Kingston, Jamaica – Jamaica’s cricket head coach Junior Bennett said he was impressed with the big hundred scored by left-handed opener John Campbell in the drawn three-day practice match at Sabina Park over the weekend.
The 21-year-old Campbell, who captained his team versus Tamar Lambert’s XI, struck 175 in the second innings.
“I thought John Campbell batted extremely well… the pitch was doing a lot because it was extremely grassy. To score 175 runs in those conditions, I think it was a good knock. We hope he can carry that form into the tournament,” Bennett told the Jamaica Observer.
Horace Miller, who was the team’s wicketkeeper/batsman during the recent Nagico Super50 tournament, made a half-century for Lambert’s XI in the practice game.
Bennett, long-time coach of the team, appeared pleased that players had the chance to fine-tune ahead of Jamaica’s Regional Four-day clash against leaders Guyana at Sabina, starting on Friday.
“It was a very useful match for us. We’re coming off a one-day tournament and now preparing for a first-class game so it was good for us to get back to the longer version of the game. That three-day practice would have done us a world of good.”
The Jamaica 14-man squad for the Guyana encounter has not been announced as yet, but it is expected that a slow bowler will be included to fill the gap left by ace left-arm finger spinner Nikita Miller.
Miller is on West Indies duty after recently being called to replace off-spinner Sunil Narine in the squad for the Cricket World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
Veteran Jamaican leg spinner Odean Brown and left-arm wrist-spinner Dennis Bulli are the most likely candidates to step in for Miller. Given the 32-year-old Brown’s vast experience and good form shown in practice, he is likely to get the nod.
The impressive Damion Jacobs, relatively new to regional cricket, will play, barring unforeseen circumstances. In addition, Lambert and Campbell are both useful part-time off-spinners.
The Four-day tournament took a break at the halfway mark last December to allow for the playing of the Regional Super50 competition.
Guyana are top of the standings with 57 points, while Jamaica, the most successful regional team in the longer format for the past decade, follow with 50.
Barbados are third with 44 points, while Windward Islands (26), Trinidad & Tobago (24) and Leeward Islands (10) complete the table. (First Published In The Jamaica Observer)
