Gayle-strong Jamaica target Windwards scalp

Jermaine Lannaman, Gleaner Writer

Motivated by the return of Chris Gayle, Jamaica will today begin the defence of the Regional Four-day Tournament crown when they play the Windward Islands at Sabina Park.

The match, which is slated to get under way at 10 a.m. and end at 5 p.m. each day, will see Jamaica going for a winning start as they seek to claim a record fifth hold on the title.

The Windwards will be hoping to build on their strong finish last year, in which they made it to the semi-finals, by pulling off what would be an upset win, in one of three games that are on in the round.

The others are last year's beaten finalists Combined Campuses and Colleges (CCC) hosting Trinidad and Tobago in Barbados, and Guyana playing the Leeward Islands in Guyana.

"It is important that we get our campaign off to a good start and try and build from there," said Jamaica's inspirational captain Tamar Lambert.

"The aim is, if we bat first, to try and put a good score and the board, and then go out there and get the 20 wickets.

"They are a fighting team that has been very competitive in recent years, and we expect that they will be coming all out for us. But I believe we are adequately prepared for the challenge, and hopefully we will come out on top."

Gayle, who after guiding Jamaica to the regional Super50 crown late last year missed last month's Caribbean Twenty20 tournament, will lead Jamaica's batting line-up before jetting off for Bangladesh to participate in that country's inaugural Twenty20 league.

In performing his duties he is expecting valuable support from the returning Brendan Nash, who missed the regional Super50 and the Caribbean Twenty20 for personal reasons; Lambert, and two other returnees, Donovan Pagon and Brenton Parchment.

Below-par performances

The 29-year-old Pagon was omitted from the team last season due to below-par performances in preceding campaigns, while Parchment, also 29, was dropped from midway last season due to a dip in form.

Also expected to play supporting roles with the bat are opener Simon Jackson, all-rounder Andre Russell who, like Gayle, will head off to Bangladesh at the end of the game, David Bernard Jr, and wicketkeeper Carlton Baugh Jr.

The team's bowling department, is expected to be spearheaded by spin twins Nikita Miller and Odean Brown, Russell, Bernard Jr, and Andrew Richardson.

The team's 13-man squad is completed by former national youth off-spinner Jamie Merchant.

The Windwards, who will be without regular captain Darren Sammy who, upon the request of West Indies selectors, is being rested, will be banking their batting hopes on opener Devon Smith, hard-hitting André Fletcher, and the in-form Johnson Charles, who was outstanding at the Caribbean Twenty20.

Their bowling will be led by captain and all-rounder Liam Sebastien, returning off-spinners Shane Shillingford and Garey Mathurin, who represented the West Indies in a Twenty20 International last year, and fast bowler Nelon Pascal.

"We know Gayle is back, but we also notice that there is no Marlon Samuels and Danza Hyatt, Jerome Taylor, so we figure we stand a chance on getting close, based on match-day performance," said Sebastien.