BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) – With runaway leaders Jamaica sitting out the sixth round of matches in the Regional Four-Day Championship starting today, the remaining teams will look to make strides towards securing the three remaining semi-final spots when they do battle across the region. Jamaica crushed Trinidad and Tobago by 192 runs last weekend in Port of Spain to charge to a maximum 60 points from their five matches, and become the first team to book a semi-final spot.
Their absence this weekend has put the spotlight squarely on Guyana who, with their innings and 66-run defeat of Barbados on Monday, have jumped into second place on 36 points.
However, they sit out the next week’s last round with a bye, meaning they will have to take as many points from the T&T encounter, in order to guarantee their presence in the final four.
Test player Ramnaresh Sarwan said the Guyanese would provide a strong challenge for the Trinidadians.
“We’ve been playing really good cricket and will be tough to beat. I think the good thing about us this year is that the younger guys or the guys who’ve been around for a while are starting to perform,” Sarwan explained.
“Usually, when myself and Shivnarine Chanderpaul are not playing, we tend to get bowled out very cheaply.
“But it’s really pleasing to see the guys scoring a lot of runs, like (Assad) Fudadin, (Narsingh) Deonarine and (Leon) Johnson. Hopefully, they can continue.”
T&T, in third place on 28 points, will also be gunning for a win to make up for their very poor showing against Jamaica and also gain precious points.
Coach Kelvin Williams said the side was disappointed by their performance last weekend and knew what was required to get back on track.
“I think the defeat to Jamaica really surprised them and I have told them to think about it, see where they went wrong and then put it away and look forward,” Williams said.
“The national selectors also called them in for a meeting and this went very well indeed. The selectors were able to instil confidence in them and they are now looking at things very differently.”
T&T have been boosted by the return of Test opener Adrian Barath but will have to do without the services of Lendl Simmons who is still injured and Ravi Rampaul who is yet to recover from illness.
In the other games, fourth-placed Barbados (24 points) will take on a resurgent Leeward Islands at Kensington Oval while Windward Islands, fifth on 16 points, clash with Combined Campuses and Colleges at the National Stadium in Grenada. CCC and the Leewards both have 12 points.