Members of the England A team practice slips catching at Sabina Park yesterday. England A take on hosts Jamaica at the same venue today. - Ian AllenBy Tony Becca,
Senior Sport Editor
DEFENDING champions Jamaica continue their hunt for the 2001 Busta Cup title and a place in the semi-final of the Busta International Shield when they oppose England A in the fifth round of the Busta Series at Sabina Park today.
The four-day contest is scheduled to start at 10 a.m.
With four matches gone and three to come in the preliminary round which will decide the winners of the Busta Cup and the four teams in the semi-finals of the Busta International Shield, Jamaica lead the standings with 36 points - six more than second placed Leeward Islands and nine ahead of England A and Guyana who are tied in third position on 27.
With a little luck, Jamaica could have been way out in front on maximum 48 points and cruising comfortably with a lead of 18 points. Their two victories and two first innings points could easily have been four victories but for a few dropped catches while Barbados, set a target of 317, were struggling to 138 for eight, and but for rain which rescued the Leeward Islands who, set a target of 261, were falling at 106 for eight when time ran out.
The past, however, is gone, the present is here, and as Ruddy Williams, chairman of the selection committee, said yesterday, what is important is the contest starting today.
Another victory or another first innings lead in a drawn match is Jamaica's mission and although the England A team could be hard to beat, Jamaica, bubbling with confidence after their come-from-behind victory over Trinidad and Tobago are in the mood to do it.
To do so, however, Jamaica, who are expected to go in with the same attack of pacers Courtney Walsh and Franklyn Rose, offspinners Nehemiah Perry and Gareth Breese, and left-arm spinner Ryan Cunningham, will have to bat better than they have done so far.
Although opening batsman Leon Garrick has been batting reasonably well and has shared in some useful first-wicket partnerships, and although his partner Christopher Gayle has distinguished himself with scores of 55 and 16, eight and 131 not out, 48 and 55, 32 and 67, the other batsmen, but for one or two performances each, have done little.
That must be a concern of Williams and fellow selectors Linden Wright, Courtney Daley and captain Robert Samuels - so much so that they should be thinking of bringing in Orlando Baker for Brenton Parchment whose scores in four matches read three and 10, 23 and six, 23 and 11, seven and five.
Two of the reasons why England A will be difficult to beat, or to lead, is the experience of so many of their players and the strength of their batting.
The experienced players in the party are pacers Chris Silverwood and Alex Tudor, legspinner Chris Silverwood, batsmen John Crawley and Aftab Habib, and wicketkeeper Chris Read who have all played for England. Also, captain and allrounder Mark Alleyne, medium pacer Paul Franks and batsman Vikram Solanki have represented England in one-day internationals and offspinner Graeme Swann toured South Africa last year with the England team.
Although Habib is out due to an injured shoulder, in Ian Ward, the left-hander who in seven innings has batted for 32 hours and has ticked off three centuries while scoring 581 runs at an average of 116.20, John Crawley, who has scored two centuries, and Solanki, the visitors parade three good batsmen, and with allrounders like Usmaan Afzaal and Alleyne in the line-up, their batting goes deep in the order.
Depending on who the selectors favour for this match, two other players who could really test the Jamaicans are right-arm fast bowler Jon Lewis and left-arm fast bowler Ryan Sidebottom.
Sidebottom is the son of Arnie Sidebottom who played one Test for England, played soccer for Manchester United, and now coaches Yorkshire.
England A are formidable, according to manager James Whitaker, it is time to pick up the pace, and they are gunning for victory.
Jamaica, however, are confident of coming out on top - not only because the visitors dropped first innings points to Trinidad and Tobago, but also because of the fighting spirit which saw them recover from 49 for six to defeat the Windward Islands.
They then pipped the Leeward Islands by three runs for first innings lead and then, after trailing on first innings, came back from 122 for seven to beat Trinidad and Tobago.
STANDINGS
| M | W | L | D | FIW | FIL | PTS |
| Jamaica | 4 | 2 | - | 2 | 2 | - | 36 |
| Leeward Islands | 4 | 2 | - | 2 | 1 | 1 | 30 |
| Guyana | 4 | 1 | - | 3 | 2 | 1 | 27 |
| England A | 4 | 1 | - | 3 | 2 | 1 | 27 |
| Trinidad and Tobago | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | - | 22 |
| Barbados | 4 | 1 | - | 3 | - | 3 | 21 |
| WI B | 4 | 1 | 3 | - | - | - | 12 |
| Windward Islands | 4 | - | 4 | - | - | - | 0 |
ROUND FIVE
DAY TWO
West Indies B vs Leeward Islands
DAY ONE
Jamaica vs England A
Guyana vs Trinidad and Tobago
Barbados vs Windward Islands
