Key outcomes can decide title this weekend

Thu, Mar 7, '19

CWI Media Release:ST. JOHN’S, Antigua – It’s all on in the scheduled final round of the 2018-19 West Indies Championship which opens today in Guyana, Antigua and Jamaica.

A crucial victory for front-runners Guyana Jaguars in the previous round against Barbados Pride in a renewal of the longest standing rivalry in the West Indies first-class game has fortified their bid for a record-equalling fifth straight hold on the Headley/Weekes Trophy, the symbol of supremacy in this format.

The Jags top the table with 136 points – 25.2 points clear of their nearest rivals, Leeward Islands Hurricanes.

With a maximum of 24 points available to each team in every round of matches, plus the Hurricanes still having a game in hand, making it for them potentially 48 points still on the table, the pressure is on for the top two teams to play strongly and collect a huge haul of points in this round to formalise their claims for the Trophy.

Jaguars vs Red Force in Providence, Guyana

The Jaguars will be eyeing revenge, when they face Trinidad & Tobago Red Force at the Guyana National Stadium in the one of the two key matches of the round.

Red Force defended home turf stoutly when the two sides met in the sixth round early last month and the Jaguars will be looking to return the favour, as they aim to finish the season strongly and claim the title.

Hurricanes vs Volcanoes in North Sound, Antigua

The Hurricanes came from behind and clinch an important victory over Windward Islands Volcanoes in a ding-dong battle in the all-Islands derby in the seventh round of matches last month which marked the return of Dominica to staging first-class matches following the devastation of Hurricane Maria.

But the hosts will be hoping to play from the front and that it can be a far more straightforward contest, and that they can claim a season sweep over their opponents at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground in a bid to make a final dash for the title ahead of the Jaguars.

Scorpions vs Pride in Kingston, Jamaica

As two of the four sides in the Championship with two outstanding games, both Jamaica Scorpions and Barbados Pride still have plenty for which to play in their contest at Sabina Park, though it will have no significant bearing on the title chase.

Both teams are a shadow of what they used to be previously, but they can both pursue a strong finish to the season and target higher placings on the Championship table