JAMAICA and Ireland will resume rivalry in the Supreme Ventures Sports Betting (SVSB) Cricket Festival when they meet in a 50-over encounter at Kaiser Sports Club in St Ann today.

The teams played to a draw in last weekend’s three-day match-up at Chedwin Park as the three-time four-day regional champions rattled up scores of 339 and 314-7, while Ireland managed 275 all out in their lone turn at the crease.

All-rounder Andre Russell was outstanding as he took four wickets and then put on a third-day show with the bat as he blasted a 65-ball 108 not out.

David Bernard Jr was also at his elegant best, stroking 102 in Jamaica’s first innings, while West Indies Youth leg-spinner Akeem Dewar also took four wickets.

For the visitors, Paul Stirling, Niall O’brien and Alex Cusack struck half-centuries.

Irish captain William Porterfield said the game provided a good opportunity for his players to get rid of the rust after not getting much outdoor action back home.

“Jamaica has got a pretty good side so we’re going to get stuck in for this 50- over format of the game. It was pleasing that three of the lads spent some time in the middle.

“It was disappointing as well that they didn’t go on and get hundreds… The main thing was spending time out in the middle and getting used to running in and bowling outdoors,” he said.

The Irish are using the Festival to prepare for the ICC Twenty20 World Cup which starts late this month, and will face host country West Indies and England in the group stage.

“We spent almost two days in the field, which was pretty good, and the lads (bowlers) also got a few overs under their belts, which is a good thing. We just want to get used to the conditions over here (in the Caribbean),” Porterfield added.

Jamaican coach Junior Bennett will be forced to make changes to the 13-man squad from the previous game as Dewar, Nkrumah Bonner and Horace Miller will leave for Barbados tomorrow to be interviewed for participation in a High Performance Centre academy programme.

“Definitely we’re going to have some changes as some players will be out. We want to have a look at the conditions down by Kaiser first and of course the batting line-up will be different for this game,” Bennett said, noting that left-arm seamer Krishmar Santokie and Youth player Kemar Marshall will be drafted.

Bennett said the Festival opener allowed him to have a closer look at the Irish team.

“I was able to see some of their main players in this game and now have more knowledge of their players. We are also happy we got a couple centuries out of it seeing that since the first class season finished we haven’t played any competitive matches,” he added.

The Irish captain is a surviving member of the team which stunned both Pakistan and Bangladesh during the 50- over Cricket World Cup in the Caribbean three years ago.

Bennett had told the Observer before the start of the Festival that he expected a tough challenge from the Irish.

“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… We definitely are expecting a good competition,” he said.