Five-time defending champions Guyana Jaguars enter the seventh round of West Indies Four-Day Championship in second position, 23.4 points adrift of leaders, Barbados Pride.
In the 2018-19 season, Jaguars won their fifth title by 20 points ahead of Pride; they had accumulated 25.2 pace-bowling points. This season they have only nine, as compared to Pride with 18.2 points.
Last season, the fast-bowlers got 126 wickets as compared to the 58 by the spinners; after seven rounds this season, the spinners already have 58 scalps and the pacers just 45.
Newly-appointed Assistant Coach/Manager, Julian Moore, stated on the eve of their clash with the bottom-placed Leeward Islands Hurricanes, that gathering such points is of high importance when the battle starts at the National Stadium, Providence, Thursday.
Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who usually fills the role Moore has been given, is in India for the Unacademy Road Safety World Series tournament, which is being held from March 7-22.
“Once there is fast-bowling points it always important for us and it is an area we are looking capitalize. The spinners have been doing an excellent job so this is just another game to execute in both departments,” Moore related to the media.
There was a forced change for Jaguars with opener Chandrapaul Hemraj nursing an injury to his quad; he is expected to ready by the next round.
Wicketkeeper/batsman Tevin Imlach, who has one First-Class match experience, is the replacement in the squad and should go head-to-head for the spot with Akshaya Persaud, who has played two First-Class matches.
Judging from a previous interview with Chairman of Selectors, Rayon Griffith, he spoke of Imlach being a back-up opener, which could give him the nod, especially since he is right-handed, in a top heavy line-up of left-handers.
Moore spoke glowing about both players and said management will make a decision based on the best composition.
The Berbician, who has reaped significant rewards with the youth teams, winning five titles, joins the five-time winning PCL coach, Esuan Crandon.
Moore hopes his positive energy and sound technical advice can help reap success after the Jaguars have found themselves in an unaccustomed position on the points standing at this point of the season.
“In our chat this morning [Wednesday], I just let them [players] know that there is a lot of outside noise; we are not as comfortable as we want to be after six rounds as we were in the previous five years but this is an opportunity for us to do something special; it is an opportunity for some of the guys in the dressing room to put their hands up and make it count. It is just about us doing the right things, and try to build for the other games.”
A showdown is expected between the champion spinners on either side. Veerasammy Permaul has been this season’s leading bowler so far with 45 scalps and West Indies off-spinner Rahkeem Cornwall has jumped into prominence with 23 wickets in only four matches, having missed the first two games of the season because of injury.
The Jaguars batting line-up appears well equipped to manage Cornwall, but how well the Hurricanes batting, which has been a let-down this season, copes with Permaul could prove decisive.
JAGUARS: Leon Johnson (captain), Christopher Barnwell, Anthony Bramble, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Tevin Imlach, Keon Joseph, Gudakesh Motie, Veerasammy Permaul, Akshaya Persaud, Raymon Reifer, Kevin Sinclair, Vishaul Singh and Nial Smith.
HURRICANES: Jahmar Hamilton (captain), Sheno Berridge, Keacy Carty, Rahkeem Cornwall, Montcin Hodge, Amir Jangoo, Jeremiah Louis, Kian Pemberton, Adelvin Phillip, Kieran Powell, Ross Powell, Akeem Saunders and Terance Warde.
