Paul Palmer

The scenario is simple. Win first innings or outright and improve your chances of winning the championship, or, lose on either front, and virtually start packing.

That's the situation that faces Jamaica when they suit up to play Guyana at Sabina Park in their second game of the TCL Group WICB U-19 Three-day Cup at Sabina Park starting today.

Jamaica, who lost their first encounter by a whopping innings and 64 runs to Trinidad and Tobago at the weekend, are at the bottom in the six-team round-robin championship along with the Windward Islands on zero points. Guyana, who were beaten by the Leeward Islands, despite claiming first innings, are a spot above them with four.

Leading the standings

Defending champions Barbados and the Leewards, who will do battle at Elleston Road, lead the standings with 12 points along with Trinidad, who will seek to continue their winning ways against the Windwards at the Jamaica Boilers Group grounds.

"We lost because our batsmen, unlike their Trinidad counterparts, failed to apply themselves on what was a flat batting track. Hopefully, come Monday they will turn things around and bat like they really want to win the competition," said Jamaica's coach, André Coley, after the defeat.

"The loss is a setback, but I am confident that we have what it takes to bounce back and get ourselves back into contention," he added.

Jamaica, who are playing without regular captain Andre Creary, who is with the West Indies Test team in St Vincent, are expected to make a couple of changes ahead of the clash with and national senior team invitee, leg-spinner Akeem Dewar, being an obvious option.

Leading wicket taker

Dewar, who was the leading wicket taker in this year's urban area Grace Shield competition, was surprisingly left out of the Trinidad match on his home ground Kensington Park, which drew the ire of many spectators, who turned up at the venue. On a more spinner-friendly Sabina Park wicket he could replace Manchester High left-arm spinner, Patrick Harty Jr, who in taking 3-101 failed to make an impression.,

Jamaica (from): Batsmen - Brian Clarke (Manchester High), John Campbell (Tacky High), Paul Palmer Jr [capt] (STETHS), Garth Garvey (St Jago), Courtnay Allen (Manchester High), Ramon Senior (Excelsior), Kemar Marshall (Manchester High); Bowlers - Romeo Dunka (Eltham High), Nicholson Gordon (STETHS), Jermaine Cole (Meadowbrook High), Jermaine Blackwood (Holmwood Technical), Patrick Harty Jr (Moneague College), Akeem Dewar (Kingston College); Wicketkeeper Kirk Harris (Clarendon College).