AFTER WATCHING rain win the battle in last weekend's Supreme Ventures Super Cup semi-final matches, the top four teams are looking to secure decisive results in this weekend's rescheduled fixtures.
League winners Manchester will go against Kingston at Kirkvine, while the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) and Melbourne will battle at Up Park Camp, starting at 10:00a.m. today and tomorrow.
Persistent showers prevented a ball from being bowled in the Manchester-Kingston match at Port Esquivel, while only final-day action was possible at Up Park Camp.
This time, if no result is achieved at the end of play tomorrow (day two) the match or matches will continue on Monday, and if no result is achieved on Monday then recourse will be made to the finishing positions of the teams in the league section of the Super Cup in order to decide which teams advance to the three-day final at Kensington (Friday, July 8 to Sunday, July 10).
Melbourne will still be without Marlon Samuels, Carlton Baugh Jr. and Nikita Miller who are away with the Windies 'A' Team in Sri Lanka.
They also have to do without Donovan Pagon who is injured, and according to captain Llewellyn Meggs, the absence of these players represents a big blow.
Yet, after seeing the JDF in one innings last weekend, Meggs said: "We are going to have to apply ourselves better. We will be looking to our spinners as they will have to come and do the job for us."
Meggs added: "Having seen the pitch and
having seen what the JDF have to offer, it's not going to be much different."
DROPPED CATCHES
He said they dropped a few catches last week which cost them a place in the final.
"We could have won the match if we had held on to our catches. We would have be in the final already," he explained.
Their batting will be led by Ray Stewart, Damion Jacobs, Fitzroy Peterkin, Dave Johnson, Meggs and National Under-19 player Yanick Elliott. Meggs, Elliott, Jacobs and Leon Bent will carry the bulk of the bowling.
Former national player Wayne Cuff, the consistent Mark Grey, Damion Grey, Mel Wint and Anthony Folkes will spearhead the JDF batting, whereas Warren Medwinter and Kamal Dennis should lead the bowling.
Despite having problems with the spin of Roman Hutchinson last weekend, captain Cuff said they are more prepared this time around.
"Coming this weekend we know we are going to dominate the spin," he said.
"Last week we played some poor shots, very poor shots," Cuff lamented. He said this time, after hearing the opposing team's comments about our batting, "we really want to show them we are not like that," he added.
"To win a semi-final match you have to play good cricket in all areas. We are really working hard on our batting that hasn't been clicking the right way.
"The bowling is okay as only one team made over 270 against us. That was Lucas with Chris Gayle," Cuff pointed out.
On the other hand, Manchester should not find things too difficult against Kingston.
In nine matches, Manchester won three outright, pocketed five first innings wins and also had one no-result.
Manchester's captain Matthew Sinclair said his team will not do anything "different from what we have been doing all season".
PLAYED HARD
Sinclair, a former national player, added: "We have played hard and competitive cricket and we will continue to do the basic things and apply pressure on our opponents."
Sinclair and his brother Donovan, along with Orville Pennant, who is peaking at the right time, Gray Graham, Cory Phillips and Domain Sangster, are the leading batsmen for the Central Jamaica team this season.
Led by left-arm spinner Andre Dwyer and Donovan Sinclair, they have also spun circles around their opponents.
Kerry Scott, Kingston's captain, said his team will play a much better game this time around after losing on first innings in the preliminary round.
"The bowling will be strengthened this week with Nehemiah Perry and Andrew Richards back," he said.
Now he said the only concern is the team's
batting. "I am just looking for our players to improve in out batting."
Perry's presence will also strengthen the team's batting. Kingston will also have Nicholas Austin, Shane Brooks and Gregory Buchanan in their
batting line-up, while Roy Williams, Perry, Scott, and Audley Sanson are the main bowlers.
Scott sees Manchester as a tough team with no weaknesses to exploit.
