Samuels (left) and Hooper (right) GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CANA:
GUYANA enter their important sixth round Busta Cup match with defending champions Jamaica with two distinct psychological advantages.
The first plus is home advantage, a factor which played a significant part in Guyana's outright victory over Trinidad and Tobago in a fifth-round encounter which ended at Enmore on Monday.
And while the Guyanese are bubbling with confidence with their first outright win of the season, the Jamaicans are licking their wounds after going down to England A in their own backyard.
The loss of Test world-record holder, fast bowler Courtney Walsh, could also prove a fierce blow to the Jamaicans when the four-day match bowls off at the Albion Community Develop-ment Centre ground, Berbice, about 80 miles from the capital Georgetown today.
While Guyana advanced to 39 points, Jamaica, the early front-runners remained on 36 after entering the previous round as leaders.
Guyana's captain Carl Hooper will again be the main focus of interest.
The inspirational Hooper, who is aiming for a recall to the West Indies team, has so far produced the goods on his way to convincing the regional selectors he is fully ready to play at the highest level once more.
Hooper's 530 runs to date, at the healthy average of 88.33, are bettered only by England A's Ian Ward who has 643 runs.
The Jamaicans have not played to their full potential although still in the race for a semi-final place in quest for the Busta Shield and also looking to retain the Busta Cup.
The visitors have been involved in two nail-biting finishes, first with the Windward Islands and also with Trinidad and Tobago. They survived scares in both to come out victorious, winning the latter after conceding first innings lead.
Teams: Guyana (from) - Carl Hooper (captain), Azeemul Haniff, Lennox Cush, Nicholas de Groot, Keith Semple, Travis Dowlin, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Neil McGarrell, Ron Matthews, Eon Katchay, Kevin Darlington, Kevin Bazil, Vishal Nagamootoo.
Jamaica (from) - Robert Samuels (captain), Nehemiah Perry, Leon Garrick, Chris Gayle, Wayne Cuff, Gareth Breese, Keith Hibbert, Franklyn Rose, Ryan Cunningham, Audley Sanson, Brenton Parchment, Carlton Baugh Jnr. and Darren Powell.
ROUND SIX
(HOME TEAM LISTED FIRST)
DAY TWO
Trinidad and Tobago vs West Indies B
DAY ONE
Leeward Island vs Barbados
Guyana vs Jamaica
Windward Islands vs England A
