Jamaica, T&T look to bounce back

Jermaine Lannaman, Gleaner Writer

Jamaica's captain Tamar Lambert and his Trinidad and Tobago counterpart, Daren Ganga, will both be hoping for improved performances from their players today when the teams meet at Sabina Park in the penultimate set of matches in the first round of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB Regional Four-day Tournament.

The showdown, which is slated to start at 10 a.m. each day, will see Jamaica, who should welcome the return of fast bowler Jerome Taylor, going all out to recover from their narrow first-innings defeat to the CCC last weekend.

Trinidad and Tobago, who were affected by the arrest and charge of batsman Runako Morton for marijuana possession in the midst of the last game in Port-of-Spain, will be seeking to regain their momentum following their shock outright loss to strugglers the Leeward Islands in their last encounter at home.

Trinidad, in that game, had earlier claimed first innings.

Bitter pill to swallow

"Losing first innings to the CCC was a bitter pill to swallow. We have, however, put that behind us, and are now focused on Trinidad who, while missing a number of their regular starters, can be dangerous," said Lambert.

Jamaica, who lead the standings on 39 points, two more than the Trinidadians, will again be banking on the in-form Marlon Samuels, with 608 runs at an average of 86.85. He is the leading batsman in the tournament.

Samuels is expected to get good support from openers Danza Hyatt and Simon Jackson, Lambert and Wavell Hinds, who topscored with 74 against the CCC.

In the bowling department, much will be expected of the returning Taylor, who missed the team's last two games due to the death of his grandmother.

Taylor is expected to get good support from opening-ball partner Andrew Richardson, who was Jamaica's best bowler against the CCC with of four for 76, all-rounder David Bernard Jr, and leg-spinner Odean Brown.

Trinidad will be looking to the in-form Ganga, whose 75.00 average is the third-highest in the championship.

He is expected to get good support from Lendl Simmons, his brother Sherwin Ganga, Imran Khan and wicketkeeper/batsman Denesh Ramdin. Fast bowler Rayad Emrit who, with 19 wickets, is the tournament's third-highest wicket-taker, is expected to spearhead their bowling attack.

"Jamaica have been playing some good cricket. However, having lost to the CCC in their last game there should be a slight dent in their confidence," said Ganga in a recent interview.

"With this in mind, we will therefore be looking to capitalise on any opportunity that may present itself," he explained.

The other matches on in this round are Windward Islands versus England Lions in Dominica which started yesterday, CCC against Guyana in Barbados, and the Leeward Islands versus Barbados in Antigua and Barbuda.