Kingston, Jamaica – 15 matches in 11 days of entertaining cricket, featuring eight teams; in the end it will all come down to one winner. That’s the equation as the stage is set for Thursday’s start of the WICB Regional 50 Over Tournament. As the players settled in at the tournament base in Kingston on Tuesday, several teams were talking-up their chances of capturing the coveted trophy.
 
Jamaica had a full training session at Sabina Park and coach Junior Bennett said that local knowledge should work in his side’s favour. Jamaica last won the title in 2007 in Barbados and will be trying to topple two-time defending champions Trinidad and Tobago.
 
“Expectations are high. We are playing at home and the fans will be expecting the best from us at all times. Once we play good consistent cricket and play to our ability we should be successful. We have a team that can do well in this tournament and I am confident the guys will do well. It will be a very competitive tournament and it will all come down to which team executes the best,” Bennett said.
 
The Windward Islands come into the tournament full of confidence following two comprehensive wins over the Leeward Islands in warm-up matches on Sunday and Monday at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Grounds in Antigua. Captain Darren Sammy spoke of his side’s deep desire to take home the top prize.
 
“I see the passion and the commitment in the team and I know I have with me a group of players who are willing to fight to win the tournament. We are in Group A with Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago ... people see them as favourites. We’re cool with that. Our first aim is to reach the final four [semi-finals] and then take it from there. We play it one game at a time,” Sammy said.
 
“We have not played together as a team since the Caribbean T20 in July so it was good to get in some play against the Leewards. We played well in those two matches so we will be looking to maintain the momentum and get even better.”
Veteran left-hander Floyd Reifer is player/coach of the Combined Campuses & Colleges and his plan is to play “good, consistent cricket” in Group A.

“Every tournament we come to play, we always aim to compete. I want the players to be competitive and to have belief. Last year we play some good cricket and got to the semi-finals. Here in Jamaica, where we will get good cricket-wickets, we will take it step by step,” Reifer said.
 
“In one-day cricket the better team on the day will come out on top. We have to do the basics well. We have played Trinidad and Tobago before and we did well against them in some very competitive matches. We will be going out and try to apply the basics and take our chances when we get them.”
 
The first matches will be played on Thursday in Group A with home side Jamaica facing the Windward Islands at the Trelawny Multi Purpose Stadium and defending champions Trinidad and Tobago meeting Combined Campuses & Colleges at Kensington Park.
 
Group B will bowl off on Friday. Barbados square off against the Leeward Islands at Sabina Park; while newcomers Sagicor High Performance Centre take on Guyana at Kensington Park. First ball in all matches is 9 am (10 am Eastern Caribbean Time).
 
 
UPDATED: WICB Regional 50 Over Tournament 2010 Schedule
 
Thursday October 14th
Combined Campuses & Colleges v Trinidad & Tobago at Kensington Park
Windward Islands v Jamaica at Trelawny Multi Purpose Stadium
 
Friday October 15th
Leeward Islands v Barbados at Sabina Park
Sagicor HPC v Guyana at Kensington Park
 
Saturday October 16th
Windward Islands v Combined Campuses & Colleges at Trelawny Multi Purpose Stadium
Trinidad & Tobago v Jamaica at Sabina Park
 
Sunday October 17th
Guyana v Barbados at Sabina Park
Leeward Islands v Sagicor HPC at Chedwin Park (pending assessment)
 
Monday October 18th
Trinidad & Tobago v Windward Islands at Sabina Park
Jamaica v Combined Campuses & Colleges at Chedwin Park (pending assessment)
 
Tuesday October 19th
Barbados v Sagicor HPC at Trelawny Multi Purpose Stadium
Leeward Islands v Guyana at Sabina Park
 
Thursday October 21st
Semi Final 1: Winner of Group A v Runner Up Group B at Sabina Park
 
Friday October 22nd
Semi Final 2: Winner Group B v Runner Up Group A at Trelawny Multi Purpose Stadium
 
Sunday October 24th
FINAL: Winner of Semi Final 1 v Winner of Semi Final 2 at Sabina Park
 
Group A
Jamaica
Trinidad & Tobago
Windward Islands
Combined Campuses & Colleges

Group B
Barbados
Guyana
Leeward Islands
Sagicor HPC
 
Barbados Squad: Ryan Hinds (Captain), Dale Richards, Kraigg Brathwaite, Kirk Edwards, Jonathan Carter, Kevin Stoute, Dwayne Smith, Carlo Morris (Wicketkeeper), Sulieman Benn, Kemar Roach, Tino Best, Marlon Graham, Jason Haynes, Javon Searles
Team Management Unit: Emmerson Trotman (Head Coach), Desmond Haynes (Team Manager), Vasbert Drakes (Assistant Coach),  Janel Springer (Physiotherapist)
 
Combined  Campuses & Colleges Squad: Romel Currency (Captain), Omar Phillips, William Perkins, Miles Bascombe, Floyd Reifer (Player/Coach), Nekoli Parris, Ryan Wiggins, Martin Nurse, Chadwick Walton (Wicketkeeper), Ryan Austin, Kavesh Kantasingh, Gilford Moore, Shervon Penco, Borris Hutchinson
Team Management Unit: Floyd Reifer (Head Coach), Horton Dolphin (Team Manager), Steven Leslie (Assistant Manager), Andrew Simpson (Physiotherapist)
 
Guyana Squad: Ramnaresh Sarwan (Captain), Richard Ramdeen, Christopher Barnwell, Assad Fudadin, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Narsingh Deonarine, Royston Crandon, Steven Jacobs, Jonathan Foo, Leon Johnson, Anthony Bramble (Wicketkeeper), Esaun Crandon, Devendra Bishoo, Keon Joseph
Team Management Unit: Ravindranauth Seeram (Head Coach), Carl Moore (Team Manager), Robin Singh (Video Analyst)
 
Jamaica Squad: Chris Gayle (Captain), Xavier Marshall Danza Hyatt, Marlon Samuels, Tamar Lambert, Horace Miller, Brendan Nash, Carlton Baugh Jr (Wicketkeeper), David Bernard Jr, Odean Brown, Nikita Miller, Andre Russell, Andrew Richardson, Krishmar Santokie

Team Management Unit: Junior Bennett (Head Coach), Jimmy Adams (Team Manager), David Bernard Sr (Fitness Trainer)
 
Leeward Islands Squad: Wilden Cornwall (Captain), Javier Liburd, Montcin Hodge, Chesney Hughes, Steve Liburd, Omari Banks, Jahmar Hamilton (Wicketkeeper), Jacques Taylor, Justin Athanaze, Anthony Martin, Lionel Baker, Gavin Tonge, Gavin Williams, Calvin Williams
Team Management Unit: Leon Rodney (Head Coach), Percy Daniels (Team Manager)
 
Sagicor High Performance Centre Squad: Shamarh Brooks (Captain), Kieran Powell, Rajendra Chandrika, Kyle Corbin, Nkrumah Bonner, Keron Cottoy, Jason Holder, Delorn Johnson, Veerasammy Permaul, Brandon Bess, Shannon Gabriel, Devon Thomas (Wicketkeeper), Shane Dowrich (Wicketkeeper), Kevin McLean
Team Management Unit: Toby Radford (Head Coach), Andre Coley (Team Manager), Roddy Estwick (Bowling Coach), Simon Grayson (Performance Coach), CJ Clarke (Physiotherapist)
 
Trinidad & Tobago Squad: Daren Ganga (Captain), Adrian Barath, Lendl Simmons, Darren Bravo, Keiron Pollard, Jason Mohammed, Dwayne Bravo, Denesh Ramdin (Wicketkeeper), Kevon Cooper, Imran Khan, Sherwin Ganga, Dave Mohammed, Samuel Badree, Ravi Rampaul

Team Management Unit: Kelvin Williams (Head Coach), Colin Borde (Team Manager), Ronald Rogers (Fitness Trainer), Dickson Sewnarine (Equipment Manager)
 
Windward Islands Squad: Darren Sammy (Captain), Johnson Charles, Garey Mathurin, Keddy Lesporis, Craig Emmanuel, Donwell Hector, Kenroy Peters, Lindon James (Wicketkeeper), Devon Smith, Andre Fletcher, Nelon Pascal, Shane Shillingford, Mervin Matthew, Liam Sebastien

Team Management Unit: Ian Allen (Head Coach), Lockhart Sebastien (Team Manager)