An unchanged Guyana Jaguars cricket team will look to overcome hosts Barbados Pride when the two sides face off in the second round of Cricket West Indies Professional Cricket League (PCL) from today.
Jaguars currently lead the table after taking 21 points from their first round match against the Leeward Islands Hurricanes and skipper, Leon Johnson said that he wants the team to carry the same momentum into this match and even do better.
Johnson, who needs 223 runs to reach 6000 First-Class runs, said that the mood was great in the camp after a confidence-boosting win but was wary of the importance of looking to maintain that dominance or ideally, better their performance.
Jaguars would have felt better to have had the services of Romario Shepherd, who was expected to join the team but since his inclusion in the West Indies T20 side, the Jaguars squad remains the same. Seamer Nial Smith will be brimming with confidence after taking eight wickets on debut and will be expected to bring the heat to the Barbadians.
His fast bowling partner, Keon Joseph, is also full of confidence, having crossed the 100-wicket landmark with two wickets in the previous match.
With the experienced spin duo of Veerasammy Permaul and Devendra Bishoo, their bowling department looks solid.
Permaul would want to join the elite group of Guyanese players to take 500 first-class wickets with nine needed.
With four of their top five batsmen hitting half centuries, Jaguars will look for one of them to carry on and score a big century as was the case with Chandrapaul Hemraj and Anthony Bramble last season when they won by six wickets. But despite Barbados losing their first round match to the Windward Islands Volcanoes, they will by no means be a roll over. Kyle Myers scored a century in the opening round while the side boosts Test opener, Kraigg Brathwaite who is 32 runs short of 4000 and West Indies middle order batsman Shamarh Brooks as well as Jonathan Carter.
But with the absence of Jason Holder and Shai Hope, a returning Kemar Roach could help with the team’s chances. Roach brings a wealth of experience from his 111 First-Class appearances where he has taken 342 wickets.
Roach will be valuable to the younger Keon Harding and Chemar Holder in the seam attack while the experienced pair of Ashley Nurse and Jomel Warrican will take care of the spin department.
The first ball bowls off at 10.00 hours
