Rookie all-rounder added to Scorpions squad

Rookie Jamaican all-rounder Pete Salmon has been drafted into the Jamaica Scorpions squad to face Guyana in their fourth-round Regional Four Day match at the Guyana National Stadium, starting on Thursday.

The 27-year-old St Catherine Cricket Club right-hander replaces Brandon King, who has been called up to the senior West Indies team to face Sri Lanka.

Former captain Paul Palmer Jnr returns to the squad from injury to replace Rovman Powell, who was also named to the touring West Indies squad, which will fly out of the Caribbean on Saturday.

In the meantime, Salmon will be looking to make his first-class debut after playing eight list ‘A’ games for the Scorpions in 2018, with an aggregate of 72 runs in seven innings and nine wickets in eight innings.

For the former Innswood High School player, making his debut against the Guyanese would be a welcome challenge.

“First of all, I am elated to be selected. I have been putting in the hard work, and if I do get the nod, I just need to relax and enjoy the game, try to put the team in a good position, and try and get the first win for the Scorpions,” said Salmon.

Captain John Campbell, who spoke to the media before the team’s departure for Guyana, is well aware of the task at hand, as they face the table-topping champions in their backyard.

For Campbell, patience will be key against a resolute and professional Guyana outfit.

CONSISTENCY IS KEY

“We have to go down there and play patient cricket, similarly to how the Guyanese play. Once we do that and stay consistent, we should come away with a positive result,” said Campbell.

The Jamaicans will surely need to get a positive result if they are to lift themselves off the foot of the table, as they currently lie on 21.2 points, which leaves them 23.4 points behind leaders and defending champions Guyana.

The Jamaicans will be banking on their young bowling unit to get them the much-needed win they desire, with the pace trio of Nicholson Gordon, Marquino Mindley and Derval Green expected to lead the charge.

With King and Powell absent, the bulk of the batting should be shouldered by the returning Paul Palmer Jnr, Jermaine Blackwood, Nkrumah Bonner, and captain Campbell himself.