ST JOHN’S, Antigua – Bowling stocks look strong for the moment, so it will all be about the batsmen to finalise the cast for the West Indies Test squad in the New Year when the 2019-20 West Indies Championship opens today.

With seven Tests on the cards for West Indies this year when they resume their participation in the ICC Test Championship, this season’s West Indies Championship presents a perfect opportunity for a number of hopefuls to advance their case.

The winner of the Championship also holds intrigue with defending champions Guyana Jaguars seeking to become the first regional first-class side to complete six successive titles.

Among the strong contenders are Barbados Pride, the runners-up to the Jaguars in each of those title-winning seasons, and Leeward Islands Hurricanes, one of the main challengers last season before they stumbled late in the season.

Darren Bravo and John Campbell, two top-order West Indies left-handed batsmen, have been made captains of Trinidad & Tobago Red Force and Jamaica Scorpions respectively, for the first time in their playing careers.

Red Force, Scorpions and Windward Islands Volcanoes, also under new leadership with emerging batsman Kavem Hodge being appointed captain, are hoping these decisions could help to spark a revival in their fortunes.

Hurricanes vs Jaguars at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground, Antigua

Hurricanes and Jaguars have provided plenty of intrigue during their matches in the previous five seasons.

Jaguars hold the edge with five wins out of the 10 matches contested, including two wins out of the three times they have played at this venue.

But Hurricanes have two valuable wins during the same period on which they can draw to give them confidence that they can repel the challenge of the Jags.

They completed the highest successful fourth-innings chase in the West Indies first-class competition three seasons ago and won a feisty battle in the final round last season on the Jaguars’ home soil, a rarity in recent years.

One of the players to watch in this contest will be Hurricanes pacer Sheeno Berridge. He made a big impact during the Colonial Medical Insurance Super50 Cup this past November and will want to make further strides in the four-day format.

Two other uncapped players looking to step up will be former West Indies Under-19 World Cup hero Keacy Carty of Hurricanes and Jaguars opener Tagenarine Chanderpaul, the son of former West Indies left-hander Shivnarine Chanderpaul, whose solid batting at the top of the order has not gone unnoticed.

Two personal milestones appear within reach in the match for two Jaguars players. Christopher Barnwell has scored 1 971 Championship runs and needs 29 more for 2 000; and West Indies leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo has taken 241 wickets and needs nine for 250.

Squads:
HURRICANES: Jahmar Hamilton (captain), Colin Archibald, Sheeno Berridge, Quinton Boatswain, Keacy Carty, Nino Henry, Montcin Hodge, Damion Jacobs, Amir Jangoo, Jaison Peters, Kieran Powell, Jacques Taylor, Devon Thomas

JAGUARS: Leon Johnson (captain), Christopher Barnwell, Devendra Bishoo, Anthony Bramble, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Chandrapaul Hemraj, Tevin Imlach, Keon Joseph, Veerasammy Permaul, Raymon Reifer, Kevin Sinclair, Vishaul Singh, Nial Smith

In other fixtures today, Red Force take on Scorpions at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad, and Volcanoes against Pride at the Arnos Vale Cricket Ground, St Vincent.