Jamaica’s cricketers will face Ireland in a three-day encounter commencing today at the Chedwin Park ground in St Catherine. The match kick-starts the Supreme Ventures Sports Betting (SVSB) 2010 Jamaica Cricket Festival which also involves Twenty20 and 50-over matches.

Jamaica’s coach Junior Bennett expects a tough challenge from the Irish, who stunned Pakistan and Bangladesh at the 2007 Cricket World Cup here in the Caribbean.

“It’s a game we are looking forward to and I’m taking it very seriously as Ireland is a quality team. They did well in the last World Cup and they have qualified for the 2010 Twenty20 World Cup also, so we are going to play some serious cricket,” he said.

“I think it’s going to be a very competitive game and we definitely are expecting a good competition. We don’t know much about them, but we just want to play some good cricket over the three days,” Bennett added.

Jamaica are currently the regional four-day kingpins after overcoming a strong challenge from second-placed Barbados in this year’s tournament to notch their third successive title. The festival, which ends on April 18, also includes a West Indies team, as well as one from Canada.

Bennett said competitions like these will offer good experience for the Tamar Lambert-led team, which also includes legspinning all-rounder Akeem Dewar from the 2009 Under-19 regional championship squad.

“I think it’s a good thing to introduce the young players and I think they have done well at the youth level, so they have to be exposed to a higher level cricket. In the past (English) county teams have come here to play and I think this is going to be a very good experience for them,” he said.

Noticeable absentees from the Jamaica team are Wavell Hinds and Nikita Miller, both drafted in the West Indies set-up. Brendan Nash is tied to a cricket contract in England, while fastbowler Jason Dawes is also in that country as part of the Marylebone Cricket Club’s (MCC) annual youth programme. Meanwhile, legspinner Odean Brown has been rested for this game.

The Irish are coached by former West Indies hard-hitting batsman Phil Simmons. He told the Observer that it was important that his team enjoyed their cricket, while getting familiar with the conditions.

“We are just going to play as best we can tomorrow (today). It’s good to get acclimatised, so we are going to turn up and enjoy our cricket,” he said.

In a Digicel media release, Ireland’s vice-captain Trent Johnston said his team is happy for the chance to prepare for the upcoming World Twenty20.

“We’re delighted to be back in Jamaica and everyone is really looking forward to this tournament. It’s a great opportunity for us to practise and acclimatise before the ICC World Twenty20 kicks off at the end of the month,” he said.

Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA) president Paul Campbell had told this newspaper at last month’s launch that despite the economic hardships, the festival should assist in reigniting interest in the sport in the Caribbean.

“We believe that this (festival) will reignite, recapture and recreate the passion and enthusiasm for cricket in Jamaica, and by extension, the West Indies. With the (economic) climate, it’s difficult, but there are always challenges and you have to determine your approach, (and) strategy,” he said.

Teams: Jamaica — Tamar Lambert (capt), Danza Hyatt, Brenton Parchment, Donovan Pagon, Carlton Baugh Jr, Horace Miller, Nkrumah Bonner, Andre Russell, Andrew Richardson, Bevon Brown, David Bernard Jr, John Ross Campbell and Akeem Dewar.

Ireland — William Porterfield (capt), George Dockiell, Trent Johnston, Kevin Obrien, Peter Connell, Niall O’brien, Paul Stirling, Nigel Jones, Alex Cusack, Andrew White, Gary Wilson, Gary Kidd and Andre Botha.