PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Both Barbados Pride and Windward Islands Jaguars say they are confident ahead of today’s second semi-final of the Regional Super50 but concede the clash will be a tough one, as they go in search of a spot in the final of the Caribbean’s premier one-day competition.
While Pride started the tournament poorly but recovered to finish second in Group A played here, Volcanoes were steady throughout and good enough to finish on top of Group B staged in St Kitts.
Significantly, it will be the first time Volcanoes will be tasting action in Trinidad and Pride skipper Jason Holder believes this factor gives his side the edge in the day/night contest at Queen’s Park Oval.
“It should be a very good match. Obviously we’ve been here in Trinidad for the last couple weeks and we’ve become accustomed to the conditions here whereas Windwards are coming from St Kitts to different conditions,” Holder said.
“I think both teams are pretty evenly matched but I think we’ve been playing some pretty decent cricket that should get us past them in the semi-final.”
He added: “I think we have the edge going into the game. We’ve been winning convincingly in our last three games so I think the momentum is basically with us but the Windwards should not be underestimated.”
Pride lost two of their first three games but with the return of the West Indies players, rebounded to win their last three games.
Holder was one of six players bolstering the unit along with batsmen Kraigg Brathwaite and Shai Hope, wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich, all-rounder Carlos Brathwaite and left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican.
The West Indies captain believes Pride’s strength is in their balance with depth in both the batting and bowling departments.
“I think at full strength we are pretty evenly balanced but I think our bowling has shot ahead of the batting in the recent past,” Holder pointed out.
“The bowling has been outstanding in this tournament so far. Sulieman Benn has been very good, Ashley Nurse, Jomel Warrican – Warrican has come into the team and done really well and myself just chipping in with some wickets.
“I think we have very good depth and balance in our bowling attack and likewise in our batting line-up we bat very, very deep and different batsmen are chipping in in different games.”
Volcanoes, meanwhile, started the competition strongly and kept their momentum throughout. They overcame a no-result against Combined Campuses and Colleges in the second round to win three of their first four games and install themselves from early as favourites to reach the final four.
Captain Liam Sebastien said though he was not entirely pleased with his side’s batting performances, the unit had gained crucial confidence from the preliminary round campaign.
“We could have been better in terms of our performance especially in our batting. The bowlers have been doing an excellent job,” he explained.
“I would’ve liked the batsmen to contribute a little more in terms of bigger scores but at the end of the day we topped the group and obviously that was an objective we set out to achieve and we did achieve and we’re happy with that.
“It’s obviously going to be a tough game. When you get to this stage of the competition it’s win or go home so you have to have your best day or your best game or obviously at the end of the day, you may not be on the winning side.
“You may have a bad day and still have a win but what we hope is that the batsmen would come into their own at this point of the competition.”
Volcanoes boast two of the top wicket-takers in the tournament. Left-arm seamer Delorn Johnson, with 14 wickets, has been the leading bowler in the tournament while medium pacer Mervin Mathew has 12.
However, not a single batsman has gotten 200 runs. The best so far has been Sunil Ambris with 190 but the three others with over 100 runs have not passed 150.
In the semi-final, Sebastien wants a collective batting effort.
“What we’re hoping for in the semi-final is that that the batsmen – and I don’t mean the top three or the top four – I’m talking about the entire batting group, the playing XI, can get a good score on the board,” he explained.
“And I think the bowlers have been doing an excellent job so far and we back them again to come good. We just have to go out and play a tough game on Thursday.”
SQUADS:
BARBADOS PRIDE (from) – Jason Holder (captain), Carlos Brathwaite, Kraigg Brathwaite, Miguel Cummins, Shane Dowrich, Shai Hope, Jomel Warrican, Sulieman Benn, Ashley Nurse, Shamarh Brooks, Jonathan Carter, Dwayne Smith, Roston Chase, Kevin Stoute.
WINDWARD ISLANDS VOLCANOES (from): Liam Sebastien (captain), Sunil Ambris, Miles Bascombe, Johnson Charles, Keron Cottoy, Andre Fletcher, Kavem Hodge, Delorn Johnson, Vincent Lewis, Mervyn Matthew, Kyle Mayers, Devon Smith, Shane Shillingford, Tyrone Theophile.