KINGSTON, Jamaica, Oct 5, CMC – Uncapped players Jermaine Blackwood and Kenar Lewis have been selected in the Jamaica squad for this month’s WICB Regional Super50 Championship in Guyana.

Blackwood, a 19-year-old batsman, who bowls off-spin, and Lewis, a 20-year-old opener, are two former Jamaica Under-19 players.

“We have come up with a nice blend of youth and experience, and we are hoping that this team will give a good account of themselves during the tournament,” Chairman of the National Selection Panel Courtney Daley told Radio Jamaica.

“It’s always nice to have Chris, he’s a fantastic player, he is one that can change any game and I am sure that the team will only be better for having him in the line up.”

The national selection panel has resisted the urge to recall long-standing opener Brenton Parchment, who was dropped for last year’s tournament, but performed fairly well throughout the national trial matches. He has however, been named as one of two reserves.

They also decided to keep injured all-rounder David Bernard Jr in cotton wool. He is still recovering from surgery on both knees.

Left-arm fast bowler Sheldon Cotterell, who made a good impression during the Caribbean Twenty20 Championship, and young batsman Horace Miller has also been overlooked.

Batsman Danza Hyatt and fast-medium bowler Andre Russell will be available after the West Indies One-day International series in Bangladesh and they will replace two players in the squad.

The squad also includes estranged West Indies batsman Chris Gayle, fellow opener Xavier Marshall, wicketkeeper/batsman Chadwick Walton, left-arm spinner Nikita Miller, as well as fast bowlers Jerome Taylor and Krishmar Santokie.

The decision about the captaincy will be decided later this week with the leading contenders being Gayle and first-class captain Tamar Lambert.

Jamaica will open their campaign against Leeward Islands on October 20, and will also play against Trinidad & Tobago and the Combined Campuses & Colleges during the tournament.

Squad:

Jermaine Blackwood, Odean Brown, Yannick Elliott, Shawn Findlay, Chris Gayle, Simon Jackson, Tamar Lambert, Kenar Lewis, Xavier Marshall, Nikita Miller, Andrew Richardson, Krishmar Santokie, Jerome Taylor, Chadwick Walton.