Anthony Foster, Freelance Writer

BREEZE

All-rounder Gareth Breese has decided against representing Jamaica in the upcoming 2007 Carib Beer/KFC Cup series, which is set to bowl off on January 4.

Breese, who plays for Durham in the English County Championships, has advised the Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA) that he will not be available for selection to the team.

The off-spinner, who captained Jamaica in 2003, had missed one and a half of Jamaica's three four-day trial matches because of the illness of his father Brian, who is the chief operations officer at the JCA.

"He (Breese) has indicated that he will be unavailable for the 2007 season," said team manager Milton Henry, who is also secretary of the Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA), while speaking to The Gleaner by phone yesterday afternoon.

Breese was shortlisted in the 18-man squad which was reduced on Wednesday to the 14 who will travel for Jamaica's away matches against the Windward Islands (January 4-7) and Leeward Islands (January 12-15).

Two-day games

The one-day matches against both teams will be played two days after the completion of the four-day contests.

Dwight Washington, who played a single Test for the West Indies against South Africa in 2005, was left out of the team.

Meanwhile, Manchester's André Dwyer is the only uncapped player named in the 14-man squad, which includes eight players with Test experience in Chris Gayle, Marlon Samuels, Carlton Baugh Jr., Jerome Taylor, Daren Powell, Jermaine Lawson and David Bernard Jr.

A back-of-the-hand left-arm spinner, Dwyer has been bowling well for some time now and was the top wicket-taker in the 2005 Super Cup with 56 wickets, including a match haul of 14 in the final against the Jamaica Defence Force.

During last year's Super Cup he conceded 652 runs off 270.3 overs at an economy rate of 2.41, while this year he conceded 645 runs off 221 overs at 2.91.

Hinds in

West Indies middle-order batsman Hinds has retained his place as captain, while Tamar Lambert was named as his deputy. Left-arm spinner Nikita Miller, who was the top wicket-taker in 2004, Brenton Parchment, Odean Brown and Lorenzo Ingram, who impressed in the trial matches, complete the squad.

Coach Junior Bennett, in his first stint as national senior coach, is pleased with the squad chosen by the selectors.

"I think the selectors looked at both versions of the game and came up with a fairly balanced team," he said. I think most of the members of the team are suited for both versions of the game - so we have to go out and look at the condition of the pitch to determine which 11 plays.

"I think the squad we have here can give us the start we need in a competition, and once we get a positive start, I think we can take it from there."

The Test players are set to depart the Caribbean after the first two matches for West Indies' tour of India, and asked if he believes Jamaica can win without them, Bennett was quick to say yes.

"Over the years when you look at it, even when the West Indies players are on tour, these guys have done well and I think they will step up to the plate again," he added.

Squad: Wavell Hinds (captain), Tamar Lambert (vice-captain), Christopher Gayle, Brenton Parchment, Lorenzo Ingram, David Bernard Jr., Calrton Baugh Jr., Nikita Miller, Odean Brown, Jerome Taylor, Jermaine Lawson, Daren Powell and Marlon Samuels.

Reserves: Shane Powell (wicketkeeper/batsman), Jamie Trenchfield (batsman), Danza Hyatt (batsman) and Bevon Brown (off-spinner).

Feedback: anthony. foster@gleanerjm.com