ST. JOHN’S, Antigua – The return of a number of WINDIES stars – headed by fit-again Test and One-day International captain Jason Holder – will be the key feature of the third round of matches in the West Indies Championship, starting tomorrow.
Holder was sidelined from the recent WINDIES Tour of Bangladesh, due to a shoulder injury which he sustained during the preceding Tour of India.
His return, along with four other WINDIES stars, will be a major boost for traditional powerhouses Barbados Pride, when they host front-runners and four-time defending champions Guyana Jaguars in a high-profile contest at Kensington Oval in Barbados.
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The other two matches also bear some intrigue, as they feature two home teams looking to bounce back against two visiting teams.
Jamaica Scorpions – under interim head coach Robert Haynes – meet Windward Islands Volcanoes at Sabina Park in Jamaica, and Trinidad & Tobago Red Force – under regular captain Denesh Ramdin – tackle Leeward Islands Hurricanes at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad.
Pride vs Jaguars in Bridgetown, Barbados
The addition of Holder, Roston Chase, Shane Dowrich, Kemar Roach and Ashley Nurse to the Pride line-up, and opening batsman Chandrapaul Hemraj, as well as all-rounder Raymon Reifer and Sherfane Rutherford to the Jaguars squad, should make for an intriguing contest in the renewal of the regional game’s longest-running rivalry.
Sadly, Shai Hope (Pride) and Shimron Hetmyer (Jaguars), two of the WINDIES’ brightest batting prospects, will miss the contest for varying reasons.
The two teams currently occupy the top two positions in the standings, following contrasting wins in the previous round before the holidays, and will be looking to make headway in a rivalry that produced some fascinating games during the Professional Cricket League era over the last four seasons.
While the Jaguars comfortably dispatched of the Hurricanes in the second round to formalise their top billing, a depleted Pride side climbed into second spot, after they came from behind to log a stunning victory over Jamaica Scorpions in a low-scoring affair.
Holder will not lead the Pride however, leaving Shamarh Brooks in the role that he has played from the start of the season and in the preceding West Indies Super50 Cup, but how well the WINDIES captain has recovered from his injury, ahead of the England Tour of the West Indies, starting later this month, will be closely monitored.
Recent history favours the Jags in this contest. They have won three of the eight matches between the two sides in the PCL era, including two in the Pride’s backyard.
Half of the matches in this period have also ended in draws – and this is the likely outcome unless there is a dramatic occurrence.
Squads:
PRIDE (from) – Shamarh Brooks (captain), Kraigg Brathwaite, Jonathan Carter, Roston Chase, Miguel Cummins, Shane Dowrich, Keon Harding, Jason Holder, Aaron Jones, Shayne Moseley, Ashley Nurse, Kemar Roach, Jomel Warrican
IN–Chase, Dowrich, Holder, Nurse, Roach; OUT–Justin Greaves, Chemar Holder, Shamar Springer, Tevyn Walcott, Hayden Walsh Jr
JAGUARS (from) – Leon Johnson (captain), Christopher Barnwell, Anthony Bramble, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Chandrapaul Hemraj, Keon Joseph, Gudakesh Motie, Raymon Reifer, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd, Vishaul Singh, Veerasammy Permaul, Clinton Pestano
IN–Hemraj, Reifer, Rutherford; OUT–Trevon Griffith, Tevin Imlach, Akshaya Persaud
UMPIRES – Gregory Brathwaite, Carl Tuckett (Nevis)
MATCH REFEREE – Stephen Proverbs
RESERVE UMPIRE – Kevin Sisnett
Red Force vs Hurricanes in Tarouba, Trinidad
Both teams have been juiced up for the match with the return of the WINDIES pair of Denesh Ramdin and Kieran Powell to the helm of the respective units.
The two WINDIES starts will have their work cut out trying to inject confidence back into their sides, as both teams enter the contest having lost in the previous round.
Red Force let it slip against Windward Islands Volcanoes at this same venue and Hurricanes were outplayed by the all-conquering Jaguars.
Bowling will be the key for both sides with Red Force strengthened with the inclusion of WINDIES tearaway Shannon Gabriel, but batting will be decider.
Red Force have won five of the eight matches the two sides have contested in the PCL era, but the Hurricanes will recall their tense, one-wicket victory in the second half of last season in their opponents’ backyard.
Squads:
RED FORCE (from) – Denesh Ramdin (captain), Yannic Cariah, Bryan Charles, Joshua Da Silva, Shannon Gabriel, Kyle Hope, Imran Khan, Amir Jangoo, Jason Mohammed, Anderson Phillip, Khary Pierre, Jeremy Solozano, Daniel St. Clair
IN –Gabriel, Pierre, Ramdin; OUT–Ricky Jaipaul, Odean Smith, Tion Webster
HURRICANES (from) – Kieran Powell (captain), Sheno Berridge, Nelson Bolan, Keacy Carty, Rahkeem Cornwall, Jahmar Hamilton, Montcin Hodge, Damion Jacobs, Alzarri Joseph, Jeremiah Louis, Devon Thomas, Akeem Saunders, Terance Warde
IN–Hamilton, Powell; OUT–Rajendra Chandrika, Orlando Peters
UMPIRES – Danesh Ramdhanie, Patrick Gustard (Jamaica)
MATCH REFEREE – Michael Ragoonath
RESERVE UMPIRE – Kashif Sandy
Scorpions vs Volcanoes in Kingston, Jamaica
Judging by results in the PCL era, this match is likely to have a winner, as all of the previous eight contests between the two sides have ended in outright results.
The Scorpions have won five of the matches and this will be good news, along with the return to the line-up of the WINDIES trio of Fabian Allen, Rovman Powell and fast bowler Oshane Thomas.
After suffering a devastating loss in the previous round, the home team will be looking to kick-start their season with a victory in a match that will be played under the lights with a pink-ball.
The face a Volcanoes side that came from behind to oust Red Force in the previous round and whose batting will be fortified by the return of WINDIES batsman Sunil Ambris.
Squads:
SCORPIONS (from) – Paul Palmer (captain), Fabian Allen, Jermaine Blackwood, Dennis Bulli, John Campbell, Assad Fudadin, Reynard Leveridge, Jermaine Levy, Nikita Miller, Rovman Powell, Aldaine Thomas, Oshane Thomas, Chadwick Walton
IN–Allen, Fudadin, Powell, Thomas; OUT–Derval Green, Andre McCarthy, Steven Taylor, Kenroy Williams
VOLCANOES (from) – Kirk Edwards (captain), Sunil Ambris, Alick Athanaze, Roland Cato, Larry Edward, Tarryck Gabriel, Kavem Hodge, Ray Jordan, Shermon Lewis, Obed McCoy, Denis Smith, Devon Smith, Josh Thomas
IN–Ambris, Edward, McCoy; OUT–Delorn Johnson, Shane Shillingford, Tyron Theophile
UMPIRES – Christopher Taylor, Leslie Reifer, Jr (Barbados)
MATCH REFEREE – Denovan Hayles
RESERVE UMPIRE – Jacqueline Williams
-ENDS-
OFFICIAL POINTS STANDINGS
Following are the Official Points Standings after the second round of matches in the 2018-19 West Indies Championship.
Abbreviations: PTS-total points, M-matches, W-won, L-lost, D-drawn, T-tied, NR-no result, DP-Abandoned match due to dangerous pitch, MR-match referee awarding match, BAT-batting points, BOWL-bowling points, PB-pace bowling points
| FRANCHISES | PTS | M | W | L | D | T | NR | DP | MR | BAT | BOWL | PB |
| 1. Guyana Jaguars | 37 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 4 |
| 2. Barbados Pride | 22.6 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 3.6 |
| 3. Leewards Hurricanes | 22.2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 3.2 |
| 4. Windwards Volcanoes | 21.4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 2.4 |
| 5. Jamaica Scorpions | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| 6. T&T Red Force | 4.4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0.4 |
TOP PERFORMERS
Following is the list of the most prolific batsmen and most successful bowlers in the 2018-19 West Indies Championship after the first round of matches which ended last Sunday.
Batting tabulated under: M-matches, I-innings, NO-not outs, R-runs, HS-highest scores, AVG-average, 100-hundreds, 50-half-centuries
Bowling tabulated under: M-matches, O-overs, R-runs, W-wickets, BB-best bowling, AVG-average, 10w-10 wickets or more in a match, 5w-five wickets or more in an innings
| BATSMEN | M | I | NO | R | HS | AVG | 100 | 50 |
| 1. Keacy Carty (Hurricanes) | 2 | 4 | 0 | 184 | 114 | 46.00 | 1 | 0 |
| 2. Vishaul Singh (Jaguars) | 2 | 3 | 0 | 168 | 90 | 56.00 | 0 | 2 |
| 3. Tarryck Gabriel (Volcanoes) | 2 | 4 | 0 | 152 | 58 | 38.00 | 0 | 2 |
| 4. Alick Athanaze (Volcanoes) | 2 | 4 | 1 | 150 | 64* | 50.00 | 0 | 1 |
| 5. Jonathan Carter (Pride) | 2 | 4 | 0 | 142 | 63 | 35.50 | 0 | 2 |
| BOWLERS | M | O | R | W | BB | AVG | 5w | 10w |
| 1. Shane Shillingford (Volcanoes) | 2 | 123.2 | 262 | 17 | 6-73 | 15.41 | 2 | 1 |
| 2. Jomel Warrican (Pride) | 1 | 43.4 | 116 | 12 | 8-89 | 9.66 | 1 | 1 |
| 2. Veerasammy Permaul (Jaguars) | 2 | 66.1 | 167 | 12 | 5-57 | 13.91 | 1 | 0 |
| 4. Imran Khan (Red Force) | 1 | 61 | 126 | 11 | 7-47 | 11.45 | 1 | 1 |
| 5. Nikita Miller (Scorpions) | 1 | 61 | 129 | 10 | 6-76 | 12.90 | 1 | 1 |
RESULTS OF MATCHES
ROUND 1
Thursday, December 6 to Sunday, December 9
Volcanoes lost to Jaguars by 125 runs – Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, St. Lucia
Pride lost to Hurricanes by 34 runs – Three Ws Oval, Barbados
ROUND 2
Thursday, December 13 to Sunday, December 16
Pride beat Scorpions by 41 runs – Three Ws Oval
Hurricanes lost to Jaguars by nine wickets – Vivian Richards Cricket Ground, Antigua
Red Force lost to Volcanoes by 76 runs – Brian Lara Cricket Academy
SCHEDULE OF MATCHES
(All matches start at 10 am daily, except where indicated)
ROUND 1
Thursday, March 14 to Sunday, March 17
Red Force vs Scorpions – Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad
ROUND 3
Friday, January 4 to Monday, January 7
Scorpions vs Volcanoes – Sabina Park, Jamaica (2 pm start daily)
Red Force vs Hurricanes – Brian Lara Cricket Academy
Pride vs Jaguars – Kensington Oval, Barbados
ROUND 4
Thursday, January 10 to Sunday, January 13
Scorpions vs Red Force – Sabina Park
Jaguars vs Volcanoes – Guyana National Stadium, Guyana (9:30 am start daily)
Thursday, March 14 to Sunday, March 17
Hurricanes vs Pride – Vivian Richards Cricket Ground
ROUND 5
Thursday, January 17 to Sunday, January 20
Jaguars vs Hurricanes – Guyana National Stadium (9:30 am start daily)
Red Force vs Pride – Brian Lara Cricket Academy (2 pm start daily)
Volcanoes vs Scorpions – National Cricket Stadium, Grenada
ROUND 6
Thursday, January 31 to Sunday, February 3
Hurricanes vs Scorpions – Warner Park, St. Kitts (2 pm start daily)
Red Force vs Jaguars – Queen’s Park Oval, Trinidad
Pride vs Volcanoes – Kensington Oval
ROUND 7
Thursday, February 7 to Sunday, February 10
Jaguars vs Scorpions – Guyana National Stadium
Pride vs Red Force – Kensington Oval
Volcanoes vs Hurricanes – Windsor Park, Dominica
ROUND 8
Thursday, February 21 to Sunday, February 24
Hurricanes vs Red Force – Warner Park
Scorpions vs Jaguars – Sabina Park
Volcanoes vs Pride – Arnos Vale Sports Complex, St. Vincent
ROUND 9
Thursday, February 28 to Sunday, March 3
Scorpions vs Hurricanes – Sabina Park
Jaguars vs Pride – Guyana National Stadium
Volcanoes vs Red Force – Arnos Vale Sports Complex
ROUND 10
Thursday, March 7 to Sunday, March 10
Scorpions vs Pride – Sabina Park
Jaguars vs Red Force – Guyana National Stadium (2 pm start daily)
Hurricanes vs Volcanoes – Vivian Richards Cricket Ground
-CWI