Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA) to decide on captain

Jermaine Lannaman, Gleaner Writer

The Jamaica Cricket Asso-ciation (JCA) is today expected to either ratify or refuse the recommendation of the national selection committee, for Chris Gayle to be named captain of Jamaica's team for next month's West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) President's Cup one-day tournament.

The tournament, which signals the start of the 2010-2011 regional season, will be held here in Jamaica between October 14 and 24 across the venues of Sabina Park, Chedwin Park and the Trelawny Multi-purpose Stadium.

Gayle, who is also captain of the West Indies team, was recommended for the post of captaincy ahead of regular four-day and recently appointed Twenty20 captain Tamar Lambert.

However, as per protocol, he has to await a decision from the JCA executive.

Lambert guided the team to a third consecutive regional four-day crown earlier this year.

However, despite cruising through the first round of the inaugural Caribbean Twenty20 tournament in July, the team failed to make it beyond the semi-finals.

The selection committee, which made the recommendation, is headed by ad hoc chairman Ruddy Williams and includes JCA administrator Ephraim McLeod, as well as coach Junior Bennett.

Upon the JCA making its decision, the captain is expected to join the selection committee in naming Jamaica's 14-member squad for the President's Cup.

This will be done following the playing of the fourth and final trial match at Sabina Park tomorrow.

Meanwhile, the third trial match will be held today, also at Sabina Park, with left-arm seamer Krishmar Santokie and Xavier Marshall looking to continue from where they left off in the first trial match.

Santokie and Marshall, who were Jamaica's most outstanding players at the Caribbean Twenty20 tournament, claimed 5-50 off 7.4 overs and made 45, respectively, to guide Lambert XI to an impressive seven-wicket win over Chris Gayle XI in the opening match, which was also played at Sabina Park.

The second game, which was scheduled to be held at Chedwin Park on Wednesday, was abandoned because of rain.

Improved weather

"It's unfortunate that we could not get a look at the players, but they will just have to make use of the next two games, once we have improved weather," said Bennett, in reference to Wednesday's game.

"It (the rain) affected things somewhat as we would love for players to get as much opportunities to show what they are capable of."

For today's game, Gayle is expected to be absent due other commitments in the eastern Caribbean.

This means that either David Bernard Jr or Carlton Baugh Jr, who have led teams at trials in the past, could be asked again to captain one of the teams alongside Lambert.

Opener Brenton Parchment, whowas off the island for the first game, is expected to play, while young pacer Stephan Patterson of Manchester Lions, who suffered an injury in training recently, is expected to miss out again.

FULL TRAINING SQUAD: Christopher Gayle, Tamar Lambert, Xavier Marshall, Brenton Parchment, Danza Hyatt, Donovan Pagon, Marlon Samuels, Wavell Hinds, Brendan Nash, Jermaine Blackwood, David Bernard Jr, Donovan Sinclair, Horace Miller, Carlton Baugh Jr, Bevon Brown, Nikita Miller, Odean Brown, Andrew Richardson, Stephan Patterson, Jason Dawes, Sheldon Cotterell, André Russell, Krishmar Santokie and David Powell.