Jamaica CC under GrahamB (FC and OD only)

[GrahamB]

Thought I'd give the Windies domestic scene a tryout.

[Chris Child]

Looking forward to it Graham.

[cricfan1]

welcome to 2017 era ....

[GrahamB]

Thanks men. Just holding off for a few days, then I'll get the story underway.

[GrahamB]

CONTRACTS

With the Jamaican squad seen as the weakest in the competition, we wielded the axe in the hope of strengthening the squad with some more useful signings.

Of those whose contracts had expired, RFM bowler, Marquino Mindley, was the only player to be re-signed.

Of those with contracts already, six were shown the door - opening batsmen John Campbell and Paul Palmer, all-rounders Fabian Allen, Rovman Powell and Dimani Sewell, and SLA bowler Dennis Bulli.

Our prime target as overseas player was English batsman, James Hildreth, but we were heavily outbid in the end by Barbados.
Our second favoured pick was Sri Lankan batsman, Asela Gunaratne, so we managed to sign him. He is a useful RM bowler as well.
Our reserve overseas player is South African batsman, Andre Malan.

Having ditched our three all-rounders, we were thrilled to pick up RFM all-rounder Justin Greaves and RMF all-rounder Andre Russell.
Russell is unavailable until later in the season due to injury, but that didn't deter us.

Opening batsman, Kjorn Ottley, was the pick of the bunch.

Two youth batsmen were signed, 19 year old Jamal Auguste and 20 year old Sonny Walker. Journeyman batsman Jonathan Foo was also signed.

With Greaves and Russell being useful bowlers, the only other bowler we brought to the club was 30 year old RFM Jason Searles. He has been around a while, but has a superb record.

[GrahamB]

JAMAICA SQUAD 2017-2018

Opening Batsmen

Kjorn Ottley (27)
Trevon Griffith (26)
Chad Walton (32) keeper

Batsmen

Asela Gunaratne (31) overseas player
Andre Malan (26) reserve overseas player
Jonathan Foo (27)
Jamal Auguste (19)
Brandon King (22)
Sonny Walker (20)
Jermaine Blackwood (25)
Andre McCarthy (30)
Devon Thomas (27)

All-Rounders

Justin Greaves (23)
Andre Russell (29)

Pace Bowlers

Justin Searles (30)
Jason Dawes (28)
Jerome Taylor (33)
Marquino Mindley (22)
Derval Green (28)

Spin Bowlers

Nikita Miller (35) captain
Damion Jacobs (32)

[GrahamB]

JAMAICA - 284 all out (A.Guneratne - 57, D.Thomas - 53 no, G.Mathurin - 4/70)

BARBADOS - 319 all out (J.Hildreth - 70, J.Carter - 67, J.Searles - 6/101)

JAMAICA - 308/7 declared (B.King - 88, A.Guneratne - 59, K.Ottley - 52, D.Thomas - 51 no, K.Williams - 3/90)

BARBADOS - 199 all out (O.Phillips - 67, N.Miller - 4/62, J.Searles - 4/68)

Win to Jamaica by 74 runs.

[GrahamB]

Our dream start to the season continued, as we trounced the Windward Islands in our second FC match.
However, we're not top of the table. We lie second behind Trinidad and Tobago.

JAMAICA - 353/7 declared (K.Ottley - 83, A.Gunaratne - 83, D.Thomas - 55 no)

WINDWARD ISLANDS - 129 all out (K.Phillip -67 no, J.Searles - 7/36)

JAMAICA - 178/1 declared (K.Ottley - 75 no, T.Griffith - 64)

WINDWARD ISLANDS - 130 all out (N.Miller - 3/32, J.Searles - 3/34)

Win to Jamaica by 272 runs.

[GrahamB]

After Trinidad and Tobago put up a big first innings score, we were forced to fight for a draw. It was pleasing that we managed to do so. Still second on the points table.

TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO - 518 all out (K.Hope - 99, Y.Ottley - 93, A.Cooper - 88, D.Ramdin - 68, R.Primus - 55, N.Miller - 4/122, J.Searles - 3/126)

JAMAICA - 376 all out (A.Gunaratne - 90, B.King - 69, T.Griffith - 68, G.Hume - 5/64, B.Charles - 3/102)

TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO - 134/4 declared (D.Bravo - 52, J.Greaves - 3/41)

JAMAICA - 96/1 (T.Griffith - 50 no)

Match Drawn.

[GrahamB]

The key to our win against the Leeward Islands was bowling them out for a low first innings score, thanks largely to Damion Jacobs, who celebrated his first start of the season (after an injury layoff) with devastating effect. With the pitch proving to be venomous, we still had to worry about not having to chase too many in the fourth innings though. Jamaica are now in top spot!

LEEWARD ISLANDS - 114 all out (D.Jacobs - 7/35, J.Searles - 3/23)

JAMAICA - 178 all out (K.Ottley - 58, R.Cornwall - 5/74)

LEEWARD ISLANDS - 245 all out (K.Powell - 75, C.Hughes - 54, J.Hamilton - 52, J.Searles - 4/67)

JAMAICA - 184/3 (A.Gunaratne - 89 no)

Win to Jamaica by 7 wickets.

[GrahamB]

Guyana and ourselves are the only unbeaten teams at this stage of the season, so this was a big game for us.

Batting first, the Guyanese batsmen prospered under perfect batting conditions to rack up a massive total.

As the pitch began to take sharp turn, we were facing an uphill battle to hold a draw.
Kjorn Ottley and Trevon Griffith got us off to a magnificent start and it was devastating when Ottley fell one run short of a maiden first class century. Griffith managed to achieve his though and he made it a good one.

Although we eventually fell short of the follow-on mark, there wasn't sufficient time remaining for us to be in any danger of defeat.

GUYANA - 528 all out (C.Ervine - 171, R.Reifer - 108, A.Fudadin - 97, L.Johnson - 68, M.Mindley - 5/101)

JAMAICA - 356 all out (T.Griffith - 144, K.Ottley - 99, B.King - 51, V.Permaul - 4/131, R.Reifer - 3/66)

JAMAICA - 78/1

Match Drawn.

[GrahamB]

The FC competition takes a rest mid-season so that the OD competition can be played out.

We made a poor start, with a heavy loss in our first game.


JAMAICA - 177 all out (K.Ottley - 81, G.Mathurin - 3/22, R.Chase - 3/40, J.Warrican - 3/42)

BARBADOS - 181/4 (S.Dowrich - 80, J.Hildreth - 67)

Win to Barbados by 6 wickets.

[GrahamB]

A second consecutive OD loss, as Guyana put up 250/7, thanks to a superb century from Vishaul Singh.
We were in with a chance at 148/4, but once the middle order fell, there was little else to follow.


GUYANA - 250/7 (V.Singh - 111, J.Taylor - 3/59)

JAMAICA - 170 all out (A.McCarthy - 58, R.Reifer - 3/35, K.Joseph - 3/43)

Win to Guyana by 80 runs.

[GrahamB]

One important thing I've quickly learnt is that you need physio sessions available, otherwise you'll be jumbling the side every OD match according to fitness.

We put up a better fight in our return match against Barbados, but they were again too good for us.


JAMAICA - 234/5 (K.Ottley - 66, A.Malan - 56)

BARBADOS - 235/4 (J.Hildreth - 91 no, O.Phillips - 91)

Win to Barbados by 6 wickets.

[GrahamB]

We finally managed to get points on the board with a well-deserved win over Guyana.


GUYANA - 220 all out (S.Hetmyer - 70, J.Searles - 4/47)

JAMAICA - 222/4 (A.McCarthy - 81 no, A.Malan - 50)

Win to Jamaica by 6 wickets.