KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – West Indies pacer Sheldon Cottrell has been dropped for Jamaica Scorpions’ eighth round Regional four-day championship contest against Barbados Pride beginning here today.
His omission is one of three changes to the Scorpions squad with pacer Marquino Mindley also overlooked and Test batsman Jermaine Blackwood out with injury.
Left-armer Cottrell has endured poor form of recent, taking a single wicket in the last two rounds in which Scorpions suffered back-to-back defeats to Leeward Islands Hurricanes and Trinidad and Tobago Red Force.
In fact, Cottrell has managed just two wickets in his last three four-day outings, dating back to last December.
Mindley, meanwhile, went wicket-less in the last game against Red Force, after missing the sixth round encounter against Hurricanes.
Blackwood’s omission is a blow for the struggling Scorpions. The right-hander injured his shoulder while fielding on the penultimate day of the last round and has failed to recover in time.
Selectors have brought in fast bowler Jason Dawes, left-arm speedster Gavon Brown and Guyanese import, batsman Trevon Griffith.
Scorpions lie third on 60 points, a mere four points ahead of the fourth placed Red Force. However, they are 30 adrift of the second placed Pride, with title-holders Guyana Jaguars leading the standing with 107 points.