SANTA CRUZ, St Elizabeth — Since 2022 when he took over as principal of St Alban’s Primary School at Stanmore, close to Malvern, high in the Santa Cruz Mountains, Andre James has dreamt of reviving a long-dormant cricket programme.

He was hindered by various hurdles, including the collapse of a primary school cricket league once sponsored by the mothballed bauxite/alumina company, Jisco Alpart.

The absence of formal cricket gear also made it difficult despite the enviable advantage of a well preserved, though aging concrete pitch, at the centre of a spacious playfield.

To satisfy their appetite for cricket, a few hardy boys shaped bats from pieces of board to play “ketchy shubby” or “bowl fi bat”, using tennis balls, during recess and lunch time.

All that changed for James and St Alban’s last November when the highly respected cricket coach, Junior Bennett, arrived with child-appropriate cricket gear, including junior bats, pads, gloves, a few soft cricket balls, and “lots” of tennis balls.

The gift came as part of a fledgling partnership initiative to encourage cricket in Jamaican primary schools. Among the partners are Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA), the State-run Institute of Sport (INSPORT), Sports Development Foundation (SDF), as well as private donors.

“Having this donation is a big deal for us … now we are equipped. Hopefully we can build some stars…,” a delighted James, himself an avid cricketer, told the Jamaica Observer at the time.

For Bennett, an INSPORT officer and former senior team national coach, former national under-19 coach, and a former chairman of national cricket selectors, the visit to St Alban’s was just another day in the ongoing drive to revive primary school cricket following the ravages caused by COVID-19.

Over the last year Bennett and fellow cricket coach, Clive Ledgister, have visited more than 100 primary schools across Jamaica, bringing gear such as was delivered to St Alban’s and providing technical guidance for children up to 12 years old who are inclined towards cricket.

Last year Bennett told the Observer that the COVID-19 pandemic, which essentially shut down organised sport for most of 2020 and 2021, had hastened the necessity to “fix” primary school cricket.

“When COVID touched down, children now in grade five were in grade two. Since then there has been very little guidance, and what we find now is that they have bad habits… many are batting lap-hand, with a cross-hand grip. We have to be correcting such things,” he said then.

Bennett applauded primary school leaders “everywhere” for what he described as a “welcoming and very cooperative” demeanour such as was shown by James at St Alban’s.

The plan is to eventually get primary school cricket competitions up and running across the country.

“We want to have at least 20 primary schools competing in every parish,” Bennett said.

He is now working on what he calls a “pilot project” in sections of Elizabeth. He has received pledges of sponsorship from Member of Parliament for St Elizabeth South Western Floyd Green and private entertainment promoter Trident Sport, which organises popular night cricket events in the Mountainside area.

Bennett, who coached high school cricket at powerhouse St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) for many years in the 1980s, 90s, and early 2000s, believes the primary school programme is essential.

Cricket, he pointed out, has been on the decline in Jamaica — not least at high schools. Primary schools “have to be the main feeder” towards recovery, he said.

Bennett told teachers and children at St Alban’s last November that cricket encourages a culture of discipline, respect, and cooperation. Crucially, he said, it is also rewarding, with top professionals counted among Jamaica’s highest wage earners.

For James there is mild disappointment, though, since St Alban’s won’t immediately fit into Bennett’s plans for a schools’ competition because of logistical issues, including geography.

Yet both visualise that a competition to include St Alban’s Primary will become possible as other primary schools in the Santa Cruz Mountains embrace the opportunity.

Currently cricket, using the donated equipment, is formally part of St Alban’s physical education/edu-sports programme.

James is also planning to reach out to other primary schools in the Malvern region with the idea of playing friendly games. That’s even before a formal league competition begins.

Also, James has contacted adults in Stanmore who have played cricket, seeking help to guide children on the basics of batting, bowling and fielding. The most prominent of those cricket-playing adults is former West Indies fast bowler Daren Powell.

Powell, a native of Stanmore who spent his formative years at St Alban’s Primary playing cricket day in, day out, told the Observer he is ready and waiting.

“I will help in whatever way I can,” Powell told the Observer by telephone last week.

James, a native of Ginger Ground just outside Malvern, said that among his planned projects in 2024 is a re-energising of participation in cricket among adults in Stanmore and neighbouring communities.

“Children live what they see, and having adults playing cricket will get our students excited and wanting to participate so I have plans to involve the community … and it won’t be just cricket but sports as a central form of entertainment…,” he said.

“Our play[ing]field provides the opportunity for us as a school to play a big role in community involvement and development,” said James.