ALMOST back to full fitness after an injury setback during the Caribbean Premier League weeks ago, side-lined West Indies all-rounder Rovman Powell is anxious to make an impact during the Regional Super50 cricket tournament.

And he has added responsibility, named captain of Jamaica Scorpions as they look to win the regional 50-over competition for the first time in over a decade.

The Super50 tournament is set to run from November 6 to December 1.

The Scorpions, scheduled to leave the island on Monday, will be based in St Kitts for Zone A preliminary stage action, pitted against title holders Combined Campuses and Colleges Marooners, Barbados Pride, Leeward Islands Hurricanes and Canada.

Zone B comprises the hosts Trinidad and Tobago Red Force, Guyana Jaguars, Windward Islands Volcanoes, West Indies Emerging Players and United States.

Trinidad is also slated to stage the semi-finals and final.

“I’m still about 85 to 90 per cent there,” the 26-year-old Powell said in reference to his recovery after an abdominal injury curtailed his stint in this season’s regional Twenty20 (T20) showpiece.

“I still haven’t been cleared by Cricket West Indies to bowl. With an abdomen strain, bowling would put most impact on it. But apart from that, Rovman Powell is good,” he told the Jamaica Observer after yesterday’s press conference hosted by the franchise at Sabina Park in Kingston.

The Jamaican’s last One-Day International appearance was in December last year against hosts Bangladesh when he captained the side in the absence of then regular skipper Jason Holder.

West Indies lost the series 1-2. Partly due to injury, Powell has been on the outside looking in since then. Notably, he was not part of the squad to the 50-over World Cup in England and Wales this summer, despite recovering from a back injury sustained earlier this year.

His eyes are now set on impressing the regional selectors.

“Definitely, that [regaining a place in the West Indies squad] is the goal right now. This [Super50] competition is very important, not just for Jamaica Scorpions but from a personal standpoint.

“West indies are playing 50-over cricket and T20 cricket that I’m not a part of. Maybe injury has played a part in that, but this is a grand opportunity for me to set it right; go there and score runs and get selected for upcoming tours,” the big-hitting batsman told the Observer.

The Super50 assignment will be his first as Jamaica captain, but Powell believes his brief stint leading the regional team provided valuable experience.

“It wasn’t easy at all but what it does is to give me that extra boost, extra confidence to know that once you have led the West Indies you can lead your country, and lead your country successfully.

“Hopefully I can bank on that little experience and hopefully that can carry me through the Colonial Insurance Super50. Hopefully it [being captain] doesn’t affect my cricket. It’s just Rovman Powell trying to put his best foot forward at all times,” the all-action cricketer explained.

He expressed confidence that the Scorpions stand a good chance of breaking their barren spell if they can put the pieces together during the tournament.

“We have a good blend of experience mixed with youth, so it’s just for us to get it right. We have gelled over the past few weeks as a unit. The vibe in the camp is good, and we keep saying to the players that it’s a championship season. It’s been a long time since the franchise won a title, and we’re definitely looking to change that this year,” he noted.