Anthony Foster, Gleaner Writer

JAMES 'JIMMY' Adams, a former West Indies captain, has been appointed technical director of Jamaica's cricket development programme.

Paul Campbell, the newly elected president of the Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA), who campaigned for office on 'Leadership for Today ... Vision for Tomorrow', delivered on the first of two key appointments he promised.

"Commencing December 1, Mr Jimmy Adams will take up the position of technical director of Jamaica's cricket," Campbell said at a press conference yesterday at Sabina Park.

Adams, who played 54 Test matches for the West Indies between 1992 and 2001, will take over full responsibility of the JCA's development department.

Full responsibility

All coaches - Junior Bennett, who is in charge of the senior team, Under-19 coach Andre Coley, Under-15 coach Terrence Coke and women's team coach Cleon Smith will be transferred from the operations department to the Adams-led section.

The technical director will have full responsibility for all staff within his department.

"He will be charged with those responsibilities to evaluate and make sure those coaches are discharging their responsibilities, which includes hiring and firing. It is totally in sync with his plans, which is by extension in sync with our objectives at the JCA," said Campbell.

Experience and knowledge

"We believe that Jimmy has the experience and the knowledge. He is a visionary and he will take the game in sync with our objectives to a very, very high level," he said.

Adams welcomed the task ahead.

"Let me say how much of an honour it is to play some sort of role in trying to move Jamaica's cricket forward," said Adams.

Campbell said the restructuring will split the duties between the JCA's Cricket Operations Department and the newly-formed Technical Department.

"We need to put more focus on development," said Campbell of the reason behind the move.

"We need to ensure that the product that we put on show is at the very highest level," he said.

Way to go

Campbell said it was the best way to go.

"We look forward to great things and I am positive that we, at the JCA, have made the right decision to engage Jimmy as the new technical director," he said.

The JCA president also spoke of plans to host a dinner on February 2, during which the JCA would honour Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who was named International Cricket of the Year.

This dinner would also spotlight several cricket milestones including the 60th anniversary of Sir Everton Weekes' world record of successive Test hundreds, which started against England at Sabina Park; the 60th anniversary of England's tour to the West Indies, which saw Sabina Park play host to the first Test; and George Headley's 100th anniversary.