The returning John Campbell will lead a 13-man Jamaica Scorpions squad for the first few rounds of the 2025 West Indies Championship set to begin on Wednesday. Campbell, 31, will be playing first class cricket for the first time since June 2022 when he represented the West Indies against Bangladesh in St. Lucia.

He recently returned to the sport in last year’s CG United Super50 Cup after having a four-year ban, issued in 2022 for failure to provide a blood sample to doping control officers, reduced to 18 months in April last year.

His deputy in the Scorpions outfit will be Kirk McKenzie who has represented the West Indies in six Tests.

The squad also included former Scorpions captain Jermaine Blackwood who was dropped after five rounds of last season’s West Indies Championship.

Also returning to the first-class set-up is Odean Smith whose last four-day game came five years ago for the Trinidad & Tobago Red Force.

A number of players are in line for debuts including Super50 Cup centurion Javelle Glenn, former West Indies Under-19 representative Daniel Beckford and schoolboy Tamarie Redwood.

Players like Carlos Brown, also a centurion in the Super50 Cup, Jeavor Royal, Gordon Bryan and Marquino Mindley return from last year’s squad.

Interestingly, Jamaica’s second-leading run scorer and leading wicket taker from last season, Romaine Morris and Peat Salmon, were overlooked for selection.

The Scorpions will open their campaign against the Windward Islands Volcanoes at Arnos Vale.

Full squad: John Campbell (Captain), Kirk McKenzie (Vice-Captain), Odain McCatty, Carlos Brown, Daniel Beckford (WK), Odean Smith, Brad Barnes, Jermaine Blackwood, Javelle Glenn, Tamarie Redwood, Jeavor Royal, Gordon Bryan, Marquino Mindley).