Barbados hoping to seal championship with win over Jamaica

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC):

TOURNAMENT LEADERS Barbados will be seeking an outright win to ensure champion-ship honours when they battle Jamaica in the final round of the TCL Group West Indies Under-19 Challenge starting today.

Barbados have not tasted success in the league championship since the inception of the TCL Group sponsorship in 2003.

Any one of three teams could emerge champions at the end of this important final round. Led by the impressive Kyle Corbin, Barbados lead the six-team-standings with 34 points, stalked by other title-chasing teams - defending champions Guyana on 31 and Trinidad and Tobago (24).

Barbados last won the league title in 2002 in Jamaica, and a victory against the inconsistent Jamaicans at the Cable & Wireless ground in Wildey would give them another lien on the prestigious champion-ship, symbol of youth cricket supremacy in the Caribbean.

Former Barbados national cricketer Livingston Puckerin, in his first year as manager of the team, told CMC Sports yesterday that his players were keen to complete the championship job.

Great feeling

"The feeling is great among the youngsters. They remain very focused on the task ahead and are looking forward to the challenge," Puckerin said. "We have a fit squad to choose from and everyone is fit and raring to go," he said.

The Barbados team, under the watchful eyes of coach Dexter Toppin, had an extended workout at the Wanderers ground yesterday.

The Jamaicans looked strong in the opening round of the tournament - when they held the advantage in a draw against Trinidad and Tobago - but they declined in subsequent matches and are the only team in the tournament without a win. Manager of the Jamaicans, Fitz Harris, told CMC Sports that although their title hopes are gone, their mission is to be positive against the home side.

"It is another match and we will be going all out to play good cricket. We are not too bothered about the standings. We have 10 players who will be returning next year and we want to give them all the necessary exposure," Harris said.

Key fixture

In another key fixture that could decide the championship, Guyana will face Trinidad and Tobago at Lester Vaughan School.

A Barbados failure to win against the Jamaicans would open up a title opportunity for Guyana and T&T, who are both within striking distance.

The Guyanese are only three points behind and anxious to grab maximum points against T&T to capitalise on any slip by the Barbadians.

"We are coming to play positive cricket and we want an outright win," Guyana's coach, Hubern Evans, said.

In the remaining game of the final round, the Windward Islands and the Leeward Islands will square off at Bridgefield in a bottom-of-the-table fixture.