Pride hoping on international players for Jaguars clash
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – Barbados Pride are sweating on the availability of their full slate of international players for next week’s clash in the Regional four-day championship against reigning champions Guyana Jaguars at Kensington Oval.
Most of the side’s leading players missed the first two rounds of the domestic first class competition before the Christmas break due to their West Indies commitments, and head coach Emmerson Trotman said while there was no word yet on their availability, he would welcome their return to the Pride unit with the Bangladesh series now over.
“I don’t know as yet if they will be available so I will have to wait and see in the next couple of days what is the situation as far as Cricket West Indies is concerned, so I can’t give you an update at the present time,” Trotman told the Barbados Today online newspaper here.
“But of course I’d love to have them in the team. They are very good professionals and it would be nice to have them. It’s always nice to have those boys around so we will wait and see what happens. I’ll look forward and I’m hoping that is the case.”
Batsmen Shai Hope and Roston Chase, fast bowler Kemar Roach and all-rounder Carlos Brathwaite were all involved in the limited overs series away in Bangladesh.
Opener Kraigg Brathwaite and left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican, who featured in the two-Test series, returned in time to feature in the second round match against Jamaica Scorpions, which the hosts won by 41 runs. Test wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich did not play.
West Indies captain Jason Holder, meanwhile, has also been unavailable due to injury which caused him to miss the Bangladesh tour.
Pride, second in the standings, take on the unbeaten leaders Jaguars on January 4 and should their international players be available, the contest could be an exciting one.
“Guyana always seems to get home ahead of us, so this year we are hoping to turn that around this time, so we are definitely looking forward to it,” Trotman said.
Pride lost their opening match to Leeward Islands Hurricanes at 3W’s Oval here before coming from behind to beat Scorpions inside three days.