WI Championship: Scorpions looking for right combination

The Jamaica Scorpions will host the first of four three-day trial games starting today at Sabina Park as the Andrew Richardson-coached side picks up the pieces from a devastating Super 50 campaign and refocuses for the West Indies Championship which is slated for February next year.

The Scorpions finished bottom of the pile in the limited-overs competition and despite their poor showing in the 50-over tournament, a number of the players who took part in that competition are expected to be on show as they look to get the nod for the longer competition.

Some of those players include batsmen Nkrumah Bonner and Brad Barnes as well as fast bowlers Nicholson Gordon, and spinner Jeavor Royal, who travelled to Trinidad and Tobago for the Super 50 Cup.

Several players who have recently got first-class experience such as Leroy Lugg, Abhijai Mansingh, Carlos Brown and Peat Salmon are also expected to be a part of the practice games, according to assistant coach Nikita Miller.

One notable newcomer to the fold is St Ann batsman Renaldo Ingram who has been training with the team for more than a month, and Miller explains that everyone will be up for selection as they look to get the right combination ahead of the four-day championship.

“Once you are training, you are there to play for Jamaica. We have told each player that they are not there to make up numbers, and we have explained to them what we expect. We expect them to play in a particular way as we look for individuals to fit into our template,” said Miller.

The first practice game will be the only one before the squad breaks for the holidays, and Miller, who has been overseeing the bowling aspects of the team’s preparations, explains that come the new year, they will hit the ground running again as they zone in on a squad that they believe can deliver the goods in the upcoming tournament.

“We are looking for a bowler who can keep things tight which we call a ‘banker’. We are also looking for persons who can bowl at 85-plus miles in pace and we are looking for seamers who can have control. We also want to identify one of those bowlers who must can make the team as a batsman,” added Miller.

Jamaica have not won the regional four-day tournament since the 2011-2012 season and in last year’s West Indies Championship, the Andrew Richardson-coached side finished in last place without a single win and registering four losses in five games.