With confidence high following their impressive performance in the final match of the Antigua zone of the 2003 Red Stripe Bowl regional one-day cricket series, Guyana battle Jamaica today in the first semi-final at Kaiser in what is expected to be their toughest test so far in this year’s competition.

The home team, unbeaten in the Jamaica zone, boasts 10 players with test experience and on a track expected to offer some bounce, should be difficult to beat although complacency could be their biggest worry.

When these two teams last met in the 2001 semi-final ended in a tie at Kaiser but Guyana qualified to beat Barbados in the final by virtue of having more wins in their zone.

If today’s game is tied or washed out, Jamaica will advance to Sunday’s final and the weather could be another worry for Guyana since this is the tail end of the hurricane season here and Kaiser is known for it’s high percentage of rainfall.

Yesterday the Guyana team had their final practice session in Kingston before embarking on the two hours and thirty minutes drive to Kaiser. All of the teams except Jamaica also practiced in Kingston, the largest city in the English-speaking Caribbean on Tuesday.

The home team, who were to practice after the Guyanese on Tuesday called off their session because of lightning. Mervin Dillion and Fernix Thomas were struck by a lightning bold during play in a game last week and had to be hospitalized.

Guyana coach Albert Smith, speaking on the scoreboard Radio program on Tuesday night said his team is ready for Jamaica. He added that although a few things could have be done differently in Antigua he was pleased with the improvement shown by his team as they prepare to face Jamaica today.

Guyana could play the same eleven that beat Antigua and Barbuda in their last game but Smith hinted that the batting order could be changed again.

Ramnaresh Sarwan batted at number three in the order followed by skipper Shivnarine Chanderpaul in the first three games. Lennox Cush who has struggled badly with the bat, scoring just two runs in three innings in his 48 runs overall, batted at three in the final game when he was run out after being caught off a no-ball for a duck.

While he has not produced with the bat, Cush has been a vital member of the Guyana bowling attack with his off spin. Cush, test players Neil McGarrell, Mahendra Nagamootoo and Sarwan and the pacer Reon Griffith and Eusan Crandon will have their work cut out against the powerful Jamaica batting line up on the small ground.

Guyana’s strength is their batting led by Sarwan and Chanderpaul with support from openers Sewnarine Chattergoon and Ryan Ramdas. The talented Narsingh Deonarine has had limited opportunities to perform while if Cush gets going and the all-rounders bat to their potential, Guyana could post a big enough score to give their not so strong bowling attack something to defend.

Guyana’s best bet though is chasing a victory especially since the weather forecast claim that the on and off thunderstorms and rains should continue for the next few days here and the toss could be very important today.

Jamaica will hope that their ‘big day players’ again produce today. Ricardo Powell (139 runs from four innings with a highest score of 71 not out) and Marlon Samuels (133 runs from four innings) and Wavell Hinds (131 runs from four innings) are the only Jamaicans to past 125 runs in the competition.

Chris Gayle (124 runs from four innings) is the other Jamaican with over 100 runs while skipper Robert Samuels (29 from three innings), Parchment (33 from four innings) and Greeth Breeze (24 from two innings) and David Bernard (34 from two innings) have failed to register big scores.

Darell Powell (8 wickets from four matches) and Jerome Taylor (7 wickets from three matches) are the leading Jamaican wicket takers and reports here indicate they have both bowled with pace in the competition.

Bernard and the all-rounders, Ricardo Powell, Gayle, Breeze, Marlon Samuels and Hinds could be expected to lend support to Taylor and Darell Powell with the ball.

With wicket keeper Carlton Baugh (75 runs from two innings) also in the side, the Reggie Boys have a balanced team with both batting and bowling strong on paper.

But cricket is not played on paper and if Guyana get a good start today and the test batsmen Chanderpaul and Sarwan get going, the 285 coach Smith feels will be enough to ensure his team victory, could easily be achieved.