It will be a battle promotion to the Division One competition when IGS Insurance Yorkshire clash with Windward in the 2022 four-day Barbados Cricket Association’s Intermediate final at Foursquare Oval in St Philip starting at 1 p.m. on Saturday.
The Hothersal Turning-based Yorkshire, who were a formidable Intermediate side in the late 1970s and 1980s, will be seeking a double triumph after winning the Division One competition and gaining promotion to the BCA’s Elite Division.
They will be led by veteran off-spinning all-rounder Timothy Legall, who has taken 49 wickets this season, including five five-wicket hauls, while another experienced player, Allan Branch will skipper the Lucas Street, St Philip-based Windward.
Windward have benefitted from the transfer of former St Catherine players such as their coach/player Jafari Toppin, left-handed batsman Naje Bishop, off-spinning all-rounder Shakeem Blades, pacer Jonathan Griffith and wicket-keeper/batsman Latrell “Buffy” Greenidge.
Another new player is ex-Graydon Sealy off-spinner Rashaun Archer while former Combermere and Sagicor UWI batsman Kastun Stoute joined the side in mid-season after a stint in England.
The batting will centre around left hander Bishop who has scored two centuries in a total of 390 runs, Toppin (370), aggressive opener Stoute, who has 218 runs in five matches, Branch (215 runs) and Greenidge.
Off-spinning all-rounders Blades, Renaldo Callender and Archer are no slouches with the bat.
They will be up against a Yorkshire bowling attack led by the wily duo of leg-spinner Tariq Hoyte and Legall, off-break bowler Andrew Glasgow and featuring pacers, Romario Parris, Christopher Best and Jabarry Jones.
Left-arm seamer Amari Wiggins and the slippery swing bowler Jonathan Griffith, who have taken 44 and 30 wickets respectively, will spearhead Windwar’s bowling attack.
Blades, who has 31 wickets and over 204 runs, Callender and Archer are the main spinners.
Yorkshire will be missing their leading batsman in Trevion Murray (391 runs), who is overseas but will depend heavily on Adrian Connell (243), Jermain Davis (286), Danyl Husbands and Dasani Griffith in his absence. Both Legall and Hoyte are effective lower-order batsmen.
Windward advanced to the final after prevailing over Diamondshire in the quarter-finals and gaining first innings lead over the Barbados Defence Force in the semi-finals.
Yorkshire reached the final by virtue of hard-fought first innings lead over St John Cultural and Gladiola in the quarter-finals and semi-finals respectively.
The final continues Sunday with the third and fourth day slated for January 14 and 15.
Teams
Windward (from): Allan Branch (captain), Jafari Toppin, Kastun Stoute, Naje Bishop, Latrell Greenidge, Shakeem Blades, Renaldo Callender, Rashaun Archer, Elon Davis, Jonathan Griffith, Amari Wiggins, Kai Rollins, Matthew Alleyne, Glenmar Hinds, Lamar Springer, Kemar Carter.
Yorkshire (from): Timothy Legall (captain), Adrian Connell, Lamar Worrell, Dasani Griffith, Anthony Glasgow, Dwayne Collymore, Danyl Husbands, Tariq Hoyte, Jermain Davis, Jabarry Jones, Christopher Best, Romario Parris, Ian Hall, Shakeem Drakes.