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Merchant relieved by CWI clearance

Published:Tuesday | December 17, 2019 | 12:22 AMLennox Aldred/Gleaner Writer
Jamaica Scorpions players Jamie Merchant (front) and Nicholson Gordon on arrival back in the island from the Colonial Medical Super50 Cup in St Kitts and Nevis last month.
Lennox Aldred
Jamaica Scorpions players Jamie Merchant (front) and Nicholson Gordon on arrival back in the island from the Colonial Medical Super50 Cup in St Kitts and Nevis last month.

Jamaica Scorpions off-­spinner Jamie Merchant is a relieved man after the 30-year old has been cleared to continue bowling in senior domestic West Indies matches.

Merchant was reported for a suspect bowling action during his side’s game against Canada in the Colonial Medical Insurance Super50 Cup on November 16 at Warner Park in St Kitts.

Video footage from the match was sent to Loughborough University in the United Kingdom for an Opinion Report in accordance with Cricket West Indies (CWI) Regulations for Dealing with Suspected Illegal Bowling Actions.

The Opinion Report by an Independent Assessor at Loughborough was inconclusive.

The Manchester CC bowler only found out about his clearance after being contacted by The Gleaner for a comment on the outcome.

“This is a cloud that has been removed from over my head at the moment, and I am glad that I can get back to my old style of bowling, which I am more comfortable with,” he said.

Just recently, Merchant had been working with coaches Barry Barnes and Junior Bennett to remodel his action, and the right-hander said that the process was not easy in the beginning.

“Usually, I would bowl with a criss-cross action, with a pause before delivery, but now I have been bowling in a straighter line going towards the crease,” he said. “I prefer the old style as you don’t want to be hampered when you are bowling.”

The off-spinner was initially told by CWI that he could not bowl his faster ball, and Merchant has adhered to the request while playing local franchise cricket.

The 30-year-old, who has played five first-class games for Jamaica, picking up 16 ­wickets, has been away from the Scorpions franchise since the team returned from the Super 50 Cup late last month.

“When we came back, the coaches told me to stay away from the cricket for a while and sort my head out,” Merchant said. “I wasn’t a part of the squad matches that were played, but now we have another practice match coming up and I will be playing, so I am happy for that.”

Merchant, who took six wickets in the competition, is hoping to make an impact ahead of the Regional Four-Day championships, which bowl off next month. The right-hander last represented Jamaica in four-day cricket back in 2014.