…in President’s Premier League T20
By Marlon Munroe
The stars are set to collide this evening at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence in the President’s Premier League Twenty20 tournament and both teams are exuding confidence going into the match-up.
At a time when West Indies cricket is in dire straits as a result of the breakdown of mediation talks between the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) and the West Indies Players Association (WIPA), Ramnaresh Sarwan, Dwayne Bravo and Darren Ganga reiterated that they will be going out to play competitive cricket for the fans.
Ganga added that with these games, hopefully cricket will be the winner.
The CARICOM All Stars, which will be led by Chris Gayle, have been preparing for over a month for the games according to Bravo and Ganga.
Ganga, a former West Indies opening batsman, noted that the team is extremely confident despite not having had much match practice.
He and Bravo, WI all-rounder and livewire fielder, stated that there has been a focus on the technical aspect of the game especially since Trinidad & Tobago (T&T) will also be preparing for the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Club Championship League in India next month. T&T qualified for this tournament when they beat Jamaica last year in the finals of the Stanford Twenty20 Tournament.
Sarwan, WI’s prolific middle order batsman, speaking yesterday stated that while he has not played much cricket he is rearing to go with his squad. He also noted that the games can be a source of exposure for the young cricketers in the President’s XI squad.
Coach Mark Harper on Wednesday expressed confidence in his team emerging victorious since he has some experienced players in the side. He had also acknowledged that while T20 is frenetic and the players have to be composed, some amount of aggression is needed for success.
Harper explained, “We have a good team that is well balanced with players who are capable of attacking the bowling if the need arises and with two quality spinners in Lennox Cush and Mahendra Nagamootoo who bowled exceedingly well for Guyana in the Stanford T20 tournament, this team can very well come out on top at the end of the day.”
Bravo also indicated that the CARICOM All Stars team was balanced while acknowledging the same for Guyana’s team. Bravo noted that since he has played with Sarwan and former WI opening batsman Sewnarine Chattergoon, he is anxious to come up against the fiery pace of Brandon Bess.
He stated that the All Stars have shored up their line-up with the addition of all-rounders Kavon Cooper and Daron Cruickshank. Ganga, Bravo and Sarwan said that spirits are high in the camps and it their desire to please the fans with two good games of cricket.
On paper the two teams have an equal chance of winning but one of the world’s leading T20 players, Gayle will not be playing tonight. He will be playing tomorrow since he is scheduled to arrive here later today.
Stabroek Sport, inspecting the pitch yesterday afternoon, noticed that there was a lot of grass and the fastest drying outfield in the Caribbean is in pristine condition. Therefore, the ‘quickies’ Fidel Edwards, Bess and Ravi Rampaul can trouble batsmen despite spinners being the most successful bowlers in this form of the game.
President’s XI team: Ramnaresh Sarwan (Captain), Sewnarine Chattergoon, Narsingh Deonarine, Mahendra Nagamootoo, Lennox Cush, Esaun Crandon, Assad Fudadin, Derwin Christian, Christopher Barnwell, Davendra Bishoo, Brandon Bess, Veerasammy Permaul, Leon Johnson and Steven Jacobs.
CARICOM All Stars: Chris Gayle, Darren Bravo, Dwayne Bravo, Darren Ganga, Sherwin Ganga, Kieron Pollard, Lendl Simmons, Denesh Ramdin, Ravi Rampaul, Dave Mohammed, Fidel Edwards and Xavier Marshall.
