Andre McCarthy and Rovman Powell are a pair of less experienced local members of the Jamaica Tallawahs squad itching to get a chance in this edition of the Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL).

The Tallawahs first game of the season is against home team St Kitts & Nevis Patriots at Warner Park on Saturday.

The 22-year-old Powell is fairly new on the scene. His swashbuckling approach with the bat and useful medium-pace bowling have not gone unnoticed.

“We’re just ready to go. The coaching staff has been good and has given us young players the additional support we need to go out and perform. We want to get the job done in our first game against St Kitts and then look forward to the rest of the competition,” Powell said after Tuesday’s breakfast put on by team sponsor Foska Oats, held inside the Melbourne Cricket Club pavilion.

He made a quick-fire knock of 40 in Monday evening’s squad match at Sabina Park and already has admirers within the team.

Head Coach Paul Nixon, who guided the Tallawahs to the CPL crown in 2013, said Powell is “a serious talent for the West indies” and predicted he “could be one of the top players in the world in the next couple of years.”

Alex Ross of Australia, one of the international players drafted by the Tallawahs, told the Jamaica Observer that he was “really, really impressed” with Powell.

McCarthy, 29, has been around the Jamaican set-up for years, but has often been overlooked for Twenty20 cricket.

His recent good batting form has been grabbing the attention of those following the game in the Caribbean and he was drafted by the Tallawahs.

“I’ve been training hard over the years and finally the opportunity has come, so I want to grab it with both hands. Whenever I go out there I will try to put the team in the best position possible,” McCarthy said.

McCarthy made a free-scoring half-century in Monday’s practice match, but he says there is still room for improvement.

“I still have some areas I need to improve on, but I have to take it step by step. I think I can try to get more boundaries, because once I’m set out there I can get them. That’s something I want to execute,” he told the Observer.

— Sanjay Myers