some players away in New Zealand, saw it as an opportunity to show their worth. This increased the level of competitiveness in the squad," added Bennett, who also guided Jamaica to the four-day Challenge Shield, the limited overs title, and the Stanford Twenty20 final last season.

Solid performances

Jamaica, behind solid performances from leg-spinners Odean Brown, Gavin Wallace, left-arm spinner Nikita Miller, all-rounder David Bernard Jr, and fast bowler Andrew Richardson, led the seven-team championship from start to finish.

This, according to Bennett, was no accident as, in addition to preparation and players, there was an energetic and willing support staff.

"The trainer of the team, David Bernard Sr, has, over the years, done an excellent job in getting and keeping the players fit and ready.

"Credit must also be given to the management staff, technical director, Jimmy Adams, and JCA cricket operations, headed by Courtney Francis, as they all gave us invaluable support. It was a total team effort.

"It's a platform on which to build. Next year will be a different year, and we will have to start all over again," he explained.

-Jermaine Lannaman

Adrian Frater, News Editor

Western Bureau:

Having previously tasted success representing his alma mater St. Jago High School in the Grace Shield and St Catherine Cricket Club, winning is nothing new to Gavin Wallace, whose debut season for Jamaica ended with the island topping the WICB four-day championship.

"We won the Grace Shield in my last two years at school and I think we have won the All-Island Championship twice in my four years at St. Catherine Cricket Club," said Wallace.

However, the victory was nonetheless quite sweet for young Wallace because he also knows what it is like to lose, having represented the Combined Campuses and Colleges (CCC) team, which competed without much success in the 2008 season.

"After playing on the CCC team, which did not do well in 2008, it feels good to be on a winning team because I know what losing is like," said Wallace, who attended the University of Technology after graduating from St Jago, and did a first degree in financing with a minor in human resource management.

For Wallace, whose adjustment into the Jamaica set-up was quite smooth on account of having clubmates in the national team, 2009 was nonetheless a dream season for him.

"As a youngster, I have always dreamed about playing for Jamaica," noted Wallace. "To see it happening this year brings a special kind of joy, and to see us winning the tournament is just more than I reasonably hope for."

The realisation of his dream did not stop with just representing Jamaica but extended to the very successful season he had had with the ball, reaping a healthy return of wickets.

"What made it even more special for me were the eight wickets for 20 runs I took against the Leeward Islands, which is the best figures in a first class match by any Jamaican," added Wallace. "That was a dream start to my career and is something I will always remember."

In addition to winning the Headley/Weekes Trophy, Wallace said playing at the senior level for the first time was also a special learning experience for him and he hopes to use what he has learned to propel himself into the reckoning for the West Indies team.

"I have seen areas of my game that needs to be improved and I know I have a lot more to learn," said Wallace. "The Jamaican set-up is very good and I am prepared to put in the work that is required."

For the immediate future, Wallace hopes to improve his batting because, according to him, this would strengthen his chance to get into the West Indies team.

"I am working to improve by batting because I want to improve my average," said Wallace. "I am now setting my sights on the West Indies team and I want to be ready when the opportunity comes."