Full strength Bajans aim to halt Jaguars unbeaten streak as teams clash today in Barbados

Jan 04, 2019 Sports

By Sean Devers

A full strength Barbados Pride with nine International players has been assembled for their third round Regional first-class match against four-time defending Champions Guyana Jaguars which

Jason Holder. Sky Sports

starts today at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown.
Barbados has the most titles (23) but last won in 2014 and since then Guyana has won every single title. Barbados will aim to halt Guyana’s 12-match unbeaten streak and a possible 11th title this year.
The last time Barbados beat Guyana was in 2014 at Providence when set 68 to win Jaguars were bowled out for 66 but since then Jaguars have lost just twice (both times to Leewards).
Today, on what is anticipated to be a track with more bounce than those in Guyana and with the added strength of the Bajan side which includes Test and One-Day Skipper Jason Holder who returns from injury, a tough contest is expected.
In addition to Holder, opener Kraigg Brathwaite, Jonathan Carter, Roston Chase, Wicket-keeper/batsman Shane Dowrich, off-spinner Ashley Nurse, Kemar Roach, Miguel Cummins and left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican, who captured 12 wickets in his only match, provides the host with a formidable

Veersammy Permaul. ESPNcricinfo

unit.
While Keemo Paul injured his finger during the last match in Bangladesh, Devendra Bishoo was in the USA at the time was picked and Shimron Hetmyer has requested to be rested, the Jaguars have brought back Raymon Reifer and Chanderpaul Hemraj to the Leon Johnson led team for what could be their toughest battle so far.

Heading into today’s game Pride lost to Leewards and beat Jamaica while Jaguars defeated the Windwards in St Lucia and the Leewards in Antigua.
“We are expecting a highly competitive game of cricket and are anticipating a full strength Barbados squad with players returning from Windies duty” said Jaguars Head Coach Esuan Crandon.
“Our strength against Barbados would be our all-round ability. We have quality players who can win games for us with both bat and ball. But it will come down to individuals owning up to their responsibilities and assess the conditions in Barbados and apply the appropriate knowledge.
We will have to play hard cricket on a consistent basis and try and win more sessions and key moments of the game” Crandon stated.
Jaguars, who replaced Trevon Griffith with Hemraj, will depend on the inform Vishaul Singh who made 75 in St. Lucia before top-scoring with 90 in Antigua to take his runs tally to 1

68. Hemraj and Tagenarine Chanderpaul, who made 84 in St Lucia, will hope to give Guyana a solid foundation.
Support should come from Johnson, Chris Barnwell and Clinton Pestano who also got fifties but failed to convert their good starts into tons. Reifer grew up playing in Bajan conditions and along with Anthony Bramble, Sherfane Rutherford and Romario Shepherd are also capable contributing runs.

Vishaul Singh

Veerasammy Permaul has 12 twelve wickets while spin back-up will come from fellow left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie while the pace attack will be led by Keon Joseph and include Shepherd, Pestano, Reifer and Barnwell. The Bajan batting will bank on Brathwaite, Jonathan Carter who has two fifties in 142 runs while Skipper Shamarh Brooks, Shane Dowrich, Holder, Roston Chase and Aaron Jones while Warrican, Ashley Nurse, Kemar Roach, Holder, Keon Harding, Miguel Cummings who has nine wickets from two matches, will take care of the bowling.
Pride squad: Shamarh Brooks (captain), Kraigg Brathwaite, Jonathan Carter, Roston Chase, Miguel Cummins, Shane Dowrich, Keon Harding, Jason Holder, Aaron Jones, Shayne Moseley, Ashley Nurse, Kemar Roach and Jomel Warrican, Emerson Trotman (Head Coach), Vasbert Drakes (Assistant Coach)
Jaguars squad: Leon Johnson (Captain), Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Chanderpaul Hemraj, Vishaul Singh, Raymon Reifer, Christopher Barnwell, Sherfane Rutherford, Anthony Bramble, Romario Shepherd, Veerasammy Permaul, Clinton Pestano, Gudakesh Motie, and Keon Joseph, Head Coach Esuan Crandon, Assistant Coach/Manager Rayon Griffith.