'Scorpion bowlers need sting' - Samuels expresses concerns with team's bowling attack ahead of 4-day tourney

In assessing his team for the upcoming Regional Four Day Championships, Jamaica Scorpion head coach Robert Samuels, says his fast bowlers will have to step up and believes the team's batsmen will need greater consistency if they are to challenge for the title.

The tournament is set to bowl off on December 6 with Guyana Jaguars facing Windward Islands Volcanoes and Barbados Pride coming up against Leeward Island Hurricanes.

Jamaica will open their account a week later away to Barbados and Samuels has expressed concerns about the poor return from his fast bowlers last season, with the exception of Derval Green, who bagged 27 wickets.

He is also demanding more consistency from of his batsmen, and strongly believes if they get those two aspects of their game right, the sky's the limit for the Scorpions.

"Last season we fell short in the fast bowling department. Only one bowler got 27 wickets and no other bowler got more than five, so that department is very concerning and it is something that we are looking at and are trying to fix before the start of the new season. We need to fix our fast bowling as we need our bowlers to step up and get more wickets," Samuels told The Gleaner.

"Out of season we have been working with our fast bowlers, so hopefully this time they will have more knowledge and be more skillful. But if we can get another fast bowler getting 25 wickets, we will finish up the standings," he said. "So the main concern is the fast bowling department, which was a little wobbly, but with the work we have been doing out of season with them, we expect them to get better."

Samuels also took issue with the way the batsmen applied themselves during the last campaign.

"The batting has been a little inconsistent. We are getting high scores but we are also getting very low scores, especially in the first innings. If we can get 150 to 200 for the first inning, we will be in this competition, so I am hoping the batting will be more consistent and if the batsmen are more consistent, we should finish in a better position," he said.

The Scorpions, who finished fourth in the standing last season, have fluctuated between fourth and fifth over the last few years and Samuels admitted that winning the title this season might be a bit far-fetched, but expects to see improvements in individual players and growth in the team, which in turn should produced better results and a better final standing position.

"We have been finishing fourth or fifth, so to leave from there to winning is a tall order. People like to ask if it is possible, but I am expecting to finish in the top two, and if the batsmen are consistent, we should do well," he said.