Miller to replace Dewar for CCC final

Jermaine Lannaman, Gleaner Writer

Left-arm spinner Nikita Miller will leave the country today to join members of Jamaica's senior cricket team that just got the better of Trinidad and Tobago in the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Regional Four-day Tournament semi-finals, and will face the Combined Campuses and Colleges (CCC) in the final at the Three Ws Oval in Barbados, starting Friday.

Miller, who was a member of the West Indies' team that exited the just-concluded ICC World Cup at the quarter-final stage, will replace 19-year-old leg-spinner Akeem Dewar in the team's 13-man squad.

Dewar made his debut in Jamaica's final game of the preliminary round against England Lions at Sabina Park, but did not play in Jamaica's semi-final win over Trinidad and Tobago in Trinidad. He is scheduled to return home today.

one change

"We (the selectors) had discussions with members of the coaching staff over there in Trinidad and they decided that they only needed one change. That individual is Nikita Miller, who will replace Akeem Dewar," Ruddy Williams, chairman of the national selection panel, told The Gleaner yesterday.

Miller, who had asked the national selectors not to consider him for the Trinidad and Tobago match because of jet lag associated with his return from the subcontinent where the World Cup was held, is expected to add much quality to Jamaica's bowling attack.

The twin-island republic, chasing Jamaica's modern-era (1966 onwards) record-breaking first innings total of 664, ended yesterday's fourth and final day on 448 for nine.

"He (Miller) did not want to travel again so quickly because of the condition that he was in shortly after his return from the World Cup," explained Williams.

"It must be pointed out, however, that at the time he had made it clear that had the game been scheduled to be played in Jamaica, he would have been available."

SQUAD: Tamar Lambert - captain, David Bernard Jr, Odean Brown, Jason Dawes, Wavell Hinds, Danza Hyatt, Simon Jackson, Nikita Miller, Brendan Nash, André Russell, Marlon Samuels, Brenton Parchment, Chadwick Walton.