The national cricketers will begin their quest for regional supremacy in the Carib Beer cricket competition with a tough first round match against Trinidad and Tobago at the Queen’s Park Oval tomorrow.
The Ramnaresh Sarwan-led side will have their hands full first up as former West Indies batting great Brian Lara has been included in the Trinidad squad, though latest reports indicated a question mark over his fitness.
In an invited comment, president of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Chetram Singh told Stabroek Sport that he was expecting great things from the team which was the youngest to have departed these shores.
“We have a very young team and I am expecting that some of these youngsters would step up to the mantle and perform. They have been selected to replace some very seasoned and experienced players and should therefore take up the challenge and rise to the occasion,” he said.
Singh added that while the bowling department consisted of some young bowlers, he expected them however, to be able to restrict their opponents.
“Veerasammy Permaul and Jeremy Gordon had a stint in this competition last year. Also Esaun Crandon performed creditably and is very experienced. This trio, along with Zaheer Mohammed, can hold their own in this competition,” he opined.
Singh, however, wasted no time in expressing his disappointment at the batting selection.
“I strongly feel that another recognized opener should have been selected to partner Sewnarine Chattergoon at the top. To use a middle order batsman for that role is defeating the purpose which is to win the three away matches,” Singh stated.
The team comprises two new faces in former Guyana and West Indies under-19 batsman Gajanand Singh and former under-19 fast bowler Brendon Bess.
While there are three senior players who have represented the West Indies in both formats of the game in captain Sarwan, middle order batsman Narsingh Deonarine (Tests) and opener Sewnarine Chattergoon (One Day), the team will surely miss the reliable Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who is with the West Indies team in South Africa, and is in fine form with the bat reeling off eight test half centuries in his last nine test innings.
As such, and with Dowlin expected to open the batting, the Guyana middle order will rely heavily on Sarwan, Deonarine, the in-form Assad Fudadin, Singh (if he is selected) and another former Guyana and West Indies under-19 captain Leon Johnson.
Sarwan is eager to get back in the middle after a break caused by an ankle injury sustained during warm ups in the KFC Cup match against Trinidad at the Guyana National stadium, Providence, last year.
The wicket-keeping duties are in the sometimes capable hands of Derwin Christian who will need to step up to the plate with his glove work and the bat if he is to make an impression in this year’s competition especially since the selectors seem to be exploring other options.
How well can the bowlers contain a Trinidad batting line up led by double world record holder Lara remains to be seen.
But Lara, who quit international cricket following the West Indies’ dismal run at the 2007 World Cup held in the West Indies for the first time last year, has had a poor run with the bat in his sojourn in the Indian Cricket League (ICL).
The Trinidad side will include Lendl Simmons, Kieron Pollard, Reyad Emrit and Dave Mohammed all of whom had the distinct privilege of representing the West Indies.
Add the dashing William Perkins, the talented Adrian Barath and Daren Bravo who have both been selected to represent the West Indies at the upcoming Youth World Cup in Malaysia and the young Guyanese bowling attack will have a lot on their hands in this encounter.
Their bowling is in the capable hands of former West Indies under-19 fast bowler Ravi Rampaul, Richard Kelly, Emrit, Mohammed and Samuel Badree who, on any given day, can pose problems to any regional batting line up.
All in all, a full house is expected to grace the Queen’s Park Oval for this encounter which can be deemed a match-up between Lara and Sarwan the past and present West Indies captains respectively.
Teams: Guyana from: Ramnaresh Sarwan (captain), Travis Dowlin, Sewnarine Chattergoon, Narsingh Deonarine, Leon Johnson, Gajanand Singh, Assad Fudadin, Darwin Christian, Esaun Crandon, Veerasammy Permaul, Zaheer Mohammed, Brendon Bess and Jeremy Gordon. Manager Carl Moore; Coach Albert Smith.
Trinidad from: Reyad Emrit (captain), Lendl Simmons, Adrian Barath, Darren Bravo, Brian Lara, Kieran Pollard, Gibran Mohammed, Richard Kelly, Ravi Rampaul, Amit Jaggernauth, Samuel Badree, William Perkins and Atiba Alert.
