Jamaica / Special Interests / Cricket

One of the region’s bastions of the game with Barbados, Trinidad and Guyana, the so called Big Four (though the Windwards and Leewards might dispute that); Jamaica has produced a galaxy of stars for the West Indian side down the generations, none greater than George Headley, the Black Bradman, whose sculpted bronze adorns the entrance to Sabina Park in Kingston. Michael Holding, Jeffrey Dujon, Courtney Walsh, Jimmy Adams and Chris Gayle are more famous names of modern vintage. The grand old ground, another in the Caribbean to have changed beyond recognition in recent times, has staged Tests for more than 80 years and has a reputation for drama and unpredictability, especially when the mother country, England, is in town; there are a number of other well appointed arenas which have hosted first class cricket including the Kaiser Sports Ground in Discovery Bay on the north coast, Chedwin Park at Spanish Town, the Alpart Sports Club in rural St Elizabeth and Jarrett Park in Montego Bay while the lavish opening ceremony for the 2007 World Cup was staged at the Greenfields Stadium in Trelawny. Probably the most beguiling place to tour in terms of the range of experience beyond the cricket, Jamaica remains an outpost of sporting excellence.