Fields and hills around the island will ring today with a sound that is as sweet as a melodic calypso or groovy dancehall reggae tune – leather connecting onto willow.
Club cricket makes its welcomed return after there was no competition last year for the first time in almost eight decades because of health and safety concerns related to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The shortest format of the sport gets things going with the Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) staging three competitions across all four of its divisions, but the main focus will be the Twenty20 Cup that features the 10 Elite Division and 10 Division 1 clubs combined.
Last year’s lay-off meant that Gladiola have been waiting all that time for this chance to defend the title they won two years ago, when a truncated club season comprised only T20 matches because of the pandemic, and they beat Wanderers in the final at Kensington Oval.
Gladiola stalwart Ashley Nurse, the Barbados Tridents and former West Indies off-spinner, said they have no plans of surrendering their title easily.
TODAY’S MATCHES
Group A
IDL Walkers Sand Quarry Isolation Cavaliers vs Sagicor UWI A at KMV Oval
Signia Globe Financial Barbados Youth A vs Empire at College A
Wildey vs Gladiola at Samuel Jackman Prescod Institute of Technology
Nicholls Baking Combermere vs Police at Waterford A
ESA Field Pickwick vs Crane Resort St Catherine at Foursquare Oval
Group B
Sagicor UWI B vs Carlton at Three Ws Oval
Foundation vs Signia Globe Financial Barbados Youth B at Church Hill
IGS Insurance Brokers Yorkshire vs Maple at Friendship
Wanderers vs Spartan at Dayrells Road
Bayview Hospital YMPC vs Lords at Beckles Road
SQUADS
ISOLATION CAVALIERS: Jamaine Bullen (captain), Khalil Herbert, Michael Rawlins, Micah Thornhill, Dwayne Alleyne, Shaquille Parris, Kevin Greene, D’Angelo Springer, Shaquan Glasgow, Jahbarri Doughlin, Shakeel Green, Rashad Willoughby.
UWI “A”: Nicholas Kirton (captain), Zachary McCaskie, Kyle Corbin, Matthew Forde, Jonathan Carter, Odain McCatty, Romario Greaves, Joshua Bishop, Javed Leacock, Jediah Blades, Michail Powell, Demario Richards, Dominic Auguste, Jai Clarke, Shaqkere Parris.
BARBADOS YOUTH “A”: Tariq O’Neale (captain), Jayden Roberts, Malik Young, Yusah Taladia, Rashad Worrell, Dre Springer, Joshua Haynes, Christian Haynes, Preston Clarke, Ty Farrell, Venice Vaughan, Kyron King.
EMPIRE: Justin Greaves (captain), Jaibari Yarde, Kevin Wickham, Kofie Hurdle, Kevin Stoute, Andre Roach, Shaquille Cumberbatch, Thierry Walcott, Jomel Warrican, Camarie Boyce, Jaden Edmund.
WILDEY: Carlos Maynard (captain), Shane Parris, Demetrius Richards, Craigg St Hill, Shinaldo Taylor, Akeem Jordan, Jerome Jones, Antonio Alleyne, Zishan Motara, Rey Matthews, Steve Pinder.
GLADIOLA: Javon Searles (captain), Kodie Phillips, Martin Nurse, Rivaldo Clarke, Ashley Nurse, Giovonte de Peiza, Aubrey Towler, Miguel Cummins, Richard Sampson, Korie Miller, Jamar Trotman, Shakeel Turney, Jayden Hoyte.
COMBERMERE: Nimar Bolden (captain), Pedro Greaves, Jedson Yarde, R’Jai Gittens, Romaine Mayers, Nathan Forde, Damonte Haynes, Joziah Burgess, Saurav Worrell, Abayoni Wilson, Jaden Leacock, Jaydyn Carter, Joel Wooding, Josh Reid, Jahidi Hinds, Kristian Burgess, Antwan McCombie.
POLICE: Karran Bhola (captain), Rasheed Padmore, Mario Albert, Mario Boyce, Roger Williams, Darrell Babb, Jeremy Bowen, Darien Seale, Stefan Gooding, Larry Babb, Alva Alexander, Nicholai Williams, Kirk Broome, Tremaine Harris.
PICKWICK: Jared Gilkes (captain), Rohan Ryan, Craig Holder, Yvan Grant, Antonio Morris, Tino Best, Renico Smith, Ajani Waterman, Raneil Smith, Joshua Burton, Rondre Yearwood.
ST CATHERINE: Michail Austin (captain), Neil Browne, Zidane Harewood, Dwayne Skeete, Ulric Batson, Jaevere Callender, Aaron Weekes, Akeen Greaves, Darnell Greenidge, Orion Seale, Deshawn Norville, Lamar Pierce.
UWI “B”: Tahj Tavernier (captain), David Carter, Vidal Crandon, Te-Shawn Alleyne, Seath Agard, Paul Miller, Chemar Holder, Anton Lucas-Jones, Kalvin Marcus, Rikeem Headley, Johanna Layne, Cekae Husbands-Forte, Johnnel Eugene, Simeon Gerson, Akeem Dewar, Grayson Cuffy.
CARLTON: Matthew Jones (captain), Makhail Marshall, Leniko Boucher, Shamar Springer, Rawshawn Worrell, Nyeem Young, Keon Harding, Amari White, Daniel Babb, Zidane Clarke, Alex Fergusson.
FOUNDATION: Nathan Sealy (captain), Joshua Dorne, Isaiah Folkes, Shomari Drakes, Dayne Doughty, Nhamo Winn, Jomario St Hill, Azari Best, Joshua Jones, Jelani Joseph, Daniel Duncan, Tyreque Nurse.
BARBADOS YOUTH “B”: Zion Brathwaite (captain), Micaiah Simmons, Xaundre Baptiste, Zachary Carter, Riveira Cottle, Edwin Currency-Barnett, Jayden Webster, Devon Stevenson, Jaden Lorde, Shaquan Belle, Jatario Prescod, Kobie Williams, Dakio Worrell.
YORKSHIRE: Akeem Nero (captain), Lamar Worrell, Danyl Husbands, Jamar Layne, Jamal Smith, Ravindra Persaud, Indal Persaud, Rashad Haynes, Akeem Evelyn, Demar Thorne, Romario Parris, Shamari Moseley.
MAPLE: Shane Ramsay (captain), Stephen Payne, Nekoli Parris, Deshawn Prince, Winston Worrell, Corey Collymore, Shamar Atkinson, Kareem Cozier, Shaquille Phillips, Savion Maynard, Sachin Clarke, Brendan Johnson, Renacko Belgrave.
WANDERERS: Kraigg Brathwaite (captain), Shayne Moseley, Jair McAllister, Jourdan Niles, Jed Joseph, Reshawn Primus, Kirk Edwards, Raymon Reifer, Jonathan Drakes, Tevyn Walcott, Kimani Richardson.
SPARTAN: Chad Williams (captain), Akeem Springer, Rashidi Boucher, Marrodon Bend, Tauron Gibson, Chaim Holder, Reneico Alleyne, Stefon King, Joshua Drakes, Jamar Nicholls, Davion Brancker, Kamal Sealy.
YMPC: Dwayne Smith (captain), Kevin Gittens, Raymond Kellman, Ramon Simmons, Shakib Kellman, Mali Marshall, Antonio Austin, Mario Miller, Renaldo Arthur, Keon Sealy, Shamar Persaud.
LORDS: Xavier Roach (captain), Kemar Stanford, Brandon Thompson, Leroy Johnson, Shonquono Stanford, Jamali Lynch, Tremaine Dowrich, Shomar Haynes-Boston, Rasheed Reid, Kevin Jackman, Romalio Benn, Fabian Babb.
(AR)