ROBERT Haynes, the Jamaica Scorpions head coach, is brimming with optimism ahead of the revamped, regional, first class cricket season.

The John Campbell-captained Scorpions are scheduled to begin their campaign against Barbados Pride at Chedwin Park this morning, in the first contest of a three-match bilateral series in Jamaica.

Elsewhere, Leeward Islands Hurricanes are hosting Trinidad and Tobago Red Force, and Windward Islands Volcanoes are facing title holders Guyana Harpy Eagles, both in Antigua.

Given the Pride’s dominance over the Scorpions for the past decade, and the gap between the teams in the league table last season, the visitors will begin this match as favourites.

The Scorpions spent most of the last campaign battling for a spot in the top half of the eight-team table — which then included West Indies Academy and Combined Campuses and Colleges — and could only manage fifth.

The Pride, eventual runners-up, were embroiled in a fierce tussle with the Harpy Eagles for the championship before eventually falling short by only 5.4 points.

However, Haynes told the Jamaica Observer that extensive preparation dating back to late last year, and high-level performances in trial and preparation matches — especially with the bat but also with the ball — have put his team in a virtually optimal state of readiness.

“For Jamaica, so far it has gone pretty well in terms of preparation, and I know that the confidence level is very high so I’m expecting good things,” he said ahead of the team’s final training session at Kensington Park on Friday.

“We have players who are really ready to play cricket… I think we are in a very good place right now. All of us in the management team are saying this is the year for Jamaica, and it comes from what we are seeing in the preparation and trial matches.”

While Barbados last won the regional four-day title in the 2021-22 season, Jamaica haven’t tasted success since 2011-12.

Out-of-favour West Indies Test opener Kraigg Braithwaite, the captain of the Pride, expressed confidence in the build-up to the season opener.

“Our coaches have really done the groundwork with the squad to make things a little easier for us in our preparation,” he said.

“Our programme and trial matches provided a great opportunity to look at all the players who could have an impact at different stages of the season,” Brathwaite added.

The Jamaican set-up is without sidelined Test batsman Jermaine Blackwood for this contest, after he only recently returned from overseas engagement. But the squad boasts Test match experience in batsmen Campbell, Kirk McKenzie and Brandon King, and pacers Ojay Shields and Marquino Mindley.

Aside from Brathwaite, the Pride squad features depth in experience and quality in West Indies Test spinner Jomel Warrican, batsman Kyle Mayers, all-rounder Shamar Springer, and pacer Johann Layne.

Haynes said the outcome at Chedwin Park will boil down to execution.

“Barbados is always a very difficult team… they have a lot of experienced players, but at the end of the day we are not going to be looking at what they have. We just have to go out and play good cricket, and stick to the task at hand, and be aware of situations,” Haynes said.

“Performances [in the preparation phase] have been impressive [but] at the end of the day it doesn’t matter what you do before the game — it’s what you do during the game. Focus, concentration and awareness of situations are what will drive us through.

“The mental side is what we are working on because the guys are at a different level this year compared to last year in terms of [physical] fitness,” the Jamaica coach explained

The Pride skipper warned his team against complacency.

“Jamaica is always a competitive team at home. The way they play cricket, you always enjoy playing against them. However, as I always say, you cannot take any team for granted. They are a very good team but we must come good as a unit, and the guys are excited to do that against Jamaica,” said Brathwaite.

The 2026 edition of the tournament is a significant shift from the league structure of recent vintage as cash-strapped Cricket West Indies seeks to cut costs.

This year the top team after the bilateral matches will advance to the final, while the second- and third-placed sides will participate in a play-off to earn the right to contest the championship match.

To ensure match readiness, the top team is to engage in an official first class match against West Indies Academy while the play-off encounter is in progress.

Haynes said that though the shortened structure is not the most ideal for player development, the competition still offers the opportunity for aspiring Test cricketers to stake their claim.

“As a coach and former cricketer you want to see as many games played as possible, but where there are financial constraints you can’t really do much about it. We’re still thankful that any team that’s able to get to the final will play five games, and we’re hoping that things will change in the near future” he told the
Observer.

Kraigg Brathwaite, Barbados Pride captain Photo: CWI Media

HAYNES… all of us in the management team are saying this is the year for Jamaica, and it comes from what we are seeing in the preparation and trial matches Photo: Observer file