COMMENTARY: A focus on Stephan Pascal

He returned home to a warm welcome. Family and friends and officials of Government and the D/ca Cricket Association converged on the port of entry to welcome home the first Dominican to captain a West Indies cricket team, albeit at the Under 19 level. The West Indies Under 19 Cricket Team was showcased to the world as they participated in the Youth Cricket World Cup in South Africa earlier this year. The team’s captain, 18yr old Stephan Pascal had made  Dominica proud by his astute leadership of the team. Unfortunately, he did not light up the stage with his batting as we would have loved him to. For all intents and purposes I can say, and he will most likely agree, that he had below par batting returns scoring an aggregate of 131 runs, highest score of 58 at an average of 26.2.  But there is no doubting his batting ability and leadership potential, a solid platform on which a successful cricketing future can be built.

The rise of this young man can be traced all the way back to the under 13 level beginning with the representation of his country from age 10 up to 13 in a Goodwill Series organized between the Ministries of Sports of Dominica and St Lucia. His first stint at national leadership came at the age of 13 when he assumed the captaincy of the team in his final year at that level. Although he was not the captain in the Sir Gary Sobers Inter Schools cricket competition, he was a team member over a period of 2yrs. He went on to lead D/ca’s  U15s, Windward Islands U15s, Windward Island U17s, leading the team to glory for the first time in 7yrs. He took on the mantle of the Windward Island U19s, followed by his leadership of the West Indies white ball team on the 2023 summer tour of Sri Lanka. He captained West Indies U19s during a training camp in Trinidad and Tobago in preparation for the 2024 Youth World Cup and finally the jewel in the crown ……. his appointment as Captain of the West Indies World Cup Team, to participate in the ICC Youth Cricket World Cup in South Africa. Interestingly, at age 16, he had forced his way into the Dominica senior team and notched up his maiden half century in his second year.

The foregoing clearly indicates that Stephan has successfully come through our youth cricket structure. We have looked at him grow up before our very eyes. The local cricket authorities can claim to have placed a significant level of investment in him.  As such they can rightly demand their pound of flesh in terms of returns on their investment.

I pause here to congratulate all those concerned, the Dominica Cricket Association (DCA) and the Windward Island Cricket Board (WICB) for drafting Stephan unto the Windward Island Volcanos Team. It was my wish and prayer, when he returned from South Africa, that he would not suffer the fate of Alick Athanaze, who, although the leading run scorer at the 2018 Youth World Cup, with 418 runs, could not find a place on the Windwards Island senior team. While we stalled on a matter of such significance, India pushed and pulled Shubman Gill, the second leading run getter of the tournament, to the extent that Gill became an established member of the Indian Senior team, while Alick was still struggling to find his feet in regional cricket. But, it would appear that we have learned our lesson. Kudos to all. We move on.

I rate Stephan’s performances in the two matches which he played in the just concluded regional senior tournament as creditable. He had scores of 25 & 14 followed by 26 & 63 totaling 128 runs at an average of 32. His scores represent good starts. His final innings of the competition (63) demonstrated the potential which lies in the young man. But potential and good starts are not enough. He must press on and translate those starts into huge scores. He must have a “Brian Lara-like” appetite for big scores. I have always maintained that our young West Indies cricketers are no less talented than their counterparts at International level however it does appear that they are lagging behind when it comes to mental toughness. And this is where Stephan needs to make that quantum leap…. the ability to stick it out and fight it out and not give away his wicket after having run the hard yards. It is critical that he toughens up mentally and seek to exploit and maximize his opportunities. At the local level he must dominate, not in an arrogant or conceited way, seeking to blast every bowler out of the park, but respectfully occupying the crease for long periods and piling on the runs.  The same should apply on the regional scene, allowing his bat to do the talking and in the famous words of the late great Little Master Irving Shillingford simply seek to “embarrass the selectors”.

I am aware that Stephan has a solid support system around him, spearheaded and championed by nonother than his parents and no 1 fan Augustin “Beno” and Maria Pascal. And boy, are they cheer leaders!! The couple has travelled the region in support of their son as he played at the junior level. They topped it up by following him to South Africa for the recently concluded Youth World Cup.

I  know Beno as a very serious cricketer. He took no prisoner on the cricket field…  immaculately dressed, a mean medium paced bowler, a high-price-on-his-wicket middle/lower order batsman, a sharp fielder, a no nonsense captain! Undoubtedly, he has instilled some of these attributes into young Stephan. With that level of support, one may ask, what more can a young aspiring cricketer ask for?

But there is more. Just as Jamaica rallies behind their athletes, Dominica needs to rally around our young and talented cricketers and indeed our sports personalities. At the moment little Dominica is fortunate to have 4 international sports figures in the persons of Thea Lafond, Alick Athanaze, Kavem Hodge and I make bold to include Stephan Pascal, albeit at the junior level. May we grab the opportunity! May we exploit the moment! May we champion their cause!

To young Stephan I say loudly and clearly, the cricket world is your oyster. There is room for you at the top. The eyes of regional cricket administration are solidly focused on you, as are the eyes of the cricketing public. Go for it. Shoot for the stars. We are behind you and our expectations are high. But ultimately, as Daddy Chess sang a few years ago, your destiny depends on you.

To this end, let runs, runs and more runs be your mantra. Ride the crest of that wave as you seek to fulfill your tremendous cricket promise and potential.

In the meantime, we await the next chapter of your story.