Jammin' in Jamaica

It's a good job Sunday is the traditional day of rest because a quite few people are probably nursing some serious hangovers. Kingston woke up to headlines of "REVENGE" as the newspapers savoured the moment of West Indies' famous win. The town was quiet this morning, the normally packed roads nearly deserted, but it had been a far different story the night before.

The music was pumping out of Sabina Park long after the game finished and the mound stand would have partied all night if officials had let it. Some young West Indies fans will never have known a moment like this after being brought up on a history of defeat after defeat.

But shortly after the presentations, as the outfield was opened up for spectators to wander across (how nice it was to see that allowed) people of all ages hurried to look at the 22 yards were the drama had happened. A photographer who is out here for the UK papers later said that a young kid came up to him pretending to be Jerome Taylor. That is how heroes are created and a new generation of cricketers born.

The youngster ran alongside the pitch, hurling himself into an action that would certainly have got the interest of the ICC. But, of course, that didn't matter. He wanted to be a cricketer.

On the boundary edge a normally quite private Chris Gayle was posing for endless photos with Usain Bolt, another Jamaican star. Bolt had been a promising fast bowler in his youth before choosing athletics as his career, but maybe yesterday's events will encourage children to give cricket a go.

The speed of the victory took everyone by surprise. There were no chairs in the press conference room and my taxi driver hadn't heard the result. "What, West Indies won?!," he exclaimed. "You serious, man." It's always nice to convey some good news.

While the locals celebrated, the England fans went off in search of New Kingston's bars to drown their sorrows, although at the press conference Gayle had made an offer of his own when asked what they should do on their day off. "I could cook for them, some peas and chicken," he said. "But I'm sure they'll find somewhere for a beer."

And they certainly did, as many descended on Courtney Walsh's bar, Cuddy's, in the diplomatic area of town. It was a reggae night, but the England fans seemed happier to watch the Premiership football highlights. Later in the evening Fidel Edwards and Sulieman Benn (the little and large of West Indies bowlers) walked in with beaming smiles, but other players opted to stay at the hotel.

Shortly before the music began the DJ asked for a big cheer for West Indies. Then a lone member of the Barmy Army forlornly began to sing "We're going to win 3-1." His friends just looked at him, laughed, and went back to their beer. It was the best thing to do.