The new-look WICB regional four-day championship begins today with champions Jamaica meeting last year's runners-up the Windward Islands at Chedwin Park in one of three opening round matches. In other first round matches being played in this north Caribbean island, the Leeward Islands and Barbados meet in the western tourist city of Montego Bay, while the highly fancied T&T face off with the Combined Campuses & Colleges at Kensington Park. Jamaica will start slight favourites to get the better of their opponents in the seven-round competition, shortened from last year's home and away tournament due to the West Indies Cricket Board's financial constraints. Three matches per round will be played in one territory, with the team accumulating most points being declared winner. In the Chedwin Park meeting in St Catherine, on the outskirts of the capital, Jamaica's captain Tamar Lambert has indicated that his team will depend heavily on spin to get the opposition out twice and set the team up for the perfect start.
"Our strength lies in our bowling and we expect the spinners to continue the trend that they have established over the years," Lambert said in obvious reference to the selections of wrist spinner and St Catherine club mate Odean Brown, as well as West Indies left-arm orthodox spinner Nikita Miller. Apart from the spinners, they also have pacers Andrew Richardson and Jason Dawes, along with all-rounder David Bernard Jr and Shawn Findlay from which to choose. New Windwards captain Darren Sammy is optimistic that his team will get off to a flying start, boasting the experienced opener Devon Smith, the improving wicketkeeper/batsman Andre Fletcher and the experienced spinning all-rounder and former captain Rawl Lewis.
The weather could intervene in the Leewards-Barbados clash, as the Jarrett Park venue has seen intermittent rain for most of the week. Despite that, both teams are nicely balanced, although Barbados may have the slight edge in the fast bowling department. Leewards' captain Steve Liburd is well aware of the ability of Bajan pacers � young West Indies sensation Kemar Roach, Pedro Collins and Tino Best � but insists that his charges are up to the challenge. Barbados captain, all-rounder Ryan Hinds also has a steady batting assembly, with Dale Richards, Rashidi Boucher, and Jason Haynes capable of big scores. T&T are favoured to have the advantage over the Combined Colleges & Campuses. Captain Daren Ganga told reporters here that his team was looking to go all the way.(CMC)
First Round Fixtures:
1. Round 1: Today - Monday in Jamaica vs Windwards at Chedwin Park
2. T&T vs CCC at Jarrett Park
3. Barbados vs Leewards at Kensington Park
4. bye: Guyanas