By Anthony Foster, Freelance Writer
Breese - Dellmar
FOURTH round action in the 2003 inaugural Carib Beer regional series begins today with Jamaica who are desperate for points tackling lowly West Indies 'B' at Kaiser, Discovery Bay in St. Ann, starting at 10:00 a.m.
Ater three rounds of matches in the four-day tournament, the Jamaicans, missing a number of key players who are doing World Cup duties with the West Indies in South Africa, are struggling to get their first win in the 2003 season.
In other games Guyana host Barbados at Albion, Trinidad & Tobago entertain India A at Wilson Road in Trinidad and Windward Islands tackle Leeward Island at Botanical Gardens, Dominica
In a squad not short on talent and experience, the Robert Samuels-led squad includes six West Indies Test capped players, Nehemiah Perry, Daren Powell, Franklyn Rose, Gareth Breese, Leon Garrick and the skipper himself along with Keith Hibbert, Brenton Parchment and Donovan Pagon who have all represented the West Indies 'A' team.
However, they have found the going rough this season. Though in sixth position in the eight-team standing, coach Robert Haynes believes his team stands a good chance of overtaking early leaders Barbados to win the inaugural Carib Beer tournament.
"We still have a team to win the competition," Haynes said during one of the team's practice sessions at Sabina Park on Wednesday.
"We are far back in the point standings behind Barbados, but we still have four games left in this round, before semi-finals and final. What we need to start do now is to win our remaining matches."
Jamaica could make at least three changes to the team which dropped first innings points to Barbados.
"The selectors are looking at David Bernard Jnr. along with either Powell (Daren) or Audley Sanson, as possible options to use the new ball while an extra batsman, either Maurice Kepple or Donovan Pagon, may be added," a source close to the team said.
Both Franklyn Rose who has been dropped from the final 14 for today's match and fellow speedster Powell have been largely unimpressive since the start of the competition.
"There is a major problem with the opening bowlers made up of Rose and Powell," Haynes said. "When you have two West Indies fast bowlers who are not getting the breakthrough the team wants and at the same time giving up a lot of runs, at least five runs per-over, it is a little too much," the coach said.
"When you check the last game against Barbados they bowled 13 overs between them in the second innings for 79 runs and in the first innings 17 overs for 103 runs. In the game overall they (Rose and Powell) bowled 30 overs for 182 runs and that is a lot of runs, as West Indian pacers you can not afford that," Haynes explained.
On a pitch which should be good for stroke play, the Jamaican bowlers may very well struggle against a team that has been scoring consistently well so far and Haynes is aware of this.
"We have the West Indies B and they have being playing some good cricket. They have scored over 300 runs on a couple of occasions, however, we need to try and bowl teams out," the coach said.
Offspinner Perry with 15 wickets and Bernard have been the only consistent wicket-takers. Breese who is back from injury should also do well, however.
The West Indies B should get most of their runs from Aneil Kanhai, Narsingh Deonarine, Martin Nurse, Shane Jeffers, and Gregory Mahabir.
The team, includes two Jamaicans, fast bowler Andrew Richardson and wicketkeeper/batsman Carlton Baugh.
Jamaica (from) Robert Samuels (captain), Brenton Parchment, Leon Garrick, Maurice Kepple, Mario Ventura, Keith Hibbert, Gareth Breese, Nehemiah Perry, David Bernard Jnr, Ryan Cunningham, Daren Powell, Jerome Taylor, Donovan Pagon and Audley Sanson.
West Indies B (from): - Shane Jeffers (captain), Lionel Baker (Leeward Islands); Carlton Baugh, Andrew Richardson (Jamaica); Jason Bennett, Patrick Browne, Martin Nurse (Barbados); Narsingh Deonarine, Ryan Thomas (Guyana), Amit Jaggernauth, Denzil James, Aneil Kanhai and Gregory Mahabir (Trinidad & Tobago).
