ST. JOHN’S, Antigua – Guyana Jaguars, playing under new management, will be looking to extend their lead in the West Indies Championship when they face seond-placed Leeward Islands Hurricanes in the feature match of the fifth round, starting tomorrow at the Guyana National Stadium.

With the elevation of Esuan Crandon to the WINDIES team for the England Tour of the Caribbean, assistant coach Rayon Griffith has been promoted to the post of head coach with batting legend Shivnarine Chanderpaul appointed as interim assistant coach.

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At the same time – one of the fiercest rivalries in the regional sport will be renewed, when Trinidad & Tobago Red Force host Barbados Pride in a day/night contest at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy.

And, the Grenada National Cricket Stadium provides the backdrop for a contest between two losing sides from last weekend, when Windward Islands Volcanoes tackle Jamaica Scorpions.

Jaguars vs Hurricanes in Providence, Guyana

The Jags will be hoping that normal service will continue in the absence of Crandon. He has been the head coach from the inception of the Cricket West Indies Professional Cricket League franchise system during which period he has guided the home team to the title each year.

The Jags have won all four of their matches this season – including a second-round contest against this same opponent – on the road and will relish returning completing the season sweep and five wins in a row on home soil.

Hurricanes have had a week to recharge their batteries and plan for the Jags – and have had strong wins against the Pride and Red Force either side of that loss to their opponents.

When the two teams met in this corresponding fixture last season, the Jaguars forced the Hurricanes to follow on and comfortably won – but the Hurricanes have won at this venue as recent as the 2016-2017 season, so can take heart from this.

The Jags have also lost left-hander Shimron Hetmyer to the WINDIES, but leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo comes into the squad and could exploit one of the weaknesses of Hurricanes batsmen over the years.

The absence of the trio of Jahmar Hamilton, Alzarri Joseph and Devon Thomas for CWI President’s XI match against the English weakens the Hurricanes for a match in which they would love to make a strong statement.

Squads:

JAGUARS (from) – Leon Johnson (captain), Christopher Barnwell, Anthony Bramble, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Trevon Griffith, Keon Joseph, Gudakesh Motie, Keemo Paul, Veerasammy Permaul, Clinton Pestano, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd

IN–Bishoo; OUT–Shimron Hetmyer

HURRICANES (from) – Kieran Powell (captain), Sheno Berridge, Nelson Bolan, Keacy Carty, Rahkeem Cornwall, Montcin Hodge, Damion Jacobs, Jeremiah Louis, Jaison Peters, Orlando Peters, Ross Powell, Akeem Saunders, Terance Warde

IN–J. Peters, O. Peters, R. Powell; OUT–Jahmar Hamilton,Alzarri Joseph, Devon Thomas

UMPIRES – Shannon Crawford, Patrick Gustard (Jamaica)

MATCH REFEREE – Reon King

RESERVE UMPIRE – Imran Moakan

Volcanoes vs Scorpions in St. George’s, Grenada

Volcanoes will be looking to complete the season sweep against Scorpions, after batting brilliantly to win their third-round contest on the road.

Volcanoes have lost twice this season – to the Jaguars – and have also beaten Red Force and will be looking to gain some momentum, but the once-powerful Scorpions are a shadow of themselves this season and have lost all three of their matches, after putting themselves in practically strong positions, and will be looking to rebound.

The home team have made no changes to their squad, but the visitors have recalled Test fast bowler Jerome Taylor, fellow pacer Derval Green and batsman Brandon King in a bid to kick start their season.

Volcanoes have lost only once to the Scorpions on home soil, though the match was played at the Arnos Vale Sports Complex in St. Vincent – and their record at this venue is mixed, having won twice, lost twice and drawn once.

Squads:

VOLCANOES (from) – Kirk Edwards (captain), Audy Alexander, Alick Athanaze, Roland Cato, Larry Edward, Tarryck Gabriel, Kavem Hodge, Ray Jordan, Shermon Lewis, Obed McCoy, Denis Smith, Devon Smith, Josh Thomas

Unchanged

SCORPIONS (from) – Paul Palmer (captain), Dennis Bulli, Assad Fudadin, Derval Green, Brandon King, Reynard Leveridge, Jermaine Levy, Andre McCarthy, Jerome Taylor, Aldaine Thomas, Chadwick Walton, Kenroy Williams, Oraine Williams

IN–Green, King, Taylor; OUT–Nikita Miller, Rovman Powell, Oshane Thomas

UMPIRES – Zahid Bassarath (Trinidad & Tobago), Carl Tuckett (Nevis)

MATCH REFEREE – Carlyle Felix

RESERVE UMPIRE – Roger Davis

Red Force vs Pride in Tarouba, Trinidad

The two teams enter this contest with a different frame of mind following results in their previous games.

Red Force brushed aside the Scorpions last weekend on the road and the Pride lost a third-round match against the Jaguars, but had a week to regroup, having no play last weekend.

The main story in this match is that the Pride have had to make eight changes to the squad that turned out for that match against the Jags with all, but Miguel Cummins chosen in the WINDIES squad for the first Test against England, starting next Wednesday at Kensington Oval in Barbados.

Cummins is currently playing for the CWI President’s XI against the English.

Red Force has lost only left-hander Darren Bravo and have brought back off-spinner Jon-Russ Jagessar to boost their bowling.

The Pride have dominated the Red Force during the PCL era, winning four of the eight matches between the two teams, including last year’s contest at this same venue, losing one on home soil with the other three ending in draws in which they bagged the majority of points.

Squads:

RED FORCE (from) – Denesh Ramdin (captain), Yannic Cariah, Joshua Da Silva, Kyle Hope, Jon-Russ Jagessar, Amir Jangoo, Imran Khan, Jason Mohammed, Anderson Phillip, Khary Pierre, Odean Smith, Jeremy Solozano, Daniel St. Clair

IN–Jagessar; OUT–Darren Bravo

PRIDE (from) – Jonathan Carter (captain), Anthony Alleyne, Justin Greaves, Keon Harding,Aaron Jones, Nicholas Kirton, Marquino Mindley, Shayne Moseley, Ashley Nurse, Shamar Springer, Kevin Stoute, Tevyn Walcott, Hayden Walsh Jr

IN–Alleyne, Greaves, Kirton, Mindley, Springer, Stoute, Walcott, Walsh; OUT–Shamarh Brooks, Kraigg Brathwaite, Roston Chase, Miguel Cummins, Shane Dowrich, Jason Holder, Kemar Roach, Jomel Warrican

UMPIRES – Danesh Ramdhanie,Christopher Taylor (Jamaica)

MATCH REFEREE – Hayden Bruce

RESERVE UMPIRE – Lyndon Rajkumar