New-look Jamaica off to defend one-day title

Jermaine Lannaman, Gleaner Writer

JAMAICA, without of most of their first-choice players who are in the United Arab Emirates with the West Indies team, left the island yesterday for Guyana where they will attempt to defend their regional one-day crown.

The championship, which gets underway on Friday, will see a Jamaica fielding a team which includes three newcomers and a number of fringe players who have been in and out of the team in recent years.

Newcomers

The newcomers include West Indies Under-19 opener Horace Miller, stylish middle-order batsman Yannick Elliot and legspinner Gavin Wallace, while those missing include Chris Gayle, Xavier Marshall, Shawn Findlay, Brendon Nash, Carlton Baugh, Nikita Miller, Daren Powell and Jerome Taylor.

"It's the youngest (senior) team that I have been in charge of but, having said that, I believe we have a strong aggregation that can defend our title," said coach Junior Bennett as the team left Sabina Park for the airport yesterday morning.

"I have confidence in the players and the make-up of the team, which includes a number of players who have have performed at the youth levels and the hope is that they will grab the opportunity and make full use of it," Bennett said.

Promising player

A strokeplaying opener, Miller, who was a member of the West Indies team at the Youth World Cup earlier this year, is regarded as one of the most promising young batsman in the region.

"One always dreams of this opportunity, so now it's here I hope to grab it with both hands," said a smiling Miller, who credited his high school coach, Norman Manley High's Karl Stephens, for his rise to prominence.

The other members of the Jamaica contingent, which will open its account against Barbados tomorrow are captain Tamar Lambert, Krishmar Santokie, Donovan Sinclair, Brenton Parchment, Danza Hyatt, Andrew Richardson, Andre Russell, Lorenzo Ingram, Keith Hibbert and Bevon Brown.