Captain Nikita Miller believes team unity and selflessness have been underlying reasons for the success of the Jamaica Scorpions in the on-going WICB Regional Super50 Tournament.
The Scorpions, on the back of a five match winning streak, are through to the semi-finals.
The Robert Samuels-coached aggregation progressed as the second placed team in Group B behind after winning six matches and losing two.
Co-hosts and pre-tournament favourites Barbados Pride, who have in their line-up, several front line West Indies players, with seven wins and a defeat claimed group honours.
“What has impressed me the most thus so is our togetherness,” Miller said. “On and off-the-field, every person has been working in the best interest of the team.
“I really didn’t expect this so early on due to the fact that it is a new coach, a new system and a new captain. But the fact that the guys buy into our philosophy, into our way of playing, what we believe in and what we are looking to achieve, is good.
“In fact, I believe, win or lose, this team is heading in the right direction,” he continued, before adding “but we are going to win though”.
Having failed to make it past the group stages last year and having the history of failing to win the tournament over its last five instalments, not much was expected of Jamaica heading into this season.
In fact, it was presumed that the new-look outfit would struggle to stave off last year’s beaten semi-finalists, the Guyana Jaguars, for one of the two available places from the group for a final four placing.
Team Improving
However, after losing their first game to the Combined Campuses and Colleges, the team has been improving ever since.
This includes two solid victories over Guyana, a one-wicket loss to Barbados, and return-leg triumph over the previously unbeaten hosts.
This, according to Miller, has since instilled belief in the unit that they can go all the way, and it was for them to continue improving.
Jamaica is scheduled to play in the semi-finals against Trinidad and Tobago Red Force, who occupy the top two positions in Group A, and were playing each other at press time yesterday in Antigua.
“We are enjoying this tournament and have excited the fans in a few games, and are thinking to continue in that part,” he declared.
“We are focused on our game, our game plan and the way we are playing. The mindset is that we have two more games left, and we are going to take it game by game as we are prepared for any team.”
