President of the St James Cricket Association, Cecil Fletcher (right), at a press conference at the Montego Bay Cricket Club yesterday. Beside him is honorary secretary of the association, Coretta Longman. - Photo by Claudia Gardner

WESTERN BUREAU:

The St James Cricket Association says plans are underway for a cricket nursery, which it will be establishing in the parish in the coming year.

President of the association, Cecil Fletcher, made the announcement during a press conference held to highlight its plans, at the Montego Bay Cricket Club yesterday.

"The manager, two qualified coaches, gear and the venue for training are already in place. The selection process is being fine-tuned for start-up. When all is in place, we will move full steam ahead. For 2009, winning will not be high on the agenda. Instead, moulding players for the future will be our priority," he said.

"The nursery will be funded through approaches to corporate entities and directors of the association, financially and in-kind. We are far advanced. Right now the parish is very low in terms of cricket talent. We are not seeing on the horizon now, who are the ones to take over from the current crop of players, hence the idea of the nursery, which will provide us with, later on, the necessary talent to take over from the present crop of people," he added.

Conduct searches

Fletcher also said his administration would be conducting searches of parish cricketers at all levels, before they are transported to away matches.

"During 2009 Jamaica Cricket Board-run competitions, the board will be embarking on a new security initiative aimed at protecting those under our charge. As it relates to the St James senior, junior and youth teams, each time the team requires to be transported to away matches, all players will be subjected to security clearance," he said.

Designated personnel will be appointed by the board to effect the searches to body and luggage before the cricketers board at all points of departure. The new measure is geared towards protecting innocent players when they are stopped in police operations on the road, Fletcher said.