Tym Glaser, Associate Editor - Sport

RED-HOT JAMAICA take on undermanned Guyana today in Barbados for a place in the final of the regional one-day competition, the KFC Cup.

The long-time underachieving Jamaicans have barely put a foot wrong in this year's tournament and start the day/night semi-final at the Three Ws Oval raging favourites, thanks to their unbeaten record and the fact that Guyana will be without stalwarts Ramnaresh Sarwan and Shivnarine Chanderpaul.

Jamaica, who have not won a one-day crown since 1999 and failed to even reach the semis the last four years, cruised through Zone A of the competition with comfortable wins over the Leeward Islands (six wickets), the West Indies Under-19s (nine wickets) and Barbados (six wickets). The bowling attack has done well to restrict opponents to modest scores and the batsmen have knocked off the targets while barely raising a sweat in Guyana.

Early inroads

Jerome Taylor has led the way with the ball, claiming seven wickets to date at a fair economy rate of 4.15. Pace partner Daren Powell has also made early inroads with four wickets and they have been well supported by slow bowling options Nikita Miller (five wickets), Tamar Lambert (three), Donovan Sinclair (three) and miserly medium pacer Brendan Nash, who has only one scalp to his name but has conceded a mere 53 runs in his 25 overs.

Chasing no total greater than 170, the batting line-up has hardly been tested. Captain Chris Gayle, the tournament's second highest rungetter with 153 at an average of 51, has created the platforms for the successful chases and he has been ably assisted by the likes of Shawn Findlay, Brenton Parchment, Danza Hyatt and transplanted Australian Nash.

Guyana were struck a major blow just before the tournament started when gritty, left-hand bat Chanderpaul pulled out of the squad with an elbow injury. Their problems were exacerbated when injury-prone skipper Sarwan damaged an ankle during warm-ups before the team's final Zone B match against Trinidad and Tobago and he is likely to be out of action for about six weeks.

Good batting depth

The Guyanese, who won two of their three zone games to reach the semis, still boast good batting depth with Travis Dowlin, Sewnarine Chattergoon, Narsingh Deonarine and Neil McGarrell performing well but, on an anticipated less-than-spin friendly Barbados pitch, the bowling attack looks thin.

All-rounder Royston Crandon and spinner McGarrell have taken five wickets apiece in the tournament while Deonarine and Esuan Crandon have chipped in with four and three, respectively, but they are unlikely to send too many shivers through the Jamaica line-up.

This evening's victor will face the winner of tomorrow's second day/night semi-final between Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados in Sunday's final at the same venue.