Busta Cup: Jamaica and Windwards in crucial match (5 February 1999)

5 February 1999

Busta Cup: Jamaica and Windwards in crucial match

Tony Becca

Jamaica take on the Windward Islands in the fourth round of the Busta Cup at Alpart today and, with both teams in the hunt for a place in the semi-finals, it should be a closely contested match.

After three matches each, Jamaica are on 16 points following victory over the Leeward Islands and losses to Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago, the Windward Islands are on 20 points following a defeat against Barbados, a rain-ruined match with Trinidad and Tobago and victory over the Leeward Islands.

While both could accompany Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago in the semi-finals, with only two matches to go, the loser could end up on the outside looking in.

With Jamaica to face leaders Barbados in the final round and the Windward Islands up against Guyana who, like Jamaica, are on 16 points, the pressure is on Jamaica to win this one. If they lose, the Windward Islands will be assured of going through and if they then lose to Barbados or collect only first innings points, they could end up in the bottom two and out of the semi-finals.

If they win, however, Jamaica will almost certainly be in and in their effort to do so, the pre-match favourites have made three changes from the team which lost by five wickets to Trinidad and Tobago.

The Windward Islands, like the Leeward Islands, have always been suspect to spin bowling and, as it was in the opening match against the Leeward Islands when Jamaica won by an innings and 58 runs, the attack will be two pacers - Laurie Williams and Dwight Mais, and two spin bowlers - right-arm offspinner Nehemiah Perry and right-arm legspinner Bryan Murphy who has replaced pacer Audley Sanson.

The other two changes are 19-year-old batsman Ricardo Powell for Christopher Gayle who failed to score in the match against Trinidad and Tobago but who is also ill and 19-year-old wicketkeeper/batsman Matthew Sinclair for Shane Ford, who, apart from unimpressive performances behind the stumps, also failed to score against Trinidad and Tobago.

Powell, the former New Hope All Age and Holmwood Technical star who represented Jamaica against Barbados last year, led Jamaica to victory in the regional Youth tournament last year and captained the Nortel All Stars XI, is an exciting batsman, and if he gets going could provide some punch in the middle-order. He is also brilliant in the field.

Sinclair, also out of New Hope and Holmwood, is an attractive batsman who took over the wicketkeeper's duty from Keith Hibbert during last year's Nortel Youth tournament and went on to win a place in the All Stars team.

In their bid for a victory, the Windward Islands will be looking to captain and veteran Dawnley Joseph, Balty Watt, Joseph Parillon, all-rounder Roy Marshall and youngsters Devon Smith and Reynold McLean to score their runs, and especially to left-arm spinner Marshall and pacers Cameron Cuffy and Casper Davis to get their wickets.

On show also will be promising wicketkeeper Wayne Phillip.

For their first four-day international match, Alpart has provided a pitch which looks full of runs, and apart from the fact that in Tony Powell, Ricardo Powell and Sinclair they have three players on the team, the cricket-loving fans of St. Elizabeth are looking forward to a close and exciting contest and hoping that victory will go to the home team.

Jamaica: James Adams - captain, Leon Garrick, Mario Ventura, Wavell Hinds, Tony Powell, Ricardo Powell, Nehemiah Perry, Matthew Sinclair, Laurie Williams, Bryan Murphy, Dwight Mais.

Windward Islands (from): Dawnley Joseph - captain, Reynold McLean, Cameron Cuffy, McNeil Morgan, Casper Davis, Hezron Lawrence, Devon Smith, Dennison Thomas, Roy Marshall, Wayne Phillip, Balty Watt, Vernon Dumas, Joseph Parillon.

Source :: The Jamaica Gleaner (https://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/)