ST JOHN’S, Antigua – Leaders and reigning champions Guyana Jaguars and long-time rivals Barbados Pride will be the centre attraction in the third round of the WICB Professional Cricket League Regional 4-Day Tournament, starting today at the Guyana National Stadium.
At the same time, third-place Trinidad & Tobago Red Force and Jamaica Scorpions aim to keep their seasons on track at Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad, and Windward Islands Volcanoes Leeward Islands Hurricanes will be looking to jump-start their seasons at Windsor Park in Dominica.
At Providence, Guyana: For the second straight season, the oldest rivalry in West Indies first-class matches will hold centre stage, as the Jaguars look to extend their lead in the tournament and the Pride seek to keep them within reach.
The Jaguars have again put home advantage to good use, soaring to the top of the standings with victories from their first two matches against the Volcanoes and Hurricanes – and they will be looking to continue in this rich vein.
The Pride started the season strongly with a victory over the Scorpions, but the Red Force stemmed their surge, forcing a draw in the second round.
Last season, the two teams shared the two fixtures, but they both won on foreign soil, which will be a boost to the Barbadians, whose two-run victory at this venue after they were forced to follow on will be uppermost in the minds of both sides, as a means of motivation.
Like a few of the teams around the PCL, both have had to replace key players that will leave in the next few weeks either for the West Indies’ Tour of Australia, or seeking fame or fortune in a far-off land.
Ironically, the Jaguars have brought the Barbadian fast-medium bowler Javon Searles into their 13-member squad and Veersammy Permaul has recovered from injury. They will replace Christopher Barnwell and opener Rajindra Chandrika.
Barbados have reinforced their line-up with the experienced trio of left-arm spin Sulieman Benn, fast bowler Tino Best, left-handed batting all-rounder Jonathan Carter, as well as the uncapped, Guyana-born wicketkeeper/batsman Mario Rampersaud and leg-spinning PCL Draft choice Hayden Walsh Jr, in place of West Indies quintuplet Kraigg Brathwaite, Shane Dowrich, Shai Hope, Kemar Roach and Jomel Warrican. All-rounder Kevin Stoute will take over the job of captain from Brathwaite.
In Port of Spain, Trinidad: Red Force will be going all out to keep the top two within reach and Scorpions will look to shut the gap between themselves and the top three.
The hosts will play on home soil for the first time this season, following a victory over the Hurricanes and the draw with the Pride on the road, while Scorpions bounced back from a first-round loss to the Pride with a pulsating win over the Volcanoes in the previous round.
Red Force have brought the uncapped Utman Mohammed, fast-medium bowler Marlon Richards and batsman Jeremy Solozano in to replace Rayad Emrit, Shannon Gabriel and Evin Lewis.
Scorpions have turned to Antiguan Devon Thomas, last season’s Hurricanes captain, to replace veteran, fellow wicketkeeper/batsman Carlton Baugh Jr and former captain Tamar Lambert to replace rookie Brandon King.
In Roseau, Dominica: Volcanoes and Hurricanes find themselves in virtually the same position they did at the same stage last season.
Both have lost twice this season, sinking them to the bottom two positions in the table, and will be yearning for far more stability and a big haul of points to give them a boost in the standings.
The last ten matches between the two sides have produced a winner, but the Volcanoes comfortably won both of last season’s fixtures and will be hoping this trend continues, while the Hurricanes will be looking to stop the rot.
The home team have gained a boost to their batting with Johnson Charles and Andre Fletcher returning from limited-overs duties with West Indies in Sri Lanka, but the bowling has lost a bit of sting with injury sidelining champion off-spinner Shane Shillingford and Keddy Lesporis has missed out this time.
The Hurricanes have brought leg-spinner Colin Hamer in to replace this year’s Leewards Under-19 captain Kacey Carty. (PR)