Coach expects return of WI players to lift Scorpions

Head coach Andrew Richardson is expecting the return of the West Indies players will further bolster the already talented Jamaica Scorpions' 16-man squad for the upcoming regional Super50 tournament, which starts on Saturday.

"The guys coming from the international level should be positive for our squad as some of them are in good form. We are hoping for them to dominate at this level and add value to a squad that already has quality players. It is all about gelling as a unit and executing our plans," said Richardson.

He also expressed confidence in the ability of Jermaine Blackwood to captain the Scorpions. Blackwood has been granted the nod to kick-start the tournament, with the expectation that Rovman Powell will take over when he departs for Australia for a two-Test series.

"Blackwood is not new to leadership. He has been the vice-captain for the West Indies Test side for some time. He has done well in all the practice games and has certainly earned the respect of all the players in the squad," Richardson said.

The former Windward Islands coach Richardson, who will have Nikita Miller as his assistant, says he is hoping that his batting unit can come up trumps in this year's tournament.

"We have played five practice games and in each game the batsmen have looked better. Normally in this competition, the team that bats well generally go deep and do well in the competition. As long as we bat well we expect good results."

The Scorpions are scheduled to play regional teams Trinidad and Tobago Red Force, Windward Volcanoes, Leeward Hurricanes and Barbados Pride in Antigua, where they will arrive on Thursday.

The members of the West Indies who were part of the ICC Twenty20 (T20) World Cup squad that was eliminated last Friday, were allowed to participate in the Super50 tournament.

For the Scorpions' these players are Brandon King, Powell, Odean Smith and Sheldon Cottrell.

The squad is completed by batsmen Chadwick Walton, Alwyn Williams, Nkrumah Bonner and Andre McCarthy. The remaining fast bowlers in the squad are Marquino Mindley and Nicholson Gordon. The spin department will be handled by Jamie Merchant, Dennis Bulli, Jeavor Royal and the returning off-spinner Peat Salmon while Aldane Thomas will do wicket-keeping duties.