ST. JOHN’S, Antigua – Only two rounds are left to determine the winner of the 2018-19 West Indies Championship, so there will be huge interest in the outcome of this week’s ninth round of matches which opens today in Guyana, Kingston and St. Vincent.
Defeats for front-runners Guyana Jaguars in three of their last four matches has meant that the title race has gotten a bit tighter, but the four-time defending champions are still heavily favoured to walk away with the Headley/Weekes Trophy, symbol of supremacy in the West Indies first-class game.
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The Jags top the table with 117.2 points – 23.8 points clear of their nearest rivals, Leeward Islands Hurricanes, and third-placed Barbados Pride a further 2.8 points behind.
With a total of 48 points available to each team over the scheduled final two rounds of matches, plus the Hurricanes and third-placed Barbados Pride still holding a game in hand, making it for them potentially 72 points, the Jaguars still have to keep the champagne on ice and play hard down the stretch to fortify their title hopes.
Jaguars vs Pride in Providence, Guyana
The Jaguars will be pushing hard to bolster their title claims, when they face the Pride at the Guyana National Stadium in the key match of the round, hoping to complete a season sweep against their opponents in a renewal of the regional game’s longest standing rivalry.
Squads:
JAGUARS (from) – Leon Johnson (captain), Christopher Barnwell, Anthony Bramble, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Chandrapaul Hemraj, Ramaal Lewis, Gudakesh Motie, Veerasammy Permaul, Akshaya Persaud, Raymon Reifer, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd, Vishaul Singh
IN–Lewis, Persaud; OUT–Keon Joseph, Clinton Pestano
PRIDE (from) – Shamarh Brooks (captain), Rashidi Boucher, Jonathan Carter, Miguel Cummins, Keon Harding, Chaim Holder, Aaron Jones, Nicholas Kirton, Marquino Mindley, Shayne Moseley, Shamar Springer, Tevyn Walcott, Jomel Warrican
Unchanged
UMPIRES – Patrick Gustard (Jamaica), Danesh Ramdhanie (Trinidad & Tobago)
MATCH REFEREE – Colin Stuart
RESERVE UMPIRE – Shannon Crawford
Scorpions vs Hurricanes in Kingston, Jamaica
Resurgent, fifth-placed Jamaica Scorpions too, are heading into their contest against the Hurricanes at Sabina Park aiming to complete a season sweep, bolstered by the return of champion left-arm spinner Nikita Miller.
Squads:
SCORPIONS (from) – Paul Palmer (captain), Jermaine Blackwood, Gordon Bryan, Dennis Bulli, Akim Frazer, Assad Fudadin, Derval Green, Brandon King, Reynard Leveridge, Kennar Lewis, Nikita Miller, Alwyn Williams, Oraine Williams
IN–Bryan, Lewis, Miller, Alwyn Williams; OUT– Jerome Taylor, Aldaine Thomas, Chadwick Walton, Kenroy Williams
HURRICANES (from) – Kieran Powell (captain), Sheno Berridge, Quinton Boatswain, Nelson Bolan, Keacy Carty, Rahkeem Cornwall, Jahmar Hamilton, Montcin Hodge, Damion Jacobs, Kian Pemberton, Jaison Peters, Devon Thomas, Terance Warde
IN–Pemberton; OUT–Alzarri Joseph
UMPIRES – Christopher Wright, Deighton Butler (St. Vincent & the Grenadines)
MATCH REFEREE – Denovan Hayles
RESERVE UMPIRE – Jacqueline Williams
Volcanoes vs Red Force in Kingstown, St. Vincent
Windward Islands Volcanoes are also hoping for two things, when they meet cellar dwellers Trinidad & Tobago Red Force at the Arnos Vale Sports Complex – that they can put the memories of defeat in the previous round at this venue behind them and they can complete a season sweep over the visitors.
Squads:
VOLCANOES (from) – Sunil Ambris (captain), Alick Athanaze, Roland Cato, Larry Edward, Tarryck Gabriel, Kavem Hodge, Ray Jordan, Obed McCoy, Kimani Melius, Denis Smith, Devon Smith, Emmanuel Stewart, Josh Thomas
Unchanged
RED FORCE (from) – Denesh Ramdin (captain), Yannic Cariah, Bryan Charles, Joshua Da Silva, Imran Khan, Jason Mohammed, Khary Pierre, Jeremy Solozano, Odean Smith, Anderson Phillip, Marlon Richards, Daniel St. Clair, Tion Webster
IN–Richards; OUT–Lendl Simmons
UMPIRES – Carl Tuckett (St. Kitts & Nevis), Mark Hawthorne (Ireland)
MATCH REFEREE – Reon King (Guyana)
RESERVE UMPIRE – Roger Davis
-ENDS-
OFFICIAL POINTS STANDINGS
Following are the Official Points Standings in the 2018-19 West Indies Championship after the eighth round of matches.
Abbreviations: PTS-total points, M-matches, W-won, L-lost, D-drawn, T-tied, NR-no result, DP-Abandoned match due to dangerous pitch, MR-match referee awarding match, BAT-batting points, BOWL-bowling points, PB-pace bowling points
| FRANCHISES | PTS | P | W | L | D | T | NR | DP | MR | BAT | BOWL | PB |
| 1. Guyana Jaguars | 117.2 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 24 | 19.2 |
| 2. Leewards Hurricanes | 93.4 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 20 | 10.4 |
| 3. Barbados Pride | 90.6 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 18 | 13.6 |
| 4. Windwards Volcanoes | 80 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 23 | 12 |
| 5. Jamaica Scorpions | 76.4 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 20 | 12.4 |
| 6. T&T Red Force | 67.4 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 18 | 11.4 |
TOP PERFORMERS
Following are the lists of the most prolific batsmen and most successful bowlers in the 2018-19 West Indies Championship after the eighth round of matches.
Batting tabulated under: M-matches, I-innings, NO-not outs, R-runs, HS-highest scores, AVG-average, 100-hundreds, 50-half-centuries
Bowling tabulated under: M-matches, O-overs, R-runs, W-wickets, BB-best bowling, AVG-average, 5w-five wickets or more in an innings, 10w-10 wickets or more in a match
| BATSMEN | M | I | NO | R | HS | AVG | 100 | 50 |
| 1. Devon Smith (Volcanoes) | 7 | 14 | 1 | 667 | 199 | 51.30 | 2 | 1 |
| 2. Montcin Hodge (Hurricanes) | 7 | 14 | 1 | 593 | 158 | 45.61 | 2 | 4 |
| 3. Jonathan Carter (Pride) | 7 | 14 | 2 | 532 | 149* | 44.33 | 1 | 4 |
| 4. Anthony Bramble (Jaguars) | 8 | 11 | 2 | 475 | 168 | 52.77 | 2 | 0 |
| 5. Tagenarine Chanderpaul (Jaguars) | 8 | 16 | 3 | 464 | 117* | 35.69 | 1 | 1 |
| BOWLERS | M | O | R | W | BB | AVG | 5w | 10w |
| 1. Rahkeem Cornwall (Hurricanes) | 6 | 269 | 683 | 41 | 6-70 | 16.65 | 2 | 1 |
| 2. Veerasammy Permaul (Jaguars) | 8 | 292.5 | 772 | 34 | 5-57 | 22.70 | 1 | 0 |
| 3. Romario Shepherd (Jaguars) | 8 | 213.2 | 611 | 28 | 4-36 | 21.82 | 0 | 0 |
| 4. Larry Edward (Volcanoes) | 6 | 294.5 | 708 | 27 | 5-67 | 26.22 | 1 | 0 |
| 5. Imran Khan (Red Force) | 7 | 229.5 | 680 | 26 | 7-47 | 26.15 | 2 | 1 |
RESULTS OF MATCHES
ROUND 1
Thursday, December 6 to Sunday, December 9
Volcanoes lost to Jaguars by 125 runs – Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, St. Lucia
Pride lost to Hurricanes by 34 runs – Three Ws Oval, Barbados
ROUND 2
Thursday, December 13 to Sunday, December 16
Pride beat Scorpions by 41 runs – Three Ws Oval
Hurricanes lost to Jaguars by 9 wickets – Vivian Richards Cricket Ground, Antigua
Red Force lost to Volcanoes by 76 runs – Brian Lara Cricket Academy
ROUND 3
Friday, January 4 to Monday, January 7
Scorpions lost to Volcanoes by 5 wickets – Sabina Park, Jamaica
Red Force lost to Hurricanes by 245 runs – Brian Lara Cricket Academy
Pride lost to Jaguars by 6 wickets – Kensington Oval, Barbados
ROUND 4
Thursday, January 10 to Sunday, January 13
Scorpions lost to Red Force by 157 runs – Sabina Park
Jaguars beat Volcanoes by 8 wickets – Guyana National Stadium, Guyana
ROUND 5
Thursday, January 17 to Sunday, January 20
Jaguars lost to Hurricanes by 2 wickets – Guyana National Stadium
Red Force lost to Pride by 7 wickets – Brian Lara Cricket Academy
Volcanoes lost to Scorpions by 4 wickets – National Cricket Stadium, Grenada
ROUND 6
Thursday, January 31 to Sunday, February 3
Hurricanes lost to Scorpions by 1 wicket – Warner Park, St. Kitts
Red Force beat Jaguars by 93 runs – Queen’s Park Oval, Trinidad
Pride lost to Volcanoes by 8 wickets – Kensington Oval
ROUND 7
Thursday, February 7 to Sunday, February 10
Jaguars beat Scorpions by 7 wickets – Guyana National Stadium
Pride beat Red Force by 4 wickets – Kensington Oval
Volcanoes lost to Hurricanes by 12 runs – Windsor Park, Dominica
ROUND 8
Thursday, February 21 to Sunday, February 24
Hurricanes drew with Red Force – Warner Park
Scorpions beat Jaguars by 8 wickets – Sabina Park
Volcanoes lost to Pride by 23 runs – Arnos Vale Sports Complex, St. Vincent
SCHEDULE OF MATCHES
(All matches start at 10 am daily, except where indicated)
ROUND 1
Thursday, March 14 to Sunday, March 17
Red Force vs Scorpions – Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad
ROUND 4
Thursday, March 14 to Sunday, March 17
Hurricanes vs Pride – Vivian Richards Cricket Ground
ROUND 9
Thursday, February 28 to Sunday, March 3
Scorpions vs Hurricanes – Sabina Park
Jaguars vs Pride – Guyana National Stadium
Volcanoes vs Red Force – Arnos Vale Sports Complex
ROUND 10
Thursday, March 7 to Sunday, March 10
Scorpions vs Pride – Sabina Park
Jaguars vs Red Force – Guyana National Stadium (2 pm start daily)
Hurricanes vs Volcanoes – Vivian Richards Cricket Ground
-CWI
