KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – Six months after leading Jamaica to the regional four-day title, Jamaica’s selectors have axed Tamar Lambert from their 14-man squad for this month’s President’s Cup.
The 28-year-old was named in a provisional 18-man squad last week but failed to meet the final grade on fitness grounds, chairman of selectors Nehemiah Perry said Monday.
“We have a benchmark for fitness that we are using and we told all the players some time ago that they will not be selected if they fail to make that mark and unfortunately Tamar missed it,” said Perry, the former Jamaica and West Indies off-spinner.
The right-handed Lambert was Jamaica’s leading run-getter in the four-day tournament, amassing 759 runs in 12 matches.
His leadership of the side was hailed as one of the reasons for Jamaica’s success as they captured their second straight title in the league competition. Despite Lambert’s success, Perry defended his panel’s decision, stressing that strong decisions needed to be made.
“The truth is that we have to change the way things are done,” Perry pointed out.
“We have been wasting time trying to get people to fit when we should be doing other things after a squad is selected. We have to set an example.”
Meanwhile, 23-year-old opener Xavier Marshall has been given another chance to fulfill his obvious potential, after being dumped for his poor form in the four-day tournament earlier this year. He is one of several players with international experience in the strong squad which will contest Zone A of the October 29 to November 5 tournament along with Trinidad and Tobago, Windward Islands and Combined Campuses and Colleges.
Fast bowler Daren Powell has recovered from a groin strain to take his place in the squad but 20-year-old fast bowler Jason Dawes has been overlooked for the trip to Guyana. Krishmar Santokie and Zeniffe Fowler join Lambert and Dawes as the players cut from the provisional 18-man squad. SQUAD – Chris Gayle (captain), Brenton Parchment, Shawn Findlay, David Bernard, Xavier Marshall, Brendan Nash, Wavell Hinds, Carlton Baugh, Nikita Miller, Odean Brown, Jerome Taylor, Andrew Richardson, Daren Powell, Danza Hyatt.
