KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – Defending champions Guyana aim to snap Jamaica’s winning streak while resurrecting their own title hopes in the KFC Cup limited overs competition when the two teams clash today at the Alpart Sports Club.
The teams are at opposite ends of the standings – Jamaica second (8) just behind leaders Trinidad and Tobago (9), and Guyana joint bottom of the table with the Leeward Islands without a point.
Widely regarded as the region’s best in limited overs cricket, the Guyanese have been hurt by the absence of key West Indies players Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Ramnaresh Sarwan so far this season.
With a record eight regional limited overs titles plus their rich Stanford Twenty20 triumph last summer in Antigua, Guyana’s tradition in the abbreviated game suggests that they can rebound from their defeats against the Windward Islands and Trinidad and Tobago so far this season and trouble the Jamaicans.
They badly need a win today to get into the KFC Cup race.
“We need to win if we are to save our season, it’s as simple as that,” Guyana coach Albert Smith said.
On a high after road wins over the Leeward Islands in St Kitts and the Windward Islands (St Lucia) in their first two KFC Cup matches, plus their emphatic victory over the Guyanese in the Carib Beer Series four-day fixture on Tuesday, the Jamaicans are poised to secure their Final Four spot.
They have missed the Final Four (semis) in recent seasons and coach Junior Bennett, in his first season as Jamaica’s senior coach, wants his players to remain diligent, to maintain their winning streak.
“We have done well so far, we just need to continue what we’ve been doing and try to win every game, make sure we qualify for the final four and move on from there,” said Bennett.
From the 13-man squad selected for the Carib Beer game at Kensington Park, Jamaica have replaced left-arm spinner Andre Dwyer with off-spinner Bevon Brown although the home side may still go for the same XI that won at Kensington.
That would mean that skipper Wavell Hinds, the in-form Tamar Lambert, who scored his maiden first-class century at Kensington, as well as Brenton Parchment, Danza Hyatt, Lorenzo Ingram, David Bernard and Carlton Baugh would be expected to get the bulk of the runs.
The bowling would be left to pacers Jermaine Lawson and Andrew Richardson; medium-pacer Bernard, left-arm spinner Nikita Miller and leg-spinner Odean Brown, with support from Lambert (off-spin) and Hinds (medium pace).
The Guyanese have a major injury concern over former West Indies pacer Reon King, who is being bothered by a thigh strain.
Sewnarine Chattergoon (toe) and Travis Dowlin (ankle) have also reported niggling injuries but are expected to play.
Captain Sarwan, returning from a foot fracture late last year which kept him out of the West Indies’ one-day tour of India, said he was satisfied with his fitness in the four-day game and will lead the Guyana batting.
Chattergoon, vice-captain Narsingh Deonarine, Azeemul Haniff, Dowlin, Royston Crandon, Assad Fudadin and wicketkeeper Derwin Christian will be expected to get the runs.
TEAMS (from);JAMAICA – Wavell Hinds (captain), Tamar Lambert, Brenton Parchment, Danza Hyatt, Lorenzo Ingram, David Bernard, Carlton Baugh, Nikita Miller, Jermaine Lawson, Odean Brown, Andrew Richardson, Bevon Brown, Jamie Trenchfield.
GUYANA – Ramnaresh Sarwan (captain), Narsingh Deonarine (vice-captain),Sewnarine Chattergoon, Travis Dowlin, Azeemul Haniff, Assad Fudadin, Dion Ferrier, Derwin Christian, Mahendra Nagamootoo, Veerasammy Permaul, Jeremy Gordon, Reon King, Esaun Crandon, Royston Crandon.
