JAMAICA Scorpions left the island yesterday for their regional four-day cricket contest against reigning five-time champions Guyana Jaguars knowing it will take a Herculean effort to manage a positive result.

The fourth-round match is scheduled to begin Thursday at Guyana National Stadium.

The Scorpions, the only team without a win so far this season, are last in the six-team league table with 21.2 points, while Jaguars lead with 44.6 points. Barbados Pride (44.4 points) are second, followed by Windward Islands Volcanoes (32.8), Trinidad and Tobago Red Force (32.6), and Leeward Islands Hurricanes (26.6).

“We definitely have to play patient cricket,” John Campbell, the Scorpions captain, told reporters yesterday ahead of the team’s departure.

“Guyana is a team who, over the years, whatever they do they do it very patiently. We have to just play patient and be consistent with our decision-making,” he continued.

The bowling was at times found wanting in drawn encounters against the Red Force and the Volcanoes, but Campbell believes that twice dismissing the Pride for scores just past 200 in their third-round loss was evidence of improvement.

“All the guys here in the squad have been doing well — it’s just a matter of consistency. Once we’re consistent we’ll be good.

“The bowlers haven’t been doing too badly; we bowled out Barbados for their two lowest totals so far for the season. The bowlers have been coming into their own, and I hope that they will continue from what they did in the last game,” Campbell said.

The Scorpions’ 13-member squad is without batsman Brandon King and all-rounder Rovman Powell, both selected for the West Indies’ upcoming One-Day International tour of Sri Lanka.

Batsman Paul Palmer returns from a hand injury, while all-rounder Peat Salmon, on the cusp of his first-class debut, is also included.

The rest of the squad features batsmen Campbell, Jermaine Blackwood, the Guyanese-born left-hander Assad Fudadin, Nkrumah Bonner, and Oraine Williams; wicketkeeper/batsman Denis Smith; pacers Derval Green, Marquino Mindley, and Nicholson Gordon; and spinners Jamie Merchant, and Patrick Harty.

Salmon, a middle-order batsman and off-spinner, was integral for Central Titans, who recently won the local two-day Super League tournament for the third season in a row.

“I had a good season in the Super League with the Titans. We won the title yet again and that has given me confidence. There’s always room for improvement, so I’ll continue to work on getting better. However, this opportunity to represent Jamaica is a significant personal milestone. I’ll be digging deep to give the team every advantage to come out on top,” he said.

Scorpions squad — John Campbell (captain), Assad Fudadin, Jermaine Blackwood, Paul Palmer, Nkrumah Bonner, Denis Smith, Peat Salmon, Derval Green, Marquino Mindley, Nicholson Gordon, Patrick Harty, Jamie Merchant, Oraine Williams