NORTH SOUND, Antigua (CMC) – Leeward Islands will fancy their chances, when they face Barbados in their bottom-of-the-table, sixth round contest in the WICB Regional first-class championship, starting today at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground. Leewards have been buoyed by their first victory of the season, a stunning 29-run triumph against the odds on the road against Trinidad & Tobago at Queen’s Park Oval in Port of Spain in the previous round. The result moved them up to seventh in the standings with 15 points.
It’s the same number for the Barbadians, but the visitors are rock-bottom when the tournament tie-breaker rules are applied, following five straight draws in which they have lost first innings points, including their previous match against Windward Islands on home soil at Kensington Oval.
Leewards have stuck with the players that ushered them to victory over T&T, but the arrest of Tonito Willett on suspicion of marijuana possession has forced at least one change.
Wicketkeeper/batsman Kerry Mentore has been included to give a boost to the batting, but Jahmar Hamilton is still likely to stand behind the stumps.
The Barbadian selectors have resisted the urge to abandon their misinformed experiment of exposing a number of young, untested players this season, and have made only one change to their squad from the previous round.
Leg-spinner Nikolai Charles has been added to replace batsman Kyle Hope, who failed to transform a number of decent starts into innings of substance.
Regular captain Ryan Hinds is also available, after coming down with a stomach ailment on the eve of the contest against the Windwards.
The Barbadians have held the edge in the fixture over the last decade, with five wins in 13 matches, but Leewards have dominated their last two contests.
They beat the Barbadians by an innings and five runs in their own backyard two years ago at the North Stars Social & Cultural Club, and gained first innings points in a drawn match last year at Kensington Park in Jamaica.