PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Languishing bottom of the seven-team standings, Guyana will be going all out for maximum points in order to stall Trinidad & Tobago’s progress in their 12th round WICB four-day championship today at the Queen’s Park Oval.
The Guyanese cricketers have given a below-par performance this season but according to coach of the team, Rabindranath Seeram that is expected to change in their remaining three matches.
Seeram said that although the team was not doing well in the present competition, there were some pluses in the side.
“Although we are not in contention for championship honours, there are some outstanding performances from individuals, including Narsingh Deonarine who has scored over 800 runs in the tournament and spinners Devindra Bishoo and Veerasammy Permaul both of whom have taken over 20 wickets in the series,” said Seeram.
“We also have Leon Johnson and Sewnarine Chattergoon with international experience, and hopefully both will score big in the remaining matches, to keep their names on the regional selectors’ lips.
Guyana are without a win in this year’s competition and have just 24 points from their nine outings to date.
Guyana have brought in all-rounder Esaun Crandon in place of former West Indies youth batsman Gajanand Singh, the visitors’ only change from their squad that played to a no-decision against Leeward Islands two weeks ago.
The Guyanese rounded off their preparation with a net and physical session on Thursday at the Queen’s Park Oval.
T&T have had a similarly poor season by their standards, with just one win from nine matches and have garnered 51 points to lie fifth.
All-rounder Rayad Emrit has returned from injury and is expected to give a positive showing against the opposition.
He has replaced fast bowler Ravi Rampaul from the T&T team who took first innings points from Windward Islands in a drawn encounter at the Arnos Vale in St Vincent earlier this week.
Rampaul has been called up for duty with the West Indies team for the third and fourth One-Day Internationals against England this weekend at Kensington Oval in Barbados.
Emrit played in the two opening matches of the series against Barbados and Jamaica, but broke his left hand while training during the Jamaica game.
Though T&T have already been ruled out of the title race, team manager Colin Borde said there were still personal goals to play for.
“We still have three matches to go, and of course that still bring opportunities for each and every player to grow as cricketers. As a team, we still haven’t thus far achieved our objective that is primarily to win the title,” Borde said.
SQUADS: T&T – Daren Ganga (captain), Adrian Barath, Sherwin Ganga, Imran Khan, Darren Bravo, Gibran Mohammed, Atiba Alert, Amit Jaggernauth, Magnum Nanan, Rayad Emrit, Navin Stewart, Jason Mohammed, Daron Cruikshank.
GUYANA – Travis Dowlin (captain), Siewnarine Chattergoon, Christopher Barnwell, Leon Johnson, Narsingh Deonarine, Assad Fudadin, Derwin Christian, Royston Crandon, Devindra Bishoo, Veerasammy Permaul, Brendon Bess, Steve Jacobs, Esaun Crandon.
