Jamaica spurred on by record

Jamaica's senior cricket team captain, Tamar Lambert, says the motivation of copping a record fourth straight hold on the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Regional Four-day Tournament title has had a significant influence of their performances.

"The aim is to win a fourth straight title as no other team in the tournament has ever done that, and this is proving to be a great motivation," said Lambert.

"It has led to players trying to put down their heads and double their efforts, and we just that hope that in the coming matches they will do likewise," he added.

Lambert, who along with the tournament's leading run-getter Marlon Samuels, Brendan Nash, Danza Hyatt and David Bernard Jr have provided the backbone of Jamaica's batting, says the team has also matured.

"We have a more mature set of players, with most of us close to, or are 30 years old. This has made us more aware and we now have a better understanding of our roles and responsibilities in the team," he added.

Jamaica, with two wins and two draws - including two first innings results - currently lead the seven-team tournament with 36 points.

Trinidad and Tobago (33) and England Lions (30) round off the top three.

The Jamaicans will next play the fourth-place Combined Campuses and Colleges (27 points) at Chedwin Park next weekend, before rounding out their first-round fixtures against Trinidad and Tobago and England Lions, respectively, at Sabina Park.

The second round, unlike recent editions of the tournament, will feature a semi-final and final, with the team finishing first in the first round hosting the fourth-place finisher; and the team finishing second entertaining the one that ends third.

- Jermaine Lannaman