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Creary

BASSETERRE, St Kitts, (CMC):

Leaders Guyana will hope to move one step closer to retaining their TCL West Indies Under-19 Challenge title when they battle Jamaica in the fourth round of the tournament at the Edgar Gilbert Park in Molineaux starting today.

The Guyanese, with an emphatic nine-wicket win against defending champions Trinidad and Tobago in their last match, are high in confidence and will be positive of full points.

Jamaica, in joint second position with Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago on 15 points each, clinched first innings points from Barbados in their last match and are desperately hunting an outright win in the fourth round to keep their chances alive of winning their eighth title, and first since 2004 on home soil.

Powerful batting line-up

Guyana, with 12 titles since capturing the inaugural one in Barbados 39 years ago, have a powerful batting line-up and balanced bowling attack but should once again depend on first-class left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul, the tournament's leading wicket-taker with 19 scalps, to do the bulk of the bowling on what should be a good track for batting.

Captain Steven Jacobs, Clive Andries and Totaram Bishun should provide spin support after Kellon Carmichael and Seon Hetimyer shares the new ball.

With the unavailability of opener Chris Pattandin due to a muscle strain in his back, Seon Hetimyer could open the batting with Robin Bacchus, while Rajendra Chandrika, Vishal Singh (both with centuries), Steven Jacobs, Andries, Carmichael and Delroy Jacobs are all capable of substantial scores at this level.

Jamaica will depend heavily on the immensely gifted Andre Creary who scored a century and 91 in his last game against Barbados, to lead their fight with the bat.

Shacoya Thomas, Jamie Merchant, Nkruma Bonner and Horace Miller should provide support.

The Jamaica bowling should be spearheaded by off spinner Marlon Holiette, Merchant, Adrian Thompson and skipper Derval Green.

Guyana should start with a psychological advantage after beating Jamaican lads outright last year in Guyana, in their last meeting at this level.

Both teams had their first opportunity to tour the 68 square-mile island on Saturday and visited some breathtaking historical sites.

They were joined by the other teams in the tournament on the trip organised by the St Kitts Tourism Authority.

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