JAMAICA’S Junior Bennett will be replaced by former West Indies batsman Gus Logie as head coach of the national senior cricket team effective December 1.

It is further understood that long-serving physical trainer David Bernard Snr, who is currently off the island, is also expected to be replaced after recommendations made by technical director James ‘Jimmy’ Adams to the Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA).

When contacted by the Observer via telephone yesterday, Bennett confirmed reports that he will no

longer be in charge of the senior team.

“Logie will be the coach of the team starting December 1. No one from the Board has given a reason exactly why and I haven’t discussed that with Jimmy as yet, but I have been informed via a phone call that that is the decision,” Bennett said.

Logie, a prominent middle-order batsman for Trinidad & Tobago and the West Indies in the 1980s and 90s, has also previously coached the senior Test and One-day teams. The highlight of his spell as coach came in 2004 when West Indies lifted the Champions Trophy.

The Jamaica senior team is currently preparing for the Caribbean Twenty/20 tournament to be jointly staged by Antigua and Barbados next January.

Bennett emphasised that he is willing to continue working with the squad until Logie’s tenure begins, but noted that both he and the JCA would have to come to an agreement since he is currently out of contract.

“He (Adams) sent an email asking if I could facilitate a transitional period because Logie starts on December 1 and the team is in training now. So I told him that I don’t have a contract with the Board right now, but if something can be ironed out, I’m willing to facilitate the process because it’s our cricket so I’m willing to help out.

“Once the terms are outlined I have no problem working in that transitional period. These are players that I’ve been working with for years and what I do is for Jamaica’s cricket and its cricketers,” he said.

Since taking over from Robert Haynes four years ago, Bennett has coached the team to consecutive regional four day triumphs in the 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10 seasons.

Bennett, who had a successful run as coach of the island’s Under-19 team for over a decade before being promoted to guide the seniors, was also the man at the helm when Jamaica tasted victory in the 2007-08 regional One-Day competition.

He was philosophical when asked whether he is surprised by the decision of the JCA.

“I’m not a person to be surprised about things in life. My philosophy is that you make a contribution in whatever you are doing but always be aware that there is a point in life when you are not going to be the one to make that contribution,” he said.

Despite that 50-overs win in the 2007-08 season, Bennett’s detractors point to the team’s meagre successes in the shorter versions of the game.

Barbados and the Leewards Islands shared the just-concluded 50-overs tournament hosted by Jamaica, while Trinidad & Tobago have won three of the previous four editions.

Jamaica’s best showing in the Twenty/20 format came during the Stanford 20/20 tournament in 2008 when they lost out to Trinidad & Tobago in the final.

Efforts by this newspaper to contact either Adams or JCA president Paul Campbell via their office and mobile phones proved futile.