Jamaica's 14-man squad to be announced today

Jermaine Lannaman, Gleaner Writer

The 14-man squad to represent Jamaica at next month's cash-rich Caribbean Twenty20 Tournament to be held jointly by Barbados and Antigua and Barbuda will be named today.

West Indies Cricket Board rules state that all teams participating in the championship must declare their 14-man squad by 11:59 tonight.

"We were slated to select the team today (yesterday). However, the chairman has decided to wait until tomorrow," said Jamaica's head coach Junior Bennett.

"From my understanding, it has nothing to do with battle for places in the squad, or anything like that. It is just that the chairman will be making the announcement tomorrow," he added.

Selection panel

Courtnay Daley heads the selection panel which also includes Robert Samuels, Delroy Morgan and Bennett.

Twenty-five players, excluding those on West Indies duties and Super50 captain Chris Gayle, who recently participated in Zimbabwe's domestic Twenty20 championship, played in the trials.

Meanwhile, opener Xavier Marshall and exciting teenage opener Kenar Lewis were the stars of the show yesterday, as thanks to knocks of 75 not out and 66, respectively, they were able to guide David Bernard Jr XI to victory over Tamar Lambert XI during yesterday's fourth and final Caribbean Twenty20 trial match at Kensington.

Marshall slammed four sixes and four fours during his 54-ball knock, while 19-year-old Lewis, who made his debut for Jamaica in the regional Super50 Tournament in October, hit three sixes and a four in making 66 off 45 balls as Bernard Jr XI, chasing Lambert XI's 158-5, reached their target with three overs remaining.

Simon Jackson, with 74 off 63 balls, and Andre McCarthy, who smashed 47 off 33 balls, made most runs for Lambert XI, against whom all-rounder Nkrumah Bonner took 2-18 off three overs.