The junior selection panel of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) has shortlisted 20 young players following three trial matches held at the Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) ground last week in preparation for the regional Under-17 tournament which is being sponsored and hosted by the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board of Control some time later this year. Georgetown and Demerara’s successful captain Dexter Solomon has been chosen as the captain of the team which will undergo some weekend encampments at the GCB hostel in Alberttown. Prolific openers Herrell Greene of Essequibo, who had the highest individual score (71 made against Demerara) in the recently concluded GCB/CLICO sponsored Under-17 Inter County tournament, and Quincy Ovid-Richardson of Demerara, have found favour with the selectors. Former national under-15 captain and opener Harrinarine Chattergoon, who has been enduring a lean patch with the bat after his top score of 44 against Essequibo in the first innings and Dayanand Roopnarine who, along with Dellon Fernandes recorded the lone half centuries of the trial matches, are also included.
Fernandes, Jamally Odle and Clinton Pestano are all included and will be contending for a place in the middle order whilst Solomon can also shore up the batting with his level head approach.Essequibo’s left-arm spinner Anthony Adams, who took the first hat-trick at the Under-17 level and can also hold his own with the bat, is a surprise omission from the squad whilst Berbice’s Trinson Carmichael has been included. Added spin support will come from West Indies Under-15 right-arm leg-spinner Amir Khan who has improved leaps and bounds over the past year, Joemal La Fleur, Ricardo Devers, Arif Habib and Odle.
Seven fast bowlers will contend for a place on the team including national under-19 speedster Keon Joseph, left-arm swing bowler Andre Stoll, who can also score quickly at the bottom of the order, Rensford Beaton, Kevin Fredericks, Seon Daniels, Sharmindra Hardyal and national under-15 captain Kwame Crosse.
The team of 20 players which will be trimmed to 14 for the tournament are: Quincy Ovid- Richardson, Herrell Greene, Jamally Odle, Harrinarine Chattergoon, Amir Khan, Dayanand Roopnarine, Clinton Pestano, Dellon Fernandes, Joemal La Fleur, Trinson Carmichael, Dexter Solomon (captain), Arif Habib, Ricardo Devers, Rensford Beaton, Kwame Crosse, Andre Stoll, Keon Joseph, Sharmindra Hardyal, Seon Daniels and Kevin Fredericks.
