Ahead of the opening Shell Shield match at Sabina Park, doubts surrounded fast bowler Michael Holding’s fitness after he picked up a groin injury, prompting selectors to identify left-arm seamer Cecil Lawson of Melbourne as his replacement, if required. Holding was due to undergo a late fitness test and, should he have failed to prove fully fit, Lawson was set to step in for the Jamaica XI in the 1974 encounter against the Combined Islands.

Published Thursday, January 10, 1974

Holding still doubtful as Jamaica names final eleven

AS IS customary, the Jamaica Cricket Board of Control selectors played true to form last night when they announced the final XI for the island’s opening Shell Shield game against the Combined Islands, starting tomorrow morning at Sabina Park.
With the return of newly appointed West Indies selector J.K. Holt, who watched the opening match of the series in St Kitts between the Combined Islands and Barbados, the panel — with chairman Allan Rae, Esmond Kentish, Howard Bembridge, and Jamaica captain Maurice Foster — met last night and announced the final XI. There is no new cap on the team, which is Foster (captain), Lawrence Rowe, Samuel Morgan, Leonard Chambers, Herbert Chang, Ron Headley, Uton Dowe, Michael Holding, Desmond Lewis, Leonard Levy, and Arthur Barrett. The St Andrew Technical and Kingston left-arm spinner Hylton Gordon has been named as the emergency fieldsman.
Although there was doubt in the Jamaica camp yesterday afternoon regarding the fitness of players, the selectors were satisfied with everyone except Holding, who is suffering from a groin injury and will undergo a fitness test sometime today. From what I gather, if he does not satisfy the selectors that he is 100 per cent fit, his place will be taken by the left-arm seamer Cecil Lawson of Melbourne.
The team, on paper, looks a formidable one, but, if Holding is not fully fit, I would have preferred to see Renford Pinnock, a man who has done yeoman service for his country with great success in the team.
However, if all XI report fit, they should give the confident Islands just as hard a run as Barbados did, as there is depth in the batting.
This squad will be managed by Laker Levers.
 

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