Other teams look to save their season in third round of matches
ST. JOHN’S, Antigua – Call it “save-the-season” time because that’s the reality for all of the teams, except current leaders and reigning three-time champions Guyana Jaguars, and possibly Leeward Islands Hurricanes, in the third round of the Digicel 4-Day Championship, starting tomorrow.
The Jaguars have opened up a near double-digit lead in the standings over the Hurricanes, and the other teams will have their work cut out keeping in step with the front two.
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Ironically, Hurricanes host Jaguars at Warner Park, hoping to slow them down, in the top-of-the-table match, Trinidad & Tobago Red Force will look to add the knock-out punch to their repertoire against Windward Islands Volcanoes at Queen’s Park Oval, and Jamaica Scorpions and Barbados Pride look to kick into high gear at Sabina Park.
Leeward Islands Hurricanes vs Guyana Jaguars at Warner Park in Basseterre, St. Kitts
Both sides are coming off comprehensive victories in the previous round, so this sets up an intriguing battle for honours.
Recent history strongly favours the Hurricanes following a sweep of both matches last year, including a record run chase at this same venue.
Hurricanes boosted with the return of Windies “A” Team trio new captain Rahkeem Cornwall, Jahmar Hamilton and Montcin Hodge will field a very powerful line and look covered in all areas of the game, especially the bowling attack.
Cornwall has been one of the leading spinners in the region in the last few season and gives an edge to the bowling unit, cock-a-hoop following the pace attack’s demolition of the Pride batting last weekend in Barbados.
Batting however, is the strength of the Jaguars and the inclusion of veteran former Windies batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul adds greater depth, so it would appear the match will be decided upon how well the Hurricanes batting fears against the visitors’ attack.
Squads:
HURRICANES (from) – Rahkeem Cornwall (captain), Nkrumah Bonner, Keacy Carty, Jahmar Hamilton, Montcin Hodge, Chesney Hughes, Jeremiah Louis, Mervin Matthew, Gavin Tonge, Akeem Saunders, Stanny Simon, Devon Thomas, Terrence Warde
IN-Cornwall, Hamilton, Hodge, OUT– Elvin Berridge, Jason Campbell, Jacques Taylor
JAGUARS (from) – Leon Johnson (captain), Anthony Bramble, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Rajendra Chandrika, Chanderpaul Hemraj, Keon Joseph, Gudakesh Motie, Keemo Paul, Veerasammy Permaul, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd, Vishaul Singh
IN–Shivnarine Chanderpaul, OUT–Akshaya Persaud
UMPIRES – Carl Tuckett, Christopher Taylor (Jamaica)
MATCH REFEREE – Stewart Rawlins
RESERVE UMPIRE – Bernard Joseph
Trinidad & Tobago Red Force vs Windward Islands Volcanoes at Queen’s Park Oval in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad
Red Force came close in their first two matches, wobbling their opponents, but failed to get the victory cigar, due to their inability to finish the job.
Boosted by the return of Windies batsmen Kyle Hope and Jason Mohammed, a batting line-up that has so far shown its solidity has been fortified, but this could still be a big test against a side whose bowling is considered its strength.
Kyle Mayers return from Windies “A” duty to add all-round depth to the Volcanoes, giving the batting a little more depth and the bowling a bit more edge, but it’s the batting surrounding veteran left-hander Devon Smith that has to show more stability if they are to come away successful.
Red Force won all two matches last season to break the Volcanoes’ dominance over them, so they will be expecting the same this time again.
Squads:
RED FORCE (from) – Denesh Ramdin (captain), Yannic Cariah, Bryan Charles, Kyle Hope, Amir Jangoo, Imran Khan, Jason Mohammed, Khary Pierre, Roshon Primus, Isaiah Rajah, Jeremy Solozano, Daniel St. Clair, Tion Webster
IN–Hope, Mohammed, OUT–Ewart Nicholson, Marlon Richards
VOLCANOES (from) – Tyrone Theophile (captain), Audy Alexander, Gian Benjamin, Roland Cato, Kirk Edwards, Tarryck Gabriel, Kavem Hodge, Ray Jordan, Sherman Lewis, Kyle Mayers, Liam Sebastien, Shane Shillingford, Devon Smith
IN–Mayers, OUT–Obed McCoy
UMPIRES – Danesh Ramdhanie, Gregory Brathwaite (Barbados)
MATCH REFEREE – Michael Ragoonath
RESERVE UMPIRE – Kellman Kowlessar
Jamaica Scorpions vs Barbados Pride at Sabina Park in Kingston, Jamaica
Two sides shorn of most of their experienced players will look for a boost of confidence when they take the field under the lights.
They each still hold out hope they can string wins together to become the comeback team-of-the-year following early missteps.
Scorpions will have the most confidence entering the battle following a strong performance in a draw against Red Force in the previous round, when the Pride were severely dented by a stunning, two-day defeat against Hurricanes.
Recent results favour the Pride, whose batting has been given a boost with the return of Windies “A” Team “Test” captain Shamarh Brooks, but he would need the kind of consistency he failed to show against Sri Lanka “A” to spur the visitors’ batting back to life.
Squads:
SCORPIONS (from) – Paul Palmer (captain), Fabian Allen, Dennis Bulli, Jason Dawes, Assad Fudadin, Garth Garvey, Derval Green, Trevon Griffith, Paul Harrison, Brandon King, Romaine Morris, Damani Sewell, Keno Wallace
Unchanged
PRIDE (from) – Shamarh Brooks (captain), Anthony Alleyne, Jonathan Carter, Shakeem Clarke, Justin Greaves, Aaron Jones, Shayne Moseley, Ashley Nurse, Mario Rampersaud, Kevin Stoute, Hayden Walsh Jr, Jomel Warrican, Kenroy Williams
IN–Brooks, OUT–Shamar Springer
UMPIRES – Christopher Wright, Nigel Duguid (Guyana)
MATCH REFEREE – Denovan Hayles
RESERVE UMPIRE – Jacqueline Williams