Weather key to Jamaica's hopes
published: Friday | January 6, 2006

Anthony Foster, Freelance Writer

Jamaica's Marlon Samuels .. expected to lead the team's batting charge against Trinidad and Tobago today. - RICARDO MAKYN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER.

JAMAICA WILL be hoping for good weather when they face hosts Trinidad and Tobago in their third round Carib Beer Series fixture at UWI ground at the St Augustine campus beginning today.

Apart from weather concerns which have already forced the game to be switched from the Wilson Road Recreation Ground, Jamaica will be looking to improve on their 12 points.

After playing their last game against Windward Islands over a month ago now, another Jamaican concern could be whether or not the players are fit and ready for the challenge of the Daren Ganga-led Trinidadians, who welcomed back Denesh Ramdin and Dwayne Bravo.

SOME WI PLAYERS

However, manager Maurice Clarke was quick to point out that the Jamaica team, which is also boosted by the return of West Indies players Wavell Hinds, Marlon Samuels and Jermaine Lawson, is fitter than expected.

"The team is training well, the guys are physically fit ... they did well to keep themselves fit over the holidays," Clarke said.

In last year's home-and-away league, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago shared the spoils.

Under the leadership of vice captain Tamar Lambert, Jamaica won their first five matches, including a 142-run win over Trinidad at Alpart. Then Hinds returned and led the team to its only loss - a 70-run defeat in Tobago.

Left-arm spinner Nikita Miller with 4-27 and 2-45 spearheaded Jamaica's win with help from legspinner Odean Brown, who got three wickets.

Overall, in the two clashes last season, Miller and Brown shared 16 wickets, while the four pacers, Jerome Taylor, Dwight Washington, Daren Powell and David Bernard Jr., shared 18 wickets between them.

However, according to Hinds, pace will be his team's strength against Trinidad & Tobago.

"We will bank on pace against Trinidad & Tobago," said Hinds on a local radio before the team's departure on Wednesday.

USE PACERS

While saying they will play their best 11, Hinds said: "We will use more pacers, because they are weak against pace bwling".

Jamaica travelled with three pacers in Taylor, Jermaine Lawson and Andrew Richardson, along with medium pacer David Bernard Jr., which means if Miller and Gareth Breese make it in the final XI, the batting will be shortened.

However, while Breese and Bernard, along with wicketkeeper Carlton Baugh are good batsmen, it will take a big decision by the management team to settle for Hinds, Marlon Samuels, Xavier Marshall and Tamar Lambert as their specialist batsmen in the final XI.

This could be dangerous going up against quality bowlers such as Dwayne Bravo, David Mohammed, Richard Kelly, Lendl Simmons and Sherwin Ganga.

SQUADS

Jamaica (from): Wavell Hinds (captain), Marlon Samuels, Xavier Marshall, Shawn Findlay, Tamar Lambert, Brenton Parchment, David Bernard Jr, Carlton Baugh Jr (wicketkeeper), Gareth Breese, Nikita Miller, Jermaine Lawson, Andrew Richardson, Jerome Taylor.

Trinidad (from): Daren Ganga (captain), Tishan Maraj, Gregory Mahabir, Denesh Ramdin (wicketkeeper), Rayad Emrit, Sanjeev Gooljar, Imran Khan, Lendl Simmons, Dwayne Bravo, Jason Mohammed, Richard Kelly, Dave Mohammed, Amit Jaggernauth, Sherwin Ganga.

Trinidad and Tobago vs Jamaica

Barbados vs Windward Islands

(home team listed first)