ST. JOHN’S, Antigua – Intriguing could best describe the second round of matches in the WICB Professional Cricket League Regional 4-Day Tournament, starting on Friday.
Leaders Guyana Jaguars hosts Windward Islands Volcanoes at the Guyana National Stadium, Leeward Islands Franchise face Trinidad & Tobago Red Force at Warner Park in St. Kitts and Barbados Pride welcome the Jamaica Franchise at Windward Sports Club in Barbados.
The Jaguars, last year’s bottom-placed side, find themselves at the top of the table after the first round, territory that has become unfamiliar territory to them in recent seasons, and they will want to continue their bright start to the new season.
The home team will have to put together an extra-special performance to overcome the Volcanoes, against whom they have not won for 11 years and have led on first innings in draw matches only twice in during the same period.
Stung by their first round capitulation, the Volcanoes will be looking to bounce back from that setback would be inclined to feel confident with last season’s exciting draw against the Jaguars at the same venue still fresh in their minds.
Neither side has changed their squad.
A reminder that the WICB has approved a change of playing hours for this match and it will now start half-hour earlier than regularly scheduled, beginning at 9:30 in the morning with the intervals adjusted accordingly.
Revised playing times
START – 9:30 a.m.
1st Session – 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Lunch – 11:30 a.m. to 12:10 p.m.
2nd Session – 12:10 p.m. to 2:10 p.m.
Tea – 2:10 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
3rd Session – 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
CLOSE – 4:30 p.m.
The adjustment is due to the early loss of natural light in Guyana during this time of the year.
The story between the Leewards Franchise and the Red Force is similar – but both sides would be looking to build confidence, after it was badly shattered by weak performances in the first round.
The hosts lost inside three days in the first round, at the same time that the Red Force had to depend on the torrential weather that wrought damage in their homeland to escape from a similar fate.
The visitors will be looking to paint the town red, considering that they have dominated the Leewards over the last five years, winning five of their last six matches, including twice at Warner Park – last year and the year before.
Both sides have been forced to make a change to their squad and have chosen promise ahead of experience – Alzarri Joseph has replaced injured fellow fast bowler Kelbert Walters for the Leewards Franchise, and T&T have brought the promising Nicholas Pooran in to replace former West Indies captain Ramnaresh Sarwan, who has returned home to Guyana due to personal reasons.
A fierce contest can be expected, when reigning champions Barbados Pride seek to kick-start their season against traditional rivals Jamaica after the weather prevented them from taking care of business in Port of Spain during the first round.
There have been just three draws between the two sides since the start of the new millennium, but the Jamaicans have a slight edge – and broke the Pride’s hearts last season when they stumbled to a one-wicket victory in the semi-finals.
The visitors will have fond memories of the venue – they earned a 10-run victory over the Pride in a low-scoring affair nine years ago and will be looking for another favourable result to cement their place in the top brackets of the table.
Both sides have fortified their bowling for the match with the Pride including left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn and his West Indies team-mate Jerome Taylor named in the Jamaica Franchise squad.
Squads:
Guyana Jaguars vs Windward Islands Volcanoes
(AT THE GUYANA NATIONAL STADIUM)
GUYANA JAGUARS (from): Leon Johnson (captain), Christopher Barnwell, Ronsford Beaton, Devendra Bishoo, Anthony Bramble, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Rajindra Chandrika, Narsingh Deonarine, Assad Fudadin, Trevon Griffith, Veerasammy Permaul, Raymond Reifer, Vishal Singh
WINDWARD ISLANDS VOLCANOES (from): Liam Sebastian (captain), Sunil Ambris, Alston Bobb, Johnson Charles, Romel Currency, Andre Fletcher, Lindon James, Keddy Lesporis, Mervin Matthew, Nelon Pascal, Kenroy Peters, Devon Smith, Tyrone Theophile
UMPIRES: Nandkumar Shivsankar, Peter Nero (Trinidad & Tobago)
MATCH REFEREE: Colin Stuart
RESERVE UMPIRE: Imran Moakan
Leeward Islands Franchise vs Trinidad & Tobago Red Force
(AT WARNER PARK, ST. KITTS)
LEEWARD ISLANDS FRANCHISE (from): Devon Thomas (captain), Quinton Boatswain, Jahmar Hamilton, Alzarri Joseph, Yannick Leonard, Jeremiah Louis, Anthony Martin, Orlando Peters, Austin Richards Jr, Lyndell Richardson, Akeem Saunders, Jacques Taylor, Gavin Tonge
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO RED FORCE (from): Rayad Emrit (captain), Bryan Charles, Yannic Cariah, Shannon Gabriel, Akeal Hosein, Imran Khan, Evin Lewis, Jason Mohammed, Yannick Ottley, Denesh Ramdin, Nicholas Pooran, Marlon Richards, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Lendl Simmons
UMPIRES: Nigel Duguid (Guyana), Patrick Gustard (Jamaica)
MATCH REFEREE: Stewart Rawlins
RESERVE UMPIRE: Carl Tuckett
Barbados Pride vs Jamaica Franchise
(AT WINDWARD SPORTS CLUB, BARBADOS)
BARBADOS PRIDE (from): Kraigg Brathwaite (captain), Sulieman Benn, Carlos Brathwaite, Jonathan Carter, Miguel Cummins, Shane Dowrich, Jason Holder, Shai Hope, Ashley Nurse, Omar Phillips, Kemar Roach, Dwayne Smith, Jomel Warrican
JAMAICA (from): Tamar Lambert (captain), Carlton Baugh Jr, Dave Bernard Jr, Jermaine Blackwood, Nkrumah Bonner, John Campbell, Damion Jacobs, André McCarthy, Nikita Miller, Marquino Mindley, Jerome Taylor, Shacaya Thomas, Keno Wallace
UMPIRES: Gregory Brathwaite, Joel Wilson (Trinidad & Tobago)
MATCH REFEREE: Mervyn Jones
RESERVE UMPIRE: Jonathan Blades