Marshall, Hyatt hint at Carib T20 readiness

Jermaine Lannaman, Gleaner Writer

Hard-hitting openers Xavier Marshall and Danza Hyatt sent a signal to the selectors that they are ready for this season's inaugural WICB Caribbean Twenty20 Championship with impressive half-centuries in the second of three trial matches at Sabina Park on Thursday.

Representing Tamar Lambert's XI, Marshall slammed a 52-ball unbeaten 87, while Hyatt cracked 63 off 53 balls to lead their team to 65-run win over Carlton Baugh XI.

Winning the toss and electing to take first strike, Lambert XI's racked up 176-2 off their allotted 20 overs. They then returned to restrict Baugh XI's 112-5 off their allocation.

third-wicket stand

Marshall skied eight sixes and three fours in his knock, while Hyatt ticked off six sixes and three fours as the two, who came together with the score at 17-1, shared in a 158-run third-wicket stand.

Pacer Andrew Richardson with 1-37 off his mandatory four overs took most wickets for Baugh's XI with Wavell Hinds, Jowayne Robinson, David Powell, André McCarthy and Bevon Brown, all failing to take a wicket.

Lambert 3-12 off four overs, Odean Brown 1-17 off four, and Marshall 1-24 off three were then the stars of the day when Baugh XI batted with Hinds 39 not out off 47 balls, including two sixes, and Donovan Pagon, a 44-ball 32, ending as their main run-getters.

Marlon Samuels, who is returning to the national set-up after a two-year International Cricket Council ban, made seven off 14 balls. He also made a 43-ball 16 in the first trial match.

"It was a another good outing with a few players batting and bowling well. We now look forward to the third match next Thursday, after which we will select the final 14 for the tournament," said Jamaica's coach, Junior Bennett.

"The tournament is very important to us as it is the first time the WICB will be organising one. It is also an opportunity as well for the winners to compete in the Airtel Twenty20 championship in South Africa later this year," Bennett declared.

Meanwhile, it is expected that Chris Gayle and Jerome Taylor, who missed the first two matches, will be available for the third game, along with David Bernard Jr and André Russell, who are on tour with the West Indies 'A' team in England.

The Caribbean T20 championship will be held in Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago between July 22 and August 1.

SQUAD: Tamar Lambert, Danza Hyatt, Nikita Miller, Donovan Pagon, Xavier Marshall, Horace Miller, Marlon Samuels, Wavell Hinds, Jon Ross Campbell, Zeniffe Fowler, Carlton Baugh Jr, Damian Ebanks, Andrew Richardson, Sheldon Cotterell, Richardo Dacres, Krishmar Santokie, Odean Brown, Bevon Brown, and David Powell.