KINGSTON, Jamaica (CMC) – Coach of the Jamaica Tallawahs, Paul Nixon, says it will be a difficult task to choose a starting lineup for their opening Caribbean Premier League (CPL) clash against Guyana Amazon Warriors at Guyana National Stadium, Providence today.

The former England wicketkeeper says the Tallawahs boasts a lineup of quality players and promising youngsters in their 15-man squad.
“It won’t be easy as we have several experienced and established batsmen, all-rounders and bowlers, in addition to a cadre of young players who are hoping to make an impression on the tournament,” said Nixon, before the team’s departure for the South American mainland territory.
“But it is not a bad problem to have as what it means is that we have a good squad and will always have players capable of stepping up if and when called upon.”
Gayle, who has been out of form to the extent where he has failed to score a half-century in his last 10 innings, headlines the Tallawahs’ batting lineup along with young Pakistan opener Ahmed Shehzad and South Africa’s Jacques Rudolph.
Gayle and Rudolph are proven performers at Test and one-day internationals level and as such are expected to start.
“The coaching staff, which also includes Junior Bennett and our captain Chris (Gayle), will therefore have to sit down, analyse things and try and come up with the best combination capable of beating what is expected to be a gritty Guyana team in their own backyard,” said Nixon.
The Amazon Warriors got their CPL campaign off in impressive style with a 19-runs victory over Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel on Thursday.
The Talliwahs are complemented by all-rounder Andre Russell, who recently arrived from England where he participated in the Friends Provident Twenty20 tournament.
The bowling will be led by Sri Lankan off-spinner Muttiah Muralithan, in-form South African pacer Vernon Philander and left-arm spinner Nikita Miller.
“On paper we stand a good chance, but we will have to hit the road running, beginning with our opening game,” said Miller who was dropped after representing the West Indies during last year’s ICC World Cup.
“It’s a packed schedule of seven first-round games over three weeks. So if we intend to get to semi-finals and finals, which is what we are working towards, we have to develop a winning mentality early and hope that it carries us through.”