KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – Jamaica Under-19 coach Robert Samuels wants more limited overs cricket played in the country, if the side is to improve from their dismal showing in the WICB Regional Under-19 One-Day Championship in Guyana last week.
The Jamaicans finished one from bottom of the six-team competition, coming off their triumph in the preceding three-day tournament.
“It was disappointing that we didn’t also win the One-Day competition because the plan was to take both,” said Samuels, a former Test batsman.
“For the 50-over format, I just think we are not playing enough of that kind of cricket across the island. The senior team is not doing well at that format either so it’s a problem that we have.
“The sport has become very scientific and it’s two very different versions of the game. The association needs to find more ways for our cricketers to play more limited-overs cricket so we can be better prepared.”
Jamaica could only muster two wins in the one-day tournament to finish on 11.2 points, as Barbados won all five of their games to capture the title with 26.8 points.
This was in stark contrast to the three-day tournament where they piled up 43.7 points, to finish ahead of Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados.
“It feels very good to go to Guyana and win because we haven’t won that competition away from home in 16 years,” Samuels told the Jamaica Observer.
“The fast bowlers, James McDonald and Marquino Mindley did exceptionally well. They did their job and took 19 wickets between them. By the time we put on the spinners we were normally into the opposition’s middle-order so it was really a fantastic effort.
“It’s a major achievement for us because it was a total team effort. It is a very balanced team and most of the batsmen can also bowl and they chipped in well.”
