FILE
Hyatt ... steered Jamaica to victory over Trinidad and Tobago on Friday.Anthony Foster, Freelance Writer
LEFT WITH only a slim chance of advancing to the semi-finals of the KFC Cup, the Wavell Hinds-led Jamaica team will be hoping not only to beat Barbados today, but for the Leeward Islands to do likewise against the Windwards.
Entering today's final first-round clash in the regional one-day tournament against Barbados at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Cave Hill campus in Barbados, Jamaica may feel that beating the hosts, a team they have toppled three in their past five meetings, is the least of their problems.
However, if they fail to beat Barbados today, no matter what happens in the clash between 1997 champions the Leewards and 2000 winners Windwards, the star-studded Jamaica team will board a homeward-bound BWIA flight out of Barbados tomorrow.
Guyana with 15 points, Barbados (12) and Leewards (11) have already secured their tickets to Guyana for the semi-finals.
Jamaica, with five points, and the Windwards, eight, are battling it out for the fourth and final semi-final spot.
strongest team on paper
A win for Jamaica would see them move to nine points while anything less than a tie for Rawl Lewis and his Windwards troops would see them bow out.
Jamaica were expected to atone for last year's poor display at the event which saw them bow out after the first round, however they have so far disappointed again despite boasting eight West Indies players.
Considered the strongest team on paper with Hinds, Marlon Samuels, Carlton Baugh, Daren Powell, David Bernard, Gareth Breese, Dwight Washington and Xavier Marshall, all having played Tests, Jamaica have only managed one win from four outings and that was in a rain-shortened match.
They lost to Windwards, Leewards and Guyana, but bounced back on Friday to beat defending champions Trinidad and Tobago in a match reduced to 20 overs per side which gave them a glimmer of hope.
Today they have to beat Barbados and hope Windwards lose to Leewards.
To beat Barbados, who have already qualified is not unlikely, but the Jamaican management will be hoping that Baugh, Hinds and Marshall find form.
Danza Hyatt, who hit an unbeaten 47 to lead the victory charge against T&T, Brenton Parchment, Tamar Lambert and Samuels have held their own with the latter making a fine 91 not out in a losing cause against Guyana.
The bowling attack of Powell, Washington, Bernard, Nikita Miller, Breese and Samuels is as good as any in the competition.
On the other hand, Courtney Browne on his men will have other ideas and want to keep Jamaica down.
Corey Collymore, who has the only five-wicket haul of the tournament, Ian Bradshaw, Tino Best, Sulieman Benn and Ryan Hinds are the most experienced bowling attack in the event and this could pose some problems to Jamaica batting line-up.
Four-time champions Barbados' batting will be spearheaded by Floyd Reifer with support from Hinds, Kurt Wilkinson, Dwayne Smith and Browne.
