``Looking at the teams in the contest, I think Jamaica have the best chance of winning and they should,'' said coach Robert Haynes a few days ago while praising the batsmen for their concentration levels and the bowlers for their skill and fitness.
Yesterday, on the eve of the opening match, there was not a trace of doubt - not in the words of the coach, not in the appearance of the players as they went through a light workout at Sabina Park and based on the team selected, not in the selectors who apparently are prepared to attack the Leeward Islands where they are traditionally weak.
``The guys are fit and ready and they are bubbling with confidence,'' said the former right-arm legspinner and hard-hitting left-hand batsman.
The players were in high spirits, and obviously remembering the Leeward Islands' weakness to spin - especially legspin, the selectors have opted for two spin bowlers in the attack - including right-arm legspinner Brian Murphy.
Looking at both teams, Jamaica, winners in 1996, first innings points in one and then winners in the other in 1997, have good reason to be confident. Although they are without top bowlers Courtney Walsh and Franklyn Rose, the Leeward Islands, winners in 1998, are not only without top bowler Curtly Ambrose, but also batsmen Stuart Williams, Keith Arthurton and Ridley Jacobs.
A winning start for Jamaica, however, could depend on four things how well they read the pitch, what they do if they win the toss, how well their spinners bowl and how well their batsmen bat against the spin of the Leeward Islands - especially the five left-handers against offspinner Anthony Lake.
The pitch for this match has not been played on before and although it is level and rock hard, although the other three have played well since the square was relaid and although a spot at the southern end where a slight ridge was removed yesterday may not have any influence on the game, the presence of cracks all over the surface suggests it could be a spin bowler's dream on the final day or even before.
In deciding to go in with six batsmen - Robert Samuels, Leon Garrick, Chris Gayle, Wavel Hinds, Adams and Tony Powell, wicketkeeper Shane Ford, two pacers in newcomer Dwight Maise and Laurie Williams, and two spinners in offspinner Nehemiah Perry and Murphy, the Jamaican selectors must have pondered long and hard - especially as Adams is a captain who believes in having as many bowlers as possible at his command and Williams is not usually at his best with the new ball.
In recent years, however, Jamaica's batting has been a disappointment, the batsmen did nothing to inspire confidence during the trials, the allrounders have seldom delivered with the bat at this level and it would have meant taking a serious gamble to go into this first-round with only five specialist batsmen - especially as the bowling, without Walsh and Rose, may not be able to limit the Leeward Islands to a small total.
Jamaica's best combination, therefore, certainly against the Leeward Islands, is exactly what they have selected - six batsmen, two pacers and two spinners. What they need to do next is win the toss, bat first and pray that the spinners, especially Murphy, bowl well.