Anthony Foster, Freelance Writer
LEVY
THREE PLAYERS from last year's squad were dropped from Jamaica's squad for this summer's TCL Group West Indies Under-19 Cricket Championship in Barbados.
Batsman Ziggy Levy, a member of the squad which won the 2004 three-day title, along with batsman Nickoy Samuels and pacer Ricardo Sitcheron, were surprisingly left out of the squad.
"These guys have not performed up to expectation," was how Fitz Harris, the team's manager, explained the omissions.
He backed up his comment by saying others who were chosen ahead of them, including some newcomers, gave superior performances.
Marlon Johnson has two Senior Cup centuries, Robert Weir scored heavily in the Grace Headley Cup, Sheldon Powell came into the trials and did well, Rasheed Outar has back-to-back centuries for Kensington in the Senior Cup. Levy's omission has sparked huge debate, but Harris, also a member of the selection panel, said: "When you look at the people that came in it's difficult to select Levy."
NEW PLAYERS
Meanwhile, 10 new players were included. They are batsmen Johnson, Shacoya Thomas, Weir, Powell, all-rounder Outar and Andre Creary, who captained Jamaica to the regional Under-15 title earlier this year in Antigua, wicket-keeper/batsman Andre Lindsay, left-arm spinner Christopher Watson, leg-spinner Marcel Parchment and pacer Jason Dawes.
Captain Jamie Trenchfield, who captained the team to the three-day title in 2004 and third last year, along with opening batsman Zeniffe Fowler, off-spinner Cordell Simpson and fast bowler Andre Russell are the returning players.
On the team's chances, Harris, president of the Clarendon Cricket Association, said: "If they came out of the camp the way they were there, I think we are in for some good performances".
SQUAD
Andre Creary (Holmwood/St. Mary), Robert Weir (Titchfield/St. Mary), Schocaya Thomas (Eltham), Jamie Trenchfield (KC/Kingston), Marlon Johnson (Holmwood/St. Ann), Sheldon Powell (Mile Gully/Man-chester), Rasheed Outar (St. Catherine High/Kensington), Zeniffe Fowler (Westmoreland Cricket Association), Cordel Simpson (William Knibb /Trelawny), Marcel Parchment (Kemps Hill/Clarendon), Christopher Watson (Cambridge/St. James Cricket Association), Andre Lindsay (Garvey Maceo/Clarendon), Andre Russell (Clarendon College/St. Catherine); and Jason Dawson St. Elizabeth Technical/Westmoreland).
