Coach of the Guyana national team Ravindranauth Seeram yesterday told Stabroek Sport that right arm leg spinner Devendra Bishoo’s services in the team will be sorely missed, especially in the upcoming game against the Leeward Islands this weekend.
The 23-years-old Albion Sports Club bowler suffered a torn tendon in his bowling shoulder and along with the Crandon siblings Esaun (sore shoulder) and Royston (cold) was forced to miss Guyana’s game against the Combined Campuses and Colleges at Bourda.
“It is only obvious that Bishoo is being missed in the team. He’s our leading wicket-taker with 26 wickets so far and along with Veerasammy Permaul is expected to do the bulk of the bowling for us. It is unfortunate that he has sustained his injury at this time of the tournament. In his absence, we have to resort to part time bowlers to fill the gap until he returns.”
Bishoo’s injury may stem from him having to do the bulk of the bowling as Seeram stated earlier he has bowled 286.1 overs so far in the tournament to date.
While Seeram was supportive of the idea of recalling regional wicket-taking record holder Mahendra Nagamootoo to the side, he was quick to state that the rebuilding process of Guyana may be hampered. “It would be an advantage to have Nagamootoo around. In one area, our young bowlers like Permaul and Bishoo may benefit from his experience. But with Guyana on the path of rebuilding for the future our young players such as Steven Jacobs may be hampered,” said Seeram.
While Guyana’s bowling has been taking a beating this season, Nagamootoo who has over 370 regional first class wickets has been undermining batsmen in the twin island republic of Trinidad and Tobago, with a best of 9-54 taken recently. The coach who had replaced the long-serving Albert Smith before the start of Guyana’s sixth round clash against Jamaica, following four consecutive losses, expressed his disappointment with the bowling of Brandon Bess.
“Once again he did the obvious which was not expected of him, which was spraying the ball all over the place. This was something he was not doing in our practice sessions. Having three young fast bowlers in Bess, Trevon Garraway and Christopher Barnwell, we are forced to at times make our bowling a spin-based one.”
The coach continued, “We are working on Bess with the hope he can get it right by the second innings of this encounter. He just needs to put the balls in the right areas as he already possesses the pace within his armory.”
Although the selectors seem unwilling, many cricket fans are calling on them to give 33-year-old right hander Nagamootoo the recall, especially with the unavailability of Bishoo.