SHOWDOWN IN ANTIGUA

Pride look to retain Super50 crown

ST JOHN’S, ANTIGUA:

THE WINDWARD Volcanoes stand in the way of Barbados Pride’s retention of their Cricket West Indies (CWI) Regional Super50 title, when they meet at the Coolidge Cricket Ground here in St John’s this afternoon.

Pride captain Kraigg Brathwaite, much like in the semifinal against Kent CCC, wants his teammates to keep their game simple.

“Well, we’ re really looking for ward to it,” he said. “It’s a young team looking to gain experience, and we’re trying to go all the way with the guys, so after having a good rest, we play to just carry out the basics, stick to the plan, and to enjoy it.”

It will be a rematch of their Group A encounters, where both teams won a game apiece. But now, the teams are still getting used to conditions in Antigua, which consist of high wind and frequent rainfall, which are expected to have an effect on the pitch.

CWI regional curator Kent Crafton said that there should not be too much turn, though.

“The pitch has held up not too badly, considering the time it took to prepare and get things right,” he said. “There’s a little bit of turn, not too much. But the on and off (rainfall) doesn’t help us at all. It’s really difficult to be covering and uncovering pitches.”

Barbados will look to Brathwaite, who scored 105 in their semifinal, and all-rounder Roston Chase, as well as opener Omar Phillips for runs, while Miguel Cummins and Kemar Roach will be tasked with getting wickets.

For the Volcanoes, Shane Shillingford will look to remain the tournament’s leading wicket taker, heading into the match with 21 wickets from nine games. Tyrone Theophile will look to reproduce the form that saw him hit 107 runs in their semifinal against the Guyana Jaguars, while Kavem Hodge is expected to perform with both bat and ball.

This afternoon’s game bowls off at 2 p.m. local time, (1 p.m. Jamaica time).

PHOTOS BY RICARDO MAKYN/MULTIMEDIA PHOTO EDITOR Kraigg Brathwaite on the go against the bowling of Grant Stewart of Kent during the first regional Super50 semifinal on Wednesday. Brathwaite made 105.

The Coolidge Cricket ground in Antigua, where the Regional Super50 final will be played today.

Windward Islands Volcanoes batsman Tyrone Theophile (right) celebrates his century while his teammate Kavern Hodge (left) looks on. At centre is Guyana Jaguars bowler Chandrapaul Hemraj.

A disappointed Tagenarine Chanderpaul (right) walks off the pitch after being run out for 12 in the Super50 semifinal match against Windward Islands Volcanoes on Thursday in Antigua. Volcanoes won by 52 runs.