Former Jamaica cricketer and captain of the national senior team Tamar Lambert, who was recently declared the 12th recipient of the prestigious Courtney Walsh Award for Excellence, is heading to Australia to start a new chapter in his professional cricket career.
The all-rounder, who bats right-handed and bowls right-arm off spin, is all set to join the Golden Point Cricket Club in the Ballarat Cricket Association League in Melbourne.
The 35-year-old Lambert said that he is at the moment being held up by the visa application process, but should soon be on his way to Australia.
“Tamar Lambert is going to Australia to play in their premier cricket tournament, which is next to their first-class cricket tournament. Plus I am going there and see if I can finalise on some coaching courses as well.
“Well, at the moment I am held up by the visa process, but as soon as that is sorted out I will be on my to Australia. I am really excited about this opportunity and I am going to make full use of it. Opportunity only comes once in a lifetime, and this is my time,” Lambert told the Jamaica Observer.
Lambert is by far Jamaica’s most successful captain, having led the team to an unprecedented five consecutive triumphs in the regional four-day championship from 2008 to 2012. He also captained Jamaica to six four-day regional titles. Lambert also led Jamaica to two regional Super 50 titles (2007 and 2011) as well as two play-off shields.
Lambert has played 99 first-class matches for Jamaica and boasts some impressive numbers.
With the bat, Lambert scored 4,697 runs at an average of 28.12, with his highest score of 143. He scored three hundreds and 29 fifties. With the ball Lambert took 76 wickets at an average of 25.68 with best figures of 8-42. He took three four-wicket haul, one five-wicket haul and one 10-wicket hauls during a complete match.
Lambert had little experience in shortest version of the game — Twenty20 cricket. With a mere 15 matches, he scored only 98 runs with high score of 34, while taking only 10 wickets with best figures of 3-10.
Lambert made his first-class debut for Jamaica in 2004 against the Windward Islands in Gros Islet, St Lucia, where he scored 38 runs in the first innings and 76 in the second innings, at which the match was drawn.
His final game for Jamaica was against Guyana in 2015 at home at Sabina Park in Kingston. Lambert managed just 18 and 30 runs in a loosing effort.
“I am really looking forward to it. I have never been to Australia before. It is an opportunity that I am glad for; I am jumping on it right away.
“Australia is one of the powerhouses in international cricket and it is very nice knowing I can go down there and learn as much as possible and maybe bring back what I have learned to the Caribbean,” Lambert said.