CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand (CMC) — The call that saved a dream came when Ojay Shields was fast asleep. Exhausted after a training session and a subsequent gym workout, the Jamaican fast bowler was jolted awake by his ringing phone.

On the other line was West Indies head coach Daren Sammy, offering a lifeline that instantly erased six months of doubt and reignited a childhood ambition.

For Shields, a 29-year-old pace bowler from the parish of Manchester, the journey to the cusp of a West Indies cap has been anything but conventional.

It’s a tale of resilience, born from early rejections and fueled by a relentless work ethic that saw him transform from a swing bowler nicknamed Puss tail into a genuine quick.

The dream was first kindled in the small cricket district of Craighead, where West Indies victories sent ripples of joy through the community.

It was solidified during morning devotions at Holmwood Technical High School where he saw local heroes like Jermaine Blackwood and John Campbell celebrated for their cricketing feats.

“Seeing how the players who represented Jamaica carried themselves, they were role models,” Shields recalled. “It gave me inspiration.”

That inspiration, however, met with early adversity. He failed to make the cut at the Under-19 trials in 2013 and 2014, a setback that left him mentally weary and “on the back foot” without any youth cricket pedigree. Undeterred, he channelled his frustration into raw effort.

“I didn’t have that much pace in high school,” he admitted. “I was only swinging the ball. So, I went to the gym, got stronger, and pushed myself to the limit to bowl faster.”

His perseverance earned him a scholarship to G C Foster College of Physical Education and Sport, which led to a degree and a crucial cricket opportunity — a trial for the Combined Campuses and Colleges team at Melbourne Oval, the home ground of his hero Courtney Walsh. He impressed, making his List A debut in 2018.

Yet, the path remained slow. It took until 2023 for him to earn his first class debut for Jamaica. As seasons passed, though, the dream began to fade. Just six months ago, with age becoming a factor, Shields seriously contemplated retirement.

“I was actually thinking about giving up. I didn’t think it was necessary to be fighting for a spot for the Jamaica Scorpions without any hopes of going any further.”

That’s when Coach Sammy’s life-changing call arrived. “He said, ‘Mr Shields, I read a lot about you and I’m looking forward to working with you,’ ” Shields recalled. “When he said, ‘We must ask if you accept,’ I immediately said, ‘Yeah!’ ”

Now, with the prestigious maroon cap within touching distance, Shields is struck by the profound emotion of achieving his goal.

As a teacher at Enid Bennett High School he understands the power of his story. He lives by the mantra, “The art of living lies in balancing the acts of life,” and finds that the patience required for Test cricket directly translates to managing a classroom.

“Sometimes there are bad-behaved students who can really irritate you but I’m quickly reminded that their journey is very much like Test cricket, requiring patience and persistence,” Shields stated.

SHIELDS… I went to the gym, got stronger, and pushed myself to the limit to bowl faster (Photo: Sanjay Myers)