Bubbly Jamaica Franchise depart for Pride test

THE Jamaica Franchise coach Junior Bennett says he wants his players to maintain their winning start to the regional four-day season when they face Barbados Pride in the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Professional League.

The Jamaican cricketers were set to depart the island yesterday ahead of the start of tomorrow's clash at Windward Park in Barbados.

The Barbados Pride encounter will be the first of two away matches for the Jamaicans, who will travel to Trinidad & Tobago to meet the Red Force at Queen's Park Oval next weekend.

In last week's opening round, the Jamaica Franchise escaped with a slim 13-run victory over Windward Islands Volcanoes at Sabina Park. Bennett told the Jamaica Observer that though he expects another tight contest, his team is aiming for a win.

"It's a very important fixture for us and we just have to continue our winning ways," he said yesterday as the squad prepared to leave Sabina Park.

The bowling and general fielding was satisfactory against the Windwards, but the veteran coach said an improved batting display is needed against Barbados. He urged his batsmen to replicate the kind of form they showed towards the latter stages of last season.

"We want to go out and play some good cricket. The batting is not consistent, but last season towards the backend of the tournament we were decent in terms of our batting and got good team totals. That's where we are mostly focused right now," Bennett said.

Jamaica lost to Barbados at Sabina Park during last season's league stage as the latter went on to win the President's Trophy. However, Bennett's team turned the tables on Barbados in the semi-finals at the Kensington Oval and marched on to cop the Headley/ Weekes Trophy.

The Jamaica captain Tamar Lambert noted the infusion of less experienced players such as batsman Jon-Ross Campbell and pace bowling rookies Marquino Mindley and Keno Wallace, into the current squad.

Though optimistic, Lambert predicts a difficult pair of games away from home.

"We have a young team and we have to take things day by day. It's going to be a tough two weeks on the road. We face Barbados, then Trinidad the following week. But we have had the better of them the last few years and once we go out there and play good, consistent cricket we should come out on top," he said.
jamaicaobserver.com