Anguillian wicket-keeper/batsman, Jahmar Hamilton, is now home for a while until he leaves the island again to continue his cricketing career with the West Indies cricket team.
The second Anguillian to win selection on the above team, he returned to Anguilla on Friday, October 4, to much jubilation following his debut with the West Indies team in a match against India in Jamaica. He was met at the Clayton J. Lloyd International Airport by a welcome group which included Premier Victor Banks and representatives of the Department of Sports and the Cricket Association. From there he was driven in a motorcade to the Ronald Webster Park where he was formally congratulated by a number of speakers.
Several persons spoke to The Anguillian newspaper at the airport about Jahmar’s performance as a young and promising national cricket. Premier Banks, whose nephew, Omari Banks, was the first Anguillian to play for the West Indies team, said in part:
“Of course, Jahmar is the second Anguillian to make the West Indies cricket team and, as a small community with scarce resources, but with a talented people, we are very pleased about his achievement. He is among our talented young people who have the determination to succeed, to rise above the limitations of Anguilla and really find themselves in situations where they do well. Sport falls in the area of discipline and helps to make a wholesome individual – and we are very proud of the performance of our young people.”
The Premier observed that Omari Banks did very well in the West Indies team and had paved the way for others in Anguilla to follow. “Obviously, he has been a role model for a lot of young people, and it says that we can achieve great things if we put our mind to achieving them,” Premier Banks added. “I knew the kind of discipline Omari had, and I also know the kind of passion Jahmar now brings to the sport as well.”
Director of Sports, Mr. Andre Collins, stated: “Jahmar has added to the success of our Anguillian athletes by becoming the second national to make the West Indies senior team – and play for the West Indies at that level. We are very proud of Jahmar and just want to show him some love as he returns home.”
Mr. Collins continued: “We are continuing to work with the Cricket Association to develop the sport. We know that quite a lot of work has to go back into the Ronald Webster Park, to bring it to a level that we can host regional cricket again, but that is on the agenda.”
Mr. Ralph Hodge, a member of the Anguilla cricket fraternity, said: “Jahmar has been part of Anguilla’s cricket for quite a long time. I am not surprised that he has done well because he has always been that kind of person. What surprises me is that we are on an island of only 15,000 people but produce cricketers at this level. We must say a hearty thank you to the community in general because it is only by a national effort that you can get something like this. I sincerely hope that what Jahmar is doing will go well not only for our present cricketers, but for the future of Anguilla’s cricket.
“It is very nice to see the crowd that came out to welcome him home. I can assure you that Anguillians will follow Jahmar wherever he goes around the world. I have no doubt that he will be an excellent ambassador not only for cricket but Anguilla in general. I would like to encourage others who want to follow in his footsteps to make sure that they put in the effort because cricket, unlike other sports, calls for a lot of effort.”
Mr. Rodney Rey, Secretary of the Anguilla Cricket Association, had this to say: “Jahmar is our second young cricketer to reach test cricket level, and we are extremely proud of him. We are here to support him and to wish him every success in his future endeavours as a young cricketer. He has a lot of talent. He played in his first test match. He did not make a lot of runs but I was impressed with his wicket-keeping. All the commentators spoke very favourably about his wicket-keeping skills. I think he still has a long way to go, and we need Anguillians to give him all the moral support he deserves. He has the talent; he is still a very young man and I believe he will go places.
“Jahmar, like Omari, pushed himself. The young people today want things on a platter but that’s not the way they will make it in life. They will have to struggle. If they want to reach anywhere in life they will have to be committed and work hard. We have a lot of young talented cricketers on the horizon but they need to come out and train because the sky is the limit. Cricket now has money in it. In the past there was no money in cricket. Football has a lot of money and we are trying to ensure that our cricketers can make some money also.”
Mr. Neville Hamilton, Jahmar’s father, commented: “I am indeed grateful for the opportunity for him to have reached thus far. The sacrifice was real. He has been involved in cricket since he was thirteen years old, and has performed nationally, regionally and internationally. We are indeed very grateful that he has reached this level.”
Asked what role he might have played in his son’s success, he replied: “Of course, I am his dad. Behind the scenes we would sit down and have meaningful conversations. I would look at his performance and be his biggest critic and help him to focus on what he is doing. I never tried to get involved in the coaching aspects on the field, organised from the Cricket Association’s perspective but, as I stated, I worked behind the scenes giving him much encouragement. I think his work starts now. He has to recommit himself; has to practice more; put in the time to be really competitive and to deliver the type of performance expected of him.”
