Jamaica v Guyana at Kingston

AFTER losing out in the Nagico Super50 cricket tournament, Jamaica will turn their attention to the Regional Four-day competition, which resumes on February 6.

Jamaica, who are second in the points standing with 50 points, will host leaders Guyana (57 points) at Sabina Park in Kingston.

Barbados are third with 44 points, while Windward Islands (26), Trinidad & Tobago (24) and Leeward Islands (10) complete the rest of the table.

Tamar Lambert, the regular four-day skipper, is nursing a knee injury, but is expected to lead Jamaica.

Slow left-arm orthodox bowler Nikita Miller, who captained the 50-over team, will be unavailable for Jamaica after being called to fill the gap left by off-spinner Sunil Narine's withdrawal from the West Indies World Cup squad. Miller urged the Jamaican batsmen to capitalise on getting more bonus points for the team.

"One of the reasons they [Guyana] are leading us is because the bonus points they've picked up with their batting. We need to improve that aspect and hopefully we can catch them," the spinner said.

"It is very important to do well against Guyana because what we don't want is a team to be running away in the points standings."

Miller, 32, said he noticed positive signs from the batsmen during the Super50 format and is hoping some of that good form is brought over into the four-day tournament.

"We've been bowling well so we just need to put the batting together. If we can get the batting sorted ... we were struggling before the start of the 50-overs competition and we showed fight in the tournament. It augurs well for us," he said.

The West Indies spinner insisted that the onus is on the batsmen to keep improving under head coach Junior Bennett and help Jamaica to yet another four-day title.

"We can only get better with some good preparation. The batsmen have to keep working hard. Based on what I've heard, the players who weren't in the 50-over team have been putting in a lot of work and that's very good," Miller said.

Jamaica have been the most successful regional team in the longer format over the last decade, winning six champions' trophies.

--Sanjay Myers

Jamaicaobserver

Guyana Times article.

Georgetown, Guyana - Opener Shemron Hetmyer is considered one of country’s brightest prospects, and having regained his spot in the national First-Class squad, the left-hander is keen to cash in and cement his place in the Guyana side.

Hetmyer, who had a productive NAGICO Super50 tournament playing for the West Indies Under-19 team, has replaced fellow opener Trevon Griffith for the Guyana Jaguars next three games in the West Indies Cricket Board’s Professional Cricket League Regional Four-day competition in Jamaica, St Kitts and Barbados.

The Jaguars will play the Jamaica franchise from February 6, before taking on the Leeward Islands Hurricanes and Barbados Pride.

Great opportunity

The Young Warriors Cricket Club (YWCC) batsman, who played the last of his three First-Class matches against hosts Trinidad and Tobago, in December last year, said his main aim is to secure a long-term role in the national side.

An average of just 16.40 with a topscore of 47, the 18-year-old Hetmyer’s career did not get off to the best of starts, with just 82 runs from five innings. He told Guyana Times Sport on Monday that “this time he is more focussed and in a better shape to strengthen his First-Class career.”

“I am determined to make it count,” He said.

The attacking Hetmyer and Rajendra Chandrika are the two opening batsmen in the Jaguars 13-man squad and if he finds himself in the starting XI, consistency will be the watchword for the West Indies Under-19 batsman.

“If I make the final XI, I want to grab this opportunity with both hands; I just want to score runs and be as consistent as possible,” he said.

Meanwhile, after four rounds in phase one of the competition, Guyana Jaguars have accumulated 57 points. Jamaica, who face off with the Jaguars at Sabina Park when the format resumes, occupy the second spot on 50 points, followed by Barbados Pride on 44. The Windward Islands Volcanoes (26), Trinidad and Tobago Red Force (24), and Leeward Islands Hurricanes (10) follow in that order.

The Guyana Jaguars squad is: Leon Johnson (Captain), Vishaul Singh (Vice-Captain), Rajendra Chandrika, Shemron Hetmyer, Narsingh Deonarine, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Raymon Reifer, Christopher Barnwell, Anthony Bramble(Wicketkeeper), Veerasammy Permaul, Devendra Bishoo, Keon Joseph and Ronsford Beaton.

The management team comprises Rayon Griffith (Manager/Assistant Coach), Esaun Crandon (Coach) and Paul Gomes (Physio)

JAMAICA'S cricket head coach Junior Bennett said he was impressed with the big hundred scored by left-handed opener John Campbell in the drawn three-day practice match at Sabina Park over the weekend.

The 21-year-old Campbell, who captained his team versus Tamar Lambert's XI, struck 175 in the second innings.

"I thought John Campbell batted extremely well... the pitch was doing a lot because it was extremely grassy. To score 175 runs in those conditions, I think it was a good knock. We hope he can carry that form into the tournament," Bennett told the Jamaica Observer.

Guyana Jaguars head coach Esaun Crandon has warned his team about being complacent heading into the final round of the Professional Cricket league (PCL) four-day tournament which resumes on Friday against Jamaica at Sabina Park.

Crandon, via a telephone interview yesterday said that he was adamant about finishing off the tournament in high fashion. “All games are important, we plan on taking them one game at time. Jamaica has beaten us at that venue over the past years, so we want to go out and play better cricket and extend our lead,” said the coach.

Front runners the Guyana Jaguars cricket team departed yesterday morning for Jamaica where they will oppose the homesters in their top-of-the-table clash of the West Indies Cricket Board’s Regional Four-Day Professional Cricket League at Sabina Park.

The match which commences tomorrow will see the Guyana Jaguars on 57 points aiming to maintain their lead against the second placed Jamaica side which is on 50 points.
The Guyana team has been boosted by the return of West Indies players Leon Johnson, who will resume as captain and Narsingh Deonarine, both of whom were in South Africa with the West Indies senior side

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