Brian Breese - Contributed

By LeVaughn Flynn, Staff Reporter

Decked out in their sky blue Stanford Twenty20 T-shirts and bleach white trousers, the inmates of the South Camp Road Rehabilitation Centre gathered on the tiny South Camp Oval as cricket fever was in the air.

Though limited by their circumstances as the pitch, which is smaller than an average scrimmage field, is bordered by a chain-link fence on one side and a cellblock on the other, that didn't stop the batsmen from unleashing some fine shots, the most powerful requiring the other inmates to seek cover.

And so the 2007 cricket competition began at the penal centre on Wednesday. Divided in two teams, New Remand and Rehab United, the inmates have organised a six-week competition which will be played in the format of three 'Mini Tests' (three days) and five Twenty20 matches. Both teams also include two wardens.

Escape from reality

Like the football and domino competitions that the inmates also organise among themselves, the duration of the cricket game transports them to somewhere else.

"When di cricket a gwaan wi nu memba sey a prison we deh till a time fi lock down," said one inmate.

Another inmate, Dwight Thomas, who labels himself as a pace bowler, said "It bring a unity and it tek weh some a the stress."

Captain of New Remand, Lloyd Coleman, who has been at the facility for 23 years, said political alliance is brushed aside for sportsmanship.

"Whether you is JLP or PNP, we put politics aside because in here we are all one and we interact well together," he said.

Head of the inmates' Sports Council, Richard McGeachy, said that is exactly the aim of having recreational activities for the inmates.

"If we can take this same attitude outside, we can influence other people to reduce the violence," said McGeachy.

All the sporting competitions are made possible by outside help. The Stanford Twenty20 shirts were donated by Brian Breese, chief operating officer of the Jamaica Cricket Association, the pants and some of the cricket gear were donated by Food For the Poor, while KACS Auto Sales and Service has been the 'title' sponsor for the past seven years.

"A lot of people give up on persons when they go to prison but here is a good chance to rehabilitate them so when they come back into society they can reintegrate smoothly," said chief executive officer of KACS, Kenneth Shaw.

Some of the silverware the inmates will be vying for are the KACS Auto Sales trophy (Mini Test champion), the Kenneth G. Shaw trophy (one-day champion), the Brian Breese Trophy (most wickets), Reverence for Life Shield (most disciplined team), the Superintendent's medal (most disciplined player), the Commissioner's medal (player of the series) and the Chris Gayle Trophy (most runs).

Speaking of Chris Gayle, how do the inmates feel about the West Indies team.

"Of late they are getting better since them get rid of the big man," opined Thomas. "There is more unity now and the players respect Gayle and (Ramnaresh) Sarwan."

Leroy Cox, captain of Rehab United, offered this bit.

"The team is doing all right, but something wrong with the selectors them."