ST. JOHN’S, Antigua – Resurgent Jamaica Scorpions and leaders Guyana Jaguars meet for a historic, key clash in the fifth round of the WICB Professional Cricket League Regional 4-Day Tournament, starting today.
Matches between the Scorpions and the Jaguars over the years have been very competitive – and a similar thing can be expected from this contest at Sabina Park, where both teams have a clear intent to win and make a big push for the title before the long break for Christmas, New Year’s and the NAGICO Super50.

The match will also hold historical significance, as Jacqueline Williams will become the first female umpire to ever officiate in the Regional 4-Day Tournament.

Williams from the western Jamaica community of Ashton in the parish of Westmoreland will stand in the middle with international umpire Peter Nero.

She has just returned from Thailand, where she was a member of the panel of match officials for the ICC Women’s World Twenty20 qualifiers.

Williams recently made her international debut, when she stood in the first One-day and first Twenty20 Internationals during the Pakistan Women’s Tour of the West Indies.

The 39-year-old is being groomed by the WICB with an eye to possible selection on the international panel for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2017 in England and Wales.

In Kingston, Jamaica: The hosts have won their last three matches, following an opening round defeat against the Pride, and currently trail the Jags by 20 points in the standings. They will want to cut the deficit substantially to slow the roll of the table leaders in the hope of keeping the Tournament alive.

The visitors have been unbeaten in all four of their matches this season. Such an impressive record and healthy lead in the standings will inspire them further to move out of reach of the rest of the competition – including their hosts – as they make a push to enter the break with back-to-back titles firmly within their reach.

Recent history favours the Jaguars – they have won the last three matches between the two sides, including the two at the venues for this weekend’s contest which has not been a happy hunting ground for them.

This however, will be extra motivation for the Scorpions, as they are a side that believe defending home turf is important and will also take comfort in the knowledge that their opponents have won only three times out of 32 matches overall in Jamaica.

Tagenarine Chanderpaul has been brought into the Jaguars line-up for the first time this season to replace opener Shimron Hetmyer, so that there is a possibility of the rare sight of him and his father, veteran left-hander Shivnarine Chanderpaul batting together.

Hetmyer has departed for Grenada, where he will join members of the West Indies Under-19 squad preparing for the ICC Youth World Cup in Bangladesh early next year.