Baltimore replaces injured Jacobs for Red Stripe Bowl

Team Antigua has sent for a reinforcement in their historic bid for this year's Red Stripe Bowl. To the rescue is the explosive young wicketkeeper/batsman Bertel Baltimore. The request follows the recurrence of an injury to the substantive wicketkeeper and West Indies vice captain, Ridley Jacobs.

Jacobs, who has injured his finger, has been sidelined from taking any further part in this year's Red Stripe Bowl competition, and will return to Antigua today. Meanwhile, Baltimore flies out to Guyana to join the team and will perform duties behind the stumps for the remainder of Antigua's Red Stripe Bowl campaign.

The Antigua team will benefit from the inclusion of the in-form and attacking batting of the young wicketkeeper. Baltimore, who has represented the Leeward Islands Under-19 team in the Nortel Tournamanent, is relishing the opportunity. After learning of his inclusion in the squad, Baltimore told CricInfo: "It's the best news I have had today (my birthday), and I hope to do well and help Antigua qualify for Jamaica".

Meanwhile, the Jamaican Cricket Board has announced a change in venue for the Northern Windwards/Leewards XI match, originally scheduled for the Kensington Cricket Grounds. The match will now be played at the Sabina Park in Jamaica's capital, Kingston. The move, according to the JCA, is a "security precaution", given the recent upsurge of violence in Jamaica.