By Tony Becca,
Senior Sport Editor
THE BUSTA cricket series moves into its fourth round today with Jamaica, five-time winners and defending champions of the regional four-day title, leaders in the race for the Busta Cup and a place in the semi-finals of the Busta International Shield, hosting Trinidad and Tobago at Chewdin Park with the action in the four-day contest scheduled to start at 10 a.m.
Winners over the Windward Islands in a first-round thriller at Sabina
Park, winners of first innings points over Barbados in Bridgetown and the Leeward Islands in St. Kitts, Jamaica, on 24 points from three matches, are three points ahead of second-placed England A in the standings.
At the end of the eight-team round robin, the top four teams will contest the Busta International Shield. The Busta Cup, however, the symbol of regional supremacy is reserved for one of the six regional territorial teams, and what is more important, is that as far as that race is concerned, Jamaica are six points clear of the Leeward Islands, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago who are locked in second place on 18 points each.
With four matches to go, however, a six-point lead is not a comfortable cushion, and although two of those matches will be at home, one away and one again at home, Jamaica's mission at Chedwin Park is to at least maintain that lead and regardless of what happens elsewhere over the next four days, victory would ensure that they do.
Although they have won just one match, Jamaica went to within two wickets of defeating Barbados and the Leeward Islands in their own backyard and with only rain robbing them of victory in St. Kitts, they should be confident of knocking off Trinidad and Tobago who lost to the Leeward Islands, gained first innings points from England A and defeated the Windward Islands who are still to win a point.
Over the years, however, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago have had some close and exciting battles and despite the memory of last year's easy victory at Alpart when they won inside two days to avenge the five-wicket defeat at Sabina Park in 1999 and the possibility of fast bowler Courtney Walsh joining the attack, Jamaica will have to be at their best to win.
The first thing they need to do is find the right combination and with the naming of the team delayed until this morning following an inspection of the pitch, the selectors and the captain may be thinking of a change or two to the team that went so close to victory a few days ago.
Based on the performance of Gareth Breese - bowling offspin, offspinner Nehemiah Perry and left-arm spinner Ryan Cunningham, plus the presence of pacer Franklyn Rose, once Walsh is ready, the only change should be Walsh in and pacer Darren Powell out - unless the selectors decide to bring in Orlando Baker for Brenton Parchment who has not been performing at number three.
It could be, however, that the selectors have delayed the naming of the team until after looking at the pitch because they are thinking of going in with three pacers.
Short of dropping one of their three successful spinners, that would mean going in with five batsmen - including Breese, five bowlers - plus Breese, and that would be asking for trouble.
The Chedwin Park pitch does not suggest there is a need for three pacers - and certainly not at the expense of one of three spinners who have been bowling well. More importantly, however, although openers Chris Gayle and Leon Garrick have been doing well, although Wayne Cuff, captain Robert Samuels, Breese, wicketkeeper Keith Hibbert and Perry have chipped in with a good innings here and there, Jamaica's batting is such that it needs as many batsmen as possible.
Looking at the Trinidad and Tobago team, although Suruj Ragoonath, with 59 and 29 against the Windward Islands, Denis Rampersad - 46 against the Leeward Islands, 39 against England A and 51 against the Windward Islands, Richard Smith - 42 and 38 against the Leeward Islands, Phil Simmons - 73 against the Windward Islands, Keno Mason - 50 and 82 against England A, and Lincoln Roberts with 42 against the Leeward Islands, 62 against England A and 102 not out the Windward Islands have displayed some form at one time or the other, their batting has been inconsistent and should not pose too much of a problem for Walsh and Rose, Perry, Cunningham and Breese.
In legspinners Dinanath Ramnarine and Rajendra Dhanraj and offspinner Mukesh Persad, however, Trinidad and Tobago boast a trio of spin bowlers who could really test the skill of Jamaica's batsmen.
Last year's score: Trinidad and Tobago 72 and 119, Jamaica 181 and 11 for one.
TODAY'S GAMES
SECOND DAY
Guyana vs West Indies B
Windward Islands vs Leeward Islands
FIRST DAY
Jamaica vs Trinidad and Tobago
Barbados vs England
