Champions Jamaica Tallawahs celebrating the fall of a wicket during a Caribbean Premier League match at Sabina Park last year. From left: Nikita Miller, wicketkeeper Carlton Baugh, Muttiah Muralitharan and captain Chris Gayle. - file

"The Double: No Trouble". Those will be watchwords of the Jamaica Tallawahs as they begin the defence of their Caribbean Premier League title, captain Chris Gayle and mentor Courtney Walsh said on Monday. "Since we have been together in training the past week, the tag line we have been using is 'the double: no trouble'," said Walsh at a Foska Oats sponsorship breakfast yesterday at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel.

"It is a saying that we strongly believe in, and all things being equal, something we hope to live up to going forward."

The breakfast, which was attended by members of the Tallawahs' 15-member squad, including new recruits, New Zealand spinner Daniel Vettori, Australia batsman Adam Voges and South Africa fast bowler Rusty Theron, saw Foska officially renewing their association with the team.

The sponsorship, which again represents one of two for the champions, will see among other things, Foska Oat's logo being displayed on the back of the Tallawahs' match gear and equipment.

The team's other sponsor, Appleton Jamaica Rum, will have their logo emblazoned on the front of same.

"Foska was a proud founding sponsor of the Tallawahs, champions of the inaugural CPL," said John Ramson, chairman of Caribbean Foods, the parent company of Foska.

"It was therefore no surprise that when the opportunity arose for Caribbean Food to come back on board, we enthusiastically accepted.

pull off a repeat

"We look forward to the team doing well once again, and is hopeful that the team will be able to pull off a repeat."

Meanwhile, Gayle was full of praise for Foska Oats, saying that the team is delighted to have their support once more.

"It's great to have Foska coming back, and giving us the support, not only financially but also in other areas," he said.

"It is through stuff like this that keeps us motivated to do well, and is one of the driving forces behind our new talk 'the double: no trouble'."

The Tallawahs will play St Lucia Zouks in their opening encounter on Saturday at the Grenada National Stadium.