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The battle was hot and the victory was sweet. The Kingston grand finale was a shot of redemption that West Indian cricket needed more than ever.

It was appropriate, too, that it coincided with the last Test appearance of the great Courtney Walsh.

The symbolism represented the end of an era and the beginning of another which one hopes will bloom into fruit, the likes of which we tasted before the famine set in in the mid-90s.

The shower of blessing that was the triumph at Sabina should have served to refresh stale taste buds and rekindle the will to win. After all, success in the fifth Test was the teams' first in 13 Tests.

That in itself would have been instructive of what it will take in the future to remain successful.

No one can argue that the key to the humbling of the South Africans was not based on discipline, the one area in which the series winners held the upperhand consistently.

There was no talent divide. The teams were equal in this department but the South Africans were simply able to execute their game plan better, playing within their limitations and allowing the West Indies to make mistakes.

You could say that the West Indies finally gave the visitors a lethal dose of their own medicine.

I fail to believe that we can't play like that more often. Nobody holds a monopoly on discipline or the desire to play with pride and professionalism.

But lest the current players forget, these are some of the core qualities that made us a dominant force for 15 consecutive years.

Even more significant than that, Walsh was virtually the last torchbearer remaining from the halcyon days, and he was there to pass on the torch to a newer generation whose social upbringing would have been much different from that which affected and impacted on the lives of loyal soldiers like Walsh.

Yes, money was important and still is, because the world system demands that finance is required to secure goods and services, a comfortable lifestyle and the rest of it.

But those from Walsh's time felt aggrieved when their professional standards fell below the level they had established,

And so they were driven by something more fundamental than material gain to keep on top of their game.

I wish I could be wrong, but I sense that this generation is not tied to this principle with any great allegiance and this may be the reason for much of the inconsistency we continue to see in West Indies cricket.

But they must realise no matter what time you're living in more than likely you're going to get back what you put in, especially in a situation where you have some responsibility to decide your own destiny.

Cricketers, batsmen in particular, often have the luxury of doing just that.

Therefore, if the present team have any aptitude at all to pay any attention and due respect to their history and the heroes that have paved the way for them, Walsh's legacy should be more than enough to inspire them to be as outstanding and resourceful as their abilities, and more importantly their industry and dedication would allow.

Their future is in their own hands. The Sabina triumph was a great way to start and a timely reminder that they have what it takes to make the grade.

© The Barbados Nation