CricInfo Home
News Home

NEWS FOCUS
Rsa in Pak
NZ in India
Zim in Aus

Domestic
Other Series

The presence of talented Jamaican Marlon Samuels in the United Carlton team today should add some spice to what looked like an otherwise low-keyed encounter between the home team and ESA Field Pickwick as the Courts/Suzuki Division 1 Cricket Competition resumes.

The 18-year-old allrounder, who was in prime touch during the recent Nortel Networks Under-19 competitions, is available for just this game, but should be a much-needed boost for Cartlon who are in the cellar on five points going into the fifth round.

Carlton will, however, be without player/manager Desmond Haynes, the former West Indies captain, who will be in the Turks and Caicos as manager of the Barbados golf team.

At the top of the table are the CHIC Schools South and North which will both be involved in key games.

The South will be trying to maintain its position at the top of the standings with Police and ICB Empire and will be away to Cockspur Wanderers at Dayrells Road. Schools North can expect a tougher contest entertaining Empire at Ashton Hall.

Schools South will be looking to jockey-sized Dion Lovell to continue the form which has earned him two half-centuries, along with captain and West Indies Under-19 selectee Kurt Wilkinson, whose tenacity was displayed in the recent Nortel Networks Under-19 competition.

Left-arm spinner Jedson Yarde and off-spinner Ryan Austin have been the leading bowlers so far and with the schools also being able to call on the experienced allrounder Franklyn Stephenson, Wanderers can expect a stern test.

The home team will be welcoming back Barbados and West Indies allrounder Hendy Bryan. A Wanderers attack which is also expected to include another recent West Indies recruit, Pedro Collins, with 15 wickets and former captain Michael Edwards should be a major challenge for the schoolboys.

Bryan and Chris Humphrey have both scored centuries this season so the nine-point difference between the teams could be misleading at this stage.

Schools North will be trying to narrow the four point gap between themselves and Empire. The youngsters will again be looking to allrounders Ryan Hinds and Carlitos Lopez to play significant roles.

Lopez was impressive enough in the Nortel series to earn a spot on the West Indies Youth team. Apart from that, he has been in fine touch with the bat to accompany his penetrative pace bowling.

Hinds, far mature beyond his 18 years, is due for a big score in the local competition to follow up his dynamic efforts which saw Barbados win the Under-19 three-day trophy.

Empire's allrounder Robin Parris, much under-rated but very productive, is a key player in his side's set-up with his left arm spin and enterprising batting in the middle-order.

Defending champions Police will no doubt feel they are best positioned to pull away from the other front runners since they will be at home to lowly BCL at Weymouth ``A''.

BCL having shown some improvement this year but still languish near the bottom on six points, will do well to earn a draw against the ``hungry'' lawmen.

In the other encounters: Banks will entertain Dewars White Label YMPC at the Brewery, Cable & Wireless BET will take on Big B Spartan at Wildey, while BNB St. Catherine host Maple at Bayfield.

Standings:

Schools South 17, Police 17, Empire 17, St. Catherine 15, Schools North, Pickwick 13, Cable & Wireless BET 11, Banks 9, Wanderers 8, Big B Spartan 6, BCL 6, Maple 5, YMPC 5, Carlton 5.

Today Matches:

Cable & Wireless BET vs Spartan at Wildey; Banks vs YMPC at the Brewery, Carlton vs Pickwick at Black Rock, Schools North vs Empire at Ashton Hall, Police vs BCL at Weymouth, St. Catherine vs Maple at Bayfield, Wanderers vs Schools South at Dayrells Road.