Tony Becca , Contributing Editor 
BREESE
THE REGIONAL Carib Beer cricket series moves into its ninth and penultimate round today with front-runners Jamaica, six points away from winning the tournament, entertaining outgoing champions Barbados at Chedwin Park in the feature encounter.
In the other matches, Guyana are up against the Windward Islands at Bourda and the Leeward Islands take on Trinidad and Tobago at Salem Park.
With two rounds to go, Jamaica are on 71 points, the Windward Islands on 52, Trinidad and Tobago on 48, Guyana on 44, the Leeward Islands on 38, Barbados on 23.
Only two teams, the Windward Islands and Trinidad and Tobago, can catch Jamaica. Champions Barbados are out of the hunt for a place in the Challenge match between the winners and the runners-up.
VICTORY
Although the Windward Islands and Trinidad and Tobago are still in with a chance in the series, with Jamaica leading by 19 points and only 12 points available for a win, victory for them is highly improbable.
For either the Windward Islands or Trinidad and Tobago to finish ahead of Jamaica, they would have to win their two remaining matches and Jamaica lose their games. Even then, Jamaica could still win the cup.
Jamaica, playing at home, need only six points to ensure that no team catches them. Those points can come from one first-innings lead or from two drawn matches in which they lose first-innings points. In fact, even if there is no play in their two remaining matches, even if they lose both matches, Jamaica could still win the cup.
After winning all five matches in the first half of the tournament and boasting a perfect 60 points, Jamaica have been going through a rough patch, managing a mere 11 points from their last three matches.
They dropped first-innings points to the Leeward Islands, watched Guyana chip to 221 for three before rain destroyed the match and lost to Trinidad and Tobago after winning first-innings points.
As well positioned as they appear, Jamaica must be a bit concerned as they prepare to take on Barbados even though first innings points is good enough to win the title.
Barbados, with a record of one victory, five losses, one draw and a 'no result', are languishing at the bottom of the standing.
CONCERNED
Jamaica are so concerned that despite the availability of Donovan Pagon (517 runs at an average of 47.00), Carlton Baugh Jnr. (459 at 45.90), David Bernard Jnr. (464 at 38.66), and Tamar Lambert (404 at 33.66), plus captain Wavell Hinds, Daren Powell (with 26 wickets at 20.92), Jerome Taylor (with 21 at 13.95), and left-arm spinner Nikita Miller with 27 wickets at 20.66, they are happy to welcome back three players from injury.
Batsman Chris Gayle, who has not played a match since returning home from Australia, Marlon Samuels, who played one match and then pulled out, and all-rounder Gareth Breese, the offspinner who, in 2001, took 19 wickets in two matches against Barbados but has been out of action since the trials.
Based on the 13 players announced by the selectors yesterday and the absence of batsman Xavier Marshall, who is on suspension, and left-arm spinner Nikita Miller, who is being rested, the Jamaica batting should read Gayle, Hinds, Pagon, Samuels, Lambert, Bernard, Baugh and Breese.
FIRST-INNINGS POINTS
The bowling should be in the hands of Powell, Taylor, Bernard, Breese and right-arm legspinner Odean Brown, with Hinds, Samuels and Gayle to assist. And that is a good team a team good enough to hand Jamaica at least first-innings points and the title.
Barbados have not been playing well, unable to win a place in the Challenge match, suggesting it should be easy for Jamaica.
Sherwin Campbell, Dwayne Smith, Dale Richards and Ryan Hinds, plus captain Courtney Browne, are dangerous batsmen.
However, pacers Tino Best, Corey Collymore, Fidel Edwards and Ian Bradshaw as well as left-arm spinner Ryan Hinds are also dangerous bowlers. Barbados defeated Jamaica twice last season including once when they trailed by 116 runs and recovered to
win by 84, Jamaica had better be careful.
