The two sides who didn’t get their CPL 2020 campaigns underway on the opening day of the new season do so in the first match of another double header day of action on Wednesday when the former champions Jamaica Tallawahs take on the St Lucia Zouks.
The Tallawahs have twice been champions of this competition but they propped up the table last season. The Zouks have never really justified their potential and that is a minimum requirement for them over the course of this campaign.
Jamaica Tallawahs
Despite having plenty of power in their squad on paper last season, the Jamaica Tallawahs could only muster two wins and it goes without saying that the need to put up a much stronger showing this term with the talent they have at their disposal. They look a more rounded side on paper this season with explosion in all the right areas so if the wickets play true, the Tallawahs could run a third title in eight years very close.
If it all clicks for Jamaica in this tournament you could see some huge scores from them but if they lose a couple of early wickets it will be interesting to see if they can rebuild an innings as it is all out power below the top two. They have a battery of pacemen in their arsenal and a couple of very clever young spinners in their ranks too. You could well argue they have all bases covered, but as they found out last season that doesn’t always mean much.
St Lucia Zouks
The St Lucia Zouks haven’t been without their issues in recent times and they suffered another blow ahead of the tournament when Chris Gayle decided that he wouldn’t take part this season. That has left an enormous hole in their batting and there is no hiding from the fact that they look very light outside of their opening pair, although if they can somehow set an innings up there are a couple of very good finishers in the middle order.
You would think if the St Lucia Zouks are going to be competitive in this tournament then their bowling is going to have to stand up and be counted. They have some quality cricketers in that department, but at the same time those players can be expensive when they are not on it. The lack of depth in quality spin options is very much a worry so you’ve got to think St Lucia will need to max out to be a feature in this tournament.
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Key Men
It is hard to look at any match that Andre Russell plays in and not pick him out as the key man because he bats, bowls and fields very well. He is the one to watch but it will be interesting to see how Jermaine Blackwood goes after his relatively late call up.
Rakheem Cornwall earned a spot in the West Indies set up with his clean hitting at the top of the order for St Lucia Zouks last season as well as his more than effective off spin. If he goes well the Zouks are a chance but if he is off they could be in trouble.
Betting
I like the sixes in this match. We saw them flow during the first day of action and it would the pitch is going to be on the other edge of the square here so there is still going to be a short boundary on one side. This is a day match so there is no need to worry about the dew being an issue or anything like that, so while that will help the spinners, there isn’t a whole lot of mystery spin options on show here and those that do play will be playing their first matches in quite a while.
This Jamaica side is almost put together for sixes to flow in their matches. They have plenty of biffers with the bat and the pace they have with the ball, while wicket taking in quality, will go miles when they don’t get it right. The Zouks are set up similar albeit without quite as many fireworks but there are still some clean hitters in their ranks as well. Both these teams have a point to prove and they can do that by covering a 13.5 sixes total.
Tips
WON – Back Over 13.5 sixes for a 3/10 stake at 2.00 with William Hill
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