GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC) – Sunshine for the last two days here have boosted hopes of a prompt start to the final round of the WICB Under-19 Championship which bowls off today. Heavy rains, resulting in water-logged outfields, ruled out any chance of play in the last round leaving teams and officials frustrated.
Leaders Jamaica, on 31 points, will start the final round as favourites to claim their second title in three years when they come up against defending champions Windward Islands at the Demerara Cricket Club.
However, the battle for the title could develop into a three-way one as second-placed Trinidad and Tobago, on 27.3 points, and Barbados (23.2) can still overhaul Jamaica.
Barbados battle Guyana at Everest while Trinidad and Tobago take on bottom-placed Leeward Islands at Bourda.
Jamaica, who crushed Barbados by nine wickets at Enmore in their third round fixture, will look to West Indies Under-19 opener John Campbell for runs and their leg-spinning captain Donavan Nelson for wickets.
The left-handed Campbell has 151 runs to be fifth in the overall tournament averages while Nelson is fourth among the wicket-takers with 12 scalps.
Despite their form to date, Windwards may prove a handful for Jamaica especially with West Indies Under-19 player Kavem Hodge finding form with a fabulous 155 in the third round.
The Windwards have 10.3 points, having lost two of their three outings but Larry Edwards, whose 18 wickets is only behind the 23 from T&T left-arm spinner Derone Davis, could trouble the Jamaicans.
Barbados, meanwhile, will be hard-pressed to take full points from Guyana, whose 73-run third round defeat to T&T left them with no chance of claiming their first title since 2007.
The Barbadians must win outright to have any chance of overtaking the Jamaicans but their batting has been problematic on the spin-friendly Guyana pitches and captain Kraigg, the only Test player in the tournament, has managed just 57 runs in the competition.
As a result, Barbados could struggle against West Indies Under-19 leg-spinner Amir Khan and left-arm spinners Anthony Adams and Gudakesh Motie.
T&T will depend heavily on Akeal Hosein who has 196 runs, and will also look to West Indies Under-19 player Kieron Joseph to get full points from the hapless Leewards.
In the bowling, the aggressive Davis should continue to enjoy Guyana’s conditions and expect support from fellow spinners Jovan Ali and Idrees Mohammed.
Heavy-set Leewards skipper Rahkeem Cornwall is among the tournament’s top five batsmen with 179 runs and along with Young Windies player Akeem Saunders will hope to defy the Trinidadians with the bat.