By Tony Becca, Contributing EditorACTION IN Zone A of the Red Stripe Bowl limited-overs cricket competition continues today at Kensington Park, it is Jamaica versus the Leeward Islands X1, although two matches have already been played, it is Jamaica's first match, and for the hometown fans, this is it. The big boys are now on parade.
Winners of the Bowl in 1999, runners-up last year, and champions of the regional tournament on five other occasions, Jamaica, blessed with 10 West Indies players in their squad, are hot favourites, not only to top the zone and waltz into the semi-finals but also to win the title and pocket the US$12,000 first prize.
The fans, however, want more than that. To them, Jamaica are so strong that on their way to the title, they should win every match, and win them in style at that.
The fans are so confident that on Wednesday during the curtain-raiser between Trinidad and Tobago and the Leeward Islands X1 at the Sir Frank Worrell Oval, one of them said to a friend - to a Doubting Thomas, "Listen man, yu si who we have in our team? Wi gwine beat everybody."
The first one Jamaica have to beat is the Leeward Islands X1, and looking at both teams, looking at what should be Jamaica's 11, they should do so.
In Christopher Gayle, Brenton Parchment, Wavell Hinds, Marlon Samuels, Ricardo Powell, Robert Samuels, David Bernard Jnr., Gareth Breese, and Carlton Baugh Jnr., Jamaica have batting right down to number nine, and with fast bowlers Daren Powell and Jerome Taylor supported by Bernard and his fast medium-pace, Hinds and his medium pace, and then Breese, Gayle, Samuels and Ricardo Powell and their offspin, Jamaica also have bowlers in abundance.
NOT BLESSED
In comparison to the home team, the Leeward Islands X1 are not as blessed not with a batting line-up that should again read, Alex Adams, Shane Jeffers, Runako Morton, Stuart Williams, Carl Tuckett and Tonito Willett and a bowling attack of pacer Elsroy Powell, offspinners Omari Banks and Chaka Hodge, and left-arm spinner Virgil Browne with the likes of Willett and Morton chipping with their medium pace.
Going back to the days of David and Goliath, however, small boys have knocked off big boys, on top of that, upsets are not surprising in one-day cricket, and as invincible as they may appear, Jamaica should be on guard.
Williams and Morton, for example, are dangerous batsmen if they get going particularly
against fast bowlers and especially if they bowl short, and although, based on their performance on Wednesday, their pacers are no better than ordinary and should be easy pickings for Gayle and company, their spinners, and particularly so Banks, could stifle the aggressive Jamaicans and then pick them off.
It should be Jamaica, but don't write off the Leeward Islands XI who were giving Trinidad and Tobago the fight of their lives on Wednesday before rain spoiled the contest.
Jamaica are going for a winning start, their fans would never forgive them if they lose, and after losing one, the Leeward Islands XI cannot afford to lose again not if they want a place in the semi-finals. That should guarantee a good contest, that could bring out the best of the batsmen, and if Gayle, Parchment and company, Stuart Williams and Morton get going, today could be the first of the days to remember that sponsors Red Stripe have promised.
