JOHN’S, Antigua – Though their side has been decimated with a number of players missing due to other playing commitments, Guyana Jaguars have a chance to sew up their hold on the Headley/Weekes Trophy, symbol of supremacy in the Digicel Regional 4-Day Tournament, for a third straight year, when the scheduled 10th and final round of matches are contested, starting on Saturday.
The Jaguars were idle last week, due to a scheduling conflict with the three One-day Internationals between West Indies and Pakistan at the Guyana National Stadium, venue for this weekend’s contest against Windward Islands Volcanoes.
As the last weekend’s matches unfolded, the Jags would have breathed easier and easier with each passing day, recognising they had little about which to concern themselves, after Barbados Pride and Jamaica Scorpions, their two biggest challengers, suffered crippling defeats against Trinidad & Tobago Red Force and the Volcanoes respectively.
It left Leon Johnson’s side with the enviable task of needing only to collect a minimum of 21 points between this weekend’s contest and their rescheduled ninth rounder against Leeward Islands Hurricanes next weekend to secure the title they have made their own since the transformation of the R4Day into a franchise competition three years ago.
For the rest of the pack, it’s all about finishing strongly, after a season of ebbs and flows, and giving a few young players a chance to get some valuable exposure, as the Pride and the Scorpions face each other at Kensington Oval in Barbados, and the Hurricanes host the cock-a-hoop Red Force at Warner Park in St. Kitts.
Squads:
Guyana Jaguars vs Windward Islands Volcanoes
(AT THE NATIONAL CRICKET STADIUM, GUYANA)
GUYANA JAGUARS (from): Leon Johnson (captain), Anthony Bramble, Rajindra Chandrika, Assad Fudadin, Chandrapaul Hemraj, Steven Jacobs, Gudakesh Motie, Keemo Paul, Veerasammy Permaul, Clinton Pestano, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd, Bhaskar Yadram
IN-Hemraj, Jacobs, Permaul, Rutherford, Yadram, OUT-Devendra Bishoo, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Shimron Hetmyer, Raymon Reifer, Vishaul Singh
WINDWARD ISLANDS VOLCANOES (from): Kyle Mayers (captain), Sunil Ambris, Larry Edward, Andre Fletcher, Kavem Hodge, Delorn Johnson, Keddy Lesporis, Sherman Lewis, Mervin Matthew, Jerlani Robinson, Shane Shillingford, Devon Smith, Tyron Theophile
IN-Hodge, Matthew, OUT-Kenroy Peters, Liam Sebastien
UMPIRES: Shannon Crawford, Zahid Bassarath (Trinidad & Tobago)
MATCH REFEREE: Colin Stuart
RESERVE UMPIRE: NandkumarShivsankar
Barbados Pride vs Jamaica Scorpions
(AT THE NATIONAL CRICKET STADIUM, GUYANA)
BARBADOS PRIDE (from): Kevin Stoute (captain), Anthony Alleyne, Sulieman Benn, Jonathan Carter, Kyle Corbin, Justin Greaves, Aaron Jones, Ashley Nurse, Rachid O’Neale, Mario Rampersaud, Jomel Warrican, Ryan Wiggins, Kenroy Williams
IN-Benn, Carter, Nurse, Rampersaud, OUT-Kraigg Brathwaite, Roston Chase, Shane Dowrich, Preston McSween
JAMAICA SCORPIONS (from): Nikita Miller (captain), Fabian Allen, Jermaine Blackwood, Dennis Bulli, John Campbell, Derval Green, Trevon Griffith, Paul Palmer Jr, Peat Salmon, Jerome Taylor, Devon Thomas, Oraine Williams, Chadwick Walton
IN-Walton, OUT-Marquino Mindley
UMPIRES: Leslie Reifer Jr, Peter Nero (Trinidad & Tobago)
MATCH REFEREE: Mervyn Jones
RESERVE UMPIRE: Ryan Willoughby
Leeward Islands Hurricanes vs Trinidad & Tobago Red Force
(AT WARNER PARK, ST. KITTS)
LEEWARD ISLANDS HURRICANES (from): Montcin Hodge (captain), Nkrumah Bonner, Elvin Berridge, Jason Campbell, Kacey Carty, Jaeel Clarke, Chesney Hughes, Jeremiah Louis, Jermaine Otto, Sherwyn Peters, Akeem Saunders, Jacques Taylor, Gavin Tonge
IN-Berridge, Clarke, Hughes, Peters, Saunders, Taylor, OUT-Rahkeem Cornwall, Jahmar Hamilton, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Kieran Powell, Hayden Walsh Jr
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO RED FORCE (from): Marlon Richards (captain), Yannick Cariah, Bryan Charles, Akiel Cooper, Sheldon Cottrell, Amir Jangoo, Imran Khan, Ewart Nicholson, Kjorn Ottley, Khary Pierre, Roshon Primus, Isaiah Rajah, Tion Webster
Unchanged
UMPIRES: Carl Tuckett, Patrick Gustard (Jamaica)
MATCH REFEREE: Stewart Rawlins
RESERVE UMPIRE: Bernard Joseph