Jamaica ready for T&T

Jermaine Lannaman, Gleaner Writer

Coach Augustine 'Gus' Logie says while it will be a challenge to beat Trinidad and Tobago on their home turf, he is confident that Jamaica has what it takes to win their West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Regional Four-day Tournament semi-final showdown.

The match, which will be played at the University of the West Indies (UWI), St Augustine, will bowl off on Friday.

"We are expecting a close contest as having gotten the better of them on first innings points a few weeks ago, and given the magnitude of the occasion, we know they will be coming all out to beat us," said Logie, shortly before the team's departure for the twin-island republic yesterday.

"But we are prepared for whatever they might take to us and, given the make-up of the team, I am looking forward to the continuation of our good form."

Jamaica, who are hunting a record fourth successive hold on the title, will enter the game with an unbeaten record, having won two matches outright and claiming first-innings points in their other encounters.

Trinidad and Tobago have won three matches, drawn three and lost once in the preliminary round.

Jamaica will be led in their batting by Marlon Samuels, who has so far scored 750 runs at an average of 68.18; Wavell Hinds, who has notched 446 runs at 49.55; and Brendan Nash, who has 419 runs at 46.55.

Bowling attack

Their bowling, which has been hampered by injuries in recent weeks, will be spearheaded by bowling all-rounder Andre Russell, who has been drafted in following his recent stint with the West Indies at the ICC World Cup.

He is expected to share the new ball with young pacer Jason Dawes with leg-spinner Odean Brown, who is the team's leading wicket-taker, with 22 at an average of 31.40, and all-rounder David Bernard Jr.

"Players who have been getting starts of 20s and 30s need to carry on and bowlers need to show greater levels of concentration and penetration," said Logie.

The developmental Combined Campuses and Colleges (CCC), who topped the preliminary round, will play fourth-place finishers the Windward Islands in the tournament's other semi-final, starting on Friday.

SQUAD: Tamar Lambert (captain), David Bernard Jr, Odean Brown, Akeem Dewar, Jason Dawes, Wavell Hinds, Danza Hyatt, Simon Jackson, Brendan Nash, Andre Russell, Marlon Samuels, Brenton Parchment, Chadwick Walton.