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The Jamaica Scorpions squad is one with an attacking mix that has a good chance to win the 2017 Regional Super50 tournament, according to skipper Nikita Miller.
While much of the talk has centred on the inclusion of new boy Damani Sewell, the Scorpions’ captain said the set-up is loaded with promising talent throughout.
“It’s an exciting squad with a lot of aggressive players in the team and I’m looking forward to this tournament,” Miller told the Jamaica Observer.
“From the top to the end, we have a lot of aggressive cricketers by nature and I believe we’ll do well.”

The Scorpions are in Zone B alongside Barbados Pride, Guyana Jaguars, ICC Americas and Combined Campuses and Colleges Marooners. The Jamaica-based franchise is slated to open its account versus the Marooners on Tuesday at Three Ws Oval in Barbados.
Zone A consists of Trinidad & Tobago Red Force, Windward Islands Volcanoes, Leeward Islands Hurricanes, West Indies Under-19s, and invited English County outfit Kent Spitfires.
The Robert Samuels-coached 14-man squad, set to depart the island yesterday for Barbados, comprises free-scoring Jamaican batsmen John Campbell, Jermaine Blackwood, Andre McCarthy, Brandon King, and Rovman Powell.

United States-based top-order batsman Steven Taylor, 23, is also included. The hard-hitting left-hander represented the ICC Americas in last season’s Super50 and has also played for Barbados Tridents in the Caribbean Premier League.
Additional batting firepower is expected to come from the pair of wicketkeeper/batsmen Chadwick Walton and Antiguan Devon Thomas.

Experienced fast bowler Jerome Taylor, who recently retired from Test cricket, is expected to guide the young pace-bowling pair of Reynard Leveridge and Gavon Brown.
Miller, the left-arm finger spin standout, plus Damion Jacobs, the wrist spinner, and Sewell, the off-spinner, are the slow bowlers chosen.
Junior Bennett — the chairman of the selection panel, which also includes Ephraim McLeod, Samuels, the head coach, and skipper Miller — said he is pleased with the make-up of the side.

“It’s a fairly balanced squad and the captain will have options there. We have three out-and-out spinners, and you have three fast bowlers plus Rovman Powell, who bowls medium pace,” Bennett said.
The former national senior team head coach has high praise for the off-spinning all-rounder Sewell — a player he has kept tabs on from the Under-15 level.

“He’s a very talented player and we’ve seen him in local cricket doing well for St Ann CA. He’s very composed, he’s a dependable batsman in the middle-order and also bowls steady off spin with a lot of variation. He came through the programme playing Under-15 cricket with John Campbell and the like, and we believe he’s going to do well,” the chief selector told the
Observer.

Bennett, who has also coached at the youth level, said he was not the only one following Sewell’s rise on the local circuit. He noted the player had also grabbed the attention of former Selection Chairman Wavell Hinds.

Miller, one of the most successful bowlers in the history of regional cricket, is also pleased with the former Marcus Garvey Technical student.
“I think he was very impressive during the trials. The way he plays when he is batting, he looks a very compact player; he looks a very confident young man who knows about the game. He gives that impression in his approach and I’m really impressed with his returns, and hopefully he can be an asset to this team. He’s a player who has been in the system, so Junior Bennett, as a former youth coach, would know of him,” noted the Scorpions captain.

The 22-year-old Sewell, slim built in stature and soft-spoken, is eager to learn from the coaching staff and his more senior teammates.
“I have some weaknesses and I know the coaching staff will work on them going into the tournament. I will put in the extra work also, especially weaknesses like bowling in the back end of the innings.
“It )having senior spinners in the squad like Miller and Jacobs) will be a big help to me because they have experience and I know that wherever the support is needed they will surely pass it on to me and I’m willing to listen to the experienced heads and just work hard for the country,” Sewell said.

Squad — Nikita Miller (capt), John Campbell, Steven Taylor, Jermaine Blackwood, Brandon King, Andre McCarthy, Rovman Powell, Chadwick Walton, Devon Thomas, Damion Jacobs, Jerome Taylor, Reynard Leveridge, Gavon Brown, Damani Sewell.

Reported by Jamaica Observer

In reply to Slipfeeler

Good team.. I like the look of Taylor, he has potential.

Good aggressive batting all the the way down.

Like most regional teams, If this team is able to rotate strike they should put up some good scores.

It's going to be interesting to see who goes through with Bdos, Guy and CCC in this group as well.

Let's hope for some good cricket.

In reply to Gun_Play

Quite right, a fairly decent team that should represent well and possible upset some pre-tournament favourites!